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The July 2024 Calama Earthquake: An Unprecedented Event in Chile

In July 2024, the city of Calama in northern Chile was struck by a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake. This seismic event caused significant structural damage to buildings and led to widespread power outages throughout the region. The repercussions of this earthquake were severe, affecting not only the infrastructure but also impacting the daily lives of residents.

Chile’s History of Earthquakes

Chile is globally recognized for its seismic activity, being home to some of the most potent earthquakes ever recorded. Notably, in 1960, the country experienced a catastrophic magnitude 9.5 megathrust earthquake, the strongest ever documented. This disaster triggered a sizeable tsunami and resulted in the tragic loss of life, with estimates of fatalities ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 people. Although Calama’s earthquake was destructive, it deviated from Chile’s known pattern of massive megathrust events.

Why This Earthquake Was Different

Typically, megathrust earthquakes occur relatively close to the Earth’s surface, where tectonic plates collide. Conversely, the Calama earthquake originated at a depth of approximately 125 kilometers beneath the surface, deep within the subducting tectonic plate. This characteristic made it stand out among Chile’s past seismic events.

Unusual Seismic Behavior

Earthquakes occurring at intermediate depths usually lead to weaker shaking at the surface. However, the Calama earthquake defied this expectation. Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin identified that an extraordinary sequence of underground processes amplified the earthquake’s strength. Their research, published in Nature Communications, sheds light on this anomalous behavior, offering crucial insights for future seismic hazard assessments.

"These Chilean events are causing more shaking than is normally expected from intermediate-depth earthquakes, and can be quite destructive," explained the study’s lead author, Zhe Jia, a research assistant professor at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences. "Our research aims to unravel the intricacies of these earthquakes so that it can bolster emergency response efforts and facilitate long-term urban planning."

How Scientists Thought Deep Earthquakes Worked

For many years, scientists believed that earthquakes occurring at such intermediate depths, including the Calama event, were primarily triggered by a mechanism called "dehydration embrittlement." This process unfolds as an oceanic tectonic plate submerges deeper into the Earth, where increased temperatures and pressures release water trapped in minerals.

The Process Unveiled

When the rock loses this mineral-bound water, it undergoes weakening and brittleness, resulting in cracks that may rupture and produce an earthquake within the slab. Up until the Calama event, it was widely believed that this dehydration process ceased once temperatures exceeded approximately 650 degrees Celsius.

A Rare Heat-Driven Process Takes Over

The Calama earthquake fundamentally challenged this long-held assumption. According to the research team, the rupture continued significantly beyond the expected temperature limits, plunging about 50 kilometers deeper into considerably hotter rock. This phenomenon was attributed to a process known as "thermal runaway."

Understanding Thermal Runaway

During thermal runaway, extreme friction generated by the initial rupture produces intense heat at the fault’s front. This heat significantly weakens the surrounding material, allowing the rupture to advance and gain strength as it spreads.

"It’s the first time we’ve observed an intermediate-depth earthquake defy previously established norms, transitioning from a cold zone into a warmer, more active region and propagating at significantly faster speeds," remarked Jia, affiliated with the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG). "This informs us that the mechanics shifted from dehydration embrittlement to a more complex thermal runaway process."

Tracking the Rupture Deep Underground

To comprehensively understand how the earthquake developed and how far the rupture extended, the team from the University of Texas collaborated with researchers in both Chile and the United States. They utilized multiple sources of evidence to construct a detailed narrative of the seismic event.

Data Collection and Analysis

The researchers scrutinized seismic records from Chile, tracking the speed and extent of the rupture. They also employed data from Global Navigation Satellite Systems to measure ground motion and fault slip. Additionally, computer models were utilized to estimate the temperatures and rock characteristics at the depths involved in the earthquake.

Improving Earthquake Risk Forecasts

The ongoing threat of significant earthquake activity in Chile has galvanized research efforts and led to the installation of numerous seismometers and geodetic stations to monitor earthquakes and track crustal deformation in vulnerable regions.

"Given that another large earthquake is anticipated in Chile, our understanding of these complex seismic behaviors can enhance predictions for future events," commented Thorsten Becker, a co-author of the study and a professor at the Jackson School’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. "Better models developed from this research not only inform how intense future shaking may be but also assist in infrastructure design, early warning systems, and rapid emergency response strategies."

Research Support and Funding

This groundbreaking research was made possible through the supportive backing of various organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID) in Chile, and the UC Open Seed Fund, among others.

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