earth-sciences

Paleoseismology & Ancient Earthquakes

Uncovering the earthquake history written in the ground — fault trenching stratigraphy, recurrence interval statistics, paleomagnitude estimation, liquefaction evidence analysis, and long-term slip rate determination.

paleoseismologyearthquake historyfault trenchingrecurrence intervalseismic hazardliquefactionslip rate

Paleoseismology is the geological detective work of reading past earthquakes from the physical evidence they leave behind. By excavating trenches across active faults, dating displaced sediment layers, and mapping ancient liquefaction features, paleoseismologists extend the seismic record thousands of years beyond instrumental measurements — revealing earthquake patterns that define the true hazard of a region.

These simulations let you excavate virtual fault trenches, estimate recurrence intervals from stratigraphic offsets, back-calculate paleomagnitudes from displacement data, identify liquefaction signatures in sediment cores, and compute long-term slip rates that drive seismic hazard models. Each tool uses the same quantitative methods employed by researchers in the field.

5 interactive simulations

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Fault Trench Stratigraphy Simulator

Simulate fault trench excavation — explore how displacement, sedimentation rate, number of events, and erosion affect the stratigraphic record of past earthquakes

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Liquefaction Evidence Analysis Simulator

Simulate earthquake-induced liquefaction — explore how peak ground acceleration, soil density, water table depth, and sand layer thickness determine liquefaction potential and feature size

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Paleomagnitude Estimation Simulator

Simulate paleoearthquake magnitude estimation — explore how surface displacement, rupture length, fault type, and depth constrain magnitude from geological evidence

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Earthquake Recurrence Interval Simulator

Simulate earthquake recurrence statistics — explore how mean interval, coefficient of variation, elapsed time, and record length affect probability estimates and hazard forecasts

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Fault Slip Rate Calculator & Simulator

Simulate long-term fault slip rate determination — explore how offset features, dating uncertainty, geodetic rates, and fault geometry constrain tectonic loading and earthquake potential