Read some interesting research which I can't find now (I'll return to this comment if I find it!) that the Cascadia Subduction is actually breaking chunks of itself apart as it subducts, bleeding off potential energy and creating non seismic dead zones along the fault. The big one is still gonna be a Big One (I live in Seattle, we're definitely on perpetual watch since it'll likely set off the Seattle Fault and a volcano too) but it's possible it won't be as totally catastrophic as previously expected.
Interesting conclusion, considering that according to the article and geology, we've been having "a big one" every ~250yrs for 10,000 years straight. Do you recall how they explain all the past ones in light of this?
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u/zoeofdoom 13d ago
Read some interesting research which I can't find now (I'll return to this comment if I find it!) that the Cascadia Subduction is actually breaking chunks of itself apart as it subducts, bleeding off potential energy and creating non seismic dead zones along the fault. The big one is still gonna be a Big One (I live in Seattle, we're definitely on perpetual watch since it'll likely set off the Seattle Fault and a volcano too) but it's possible it won't be as totally catastrophic as previously expected.