focal mechanism, earthquake
focal mechanism, earthquake Shallow earthquakes are considered to occur when prolonged tectonic stress exceeds the local yield strength of rocks, so that brittle failure occurs suddenly, with associated earthquake and stress drop. Intermediate and deep earthquakes appear to have variable focal-plane mechanisms, although they are predominantly associated with slip along fracture planes. Other mechanisms include sudden phase transitions, resulting in an implosion as the mineral density increases and its volume decreases. See FAULT-PLANE SOLUTION.
More From encyclopedia.com
Dispersal Mechanism , Skip to main content
dispersal mechanism mechanical , mechanical •cackle, crackle, grackle, hackle, jackal, mackle, shackle, tackle •ankle, rankle •Gaskell, mascle, paschal •tabernacle • ramshackle •débâ… mechanical weathering , mechanical weathering The in situ breakdown of rocks and minerals by a set of disintegration processes that do not involve any chemical alteration. T… creep mechanisms , creep mechanisms Mechanisms by which materials deform at the Earth's surface or, more commonly, at depth. These can be: (a) cataclastic, in which ind… servomechanism , servomechanism Device that provides remote control to activate a mechanism. An input signal, such as a radio impulse or mechanical movement, converts… Mechanics , New Inventions . The Banu Musa (Sons of Moses), whose books on geometry aroused so much interest in the ninth century, also wrote extensively on the…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
focal mechanism, earthquake