Hidden Seafloor Barriers Could Stop Earthquakes, Study Finds
Scientists describe active ‘brake zones’ on the Gofar fault where seawater-infiltrated, porous rock temporarily amplifies tremors before a quake and then locks up to stop rupture, a dynamic barrier revealed by 2008 and 2019–2022 ocean-floor data. If such barriers are widespread, understanding them could improve earthquake forecasting, including risks on the Hayward Fault.