Knowledge (XXG)

Motagua Fault

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164: 155:(also referred to as the Chixoy-Polochic Fault) lies north and parallel to the Motagua Fault and shares some of the motion between the North American and Caribbean Plates. Studies of GPS displacement of the zone reveal that the motion of the North American / Caribbean Plate Boundary is, for the most part, accommodated by the Motagua Fault. 34: 226:
Lyon-Caen, H.; Barrier, E.; Lasserre, C.; Fraco, A.; Arzu, I.; Chiquin, L.; Chiquin, M.; Duquesnoy, T.; Flores, O.; Galicia, O.; Luna, J.; Molina, E.; Porras, O.; Requena, J.; Robles, V.; Romero, J.; Wolf, R. (2006).
201:. The event caused 2 meters of vertical displacement and ruptured 230 km of the fault's length. The quake damaged a large amount of the country's infrastructure and resulted in the deaths of 23,000 people. 140:
The measured length of the fault is approximately 350 km and is the longest fault in Guatemala. Motion of the fault and others in the plate boundary have formed North-South trending
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The Motagua Fault is regarded by some geologists as part of a system of faults designated the "Motagua-Polochic system" rather than as a discrete single boundary. The
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Information about historical earthquakes is determined by digging trenches along the fault zone and consulting historical records and documents.
790: 229:"Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system" 344: 1210: 717: 1116: 1225: 1215: 814: 270:"Beyond the Motagua and Polochic faults: Active strike-slip faulting along the Western North America-Caribbean plate boundary zone" 1235: 991: 691: 184: 1167: 412: 1106: 1101: 710: 900: 842: 778: 419: 1162: 686: 552: 126: 955: 1220: 872: 766: 137:. Its western end appears not to continue further than its surface trace, where it is covered by Cenozoic volcanics. 1078: 862: 391: 1022: 194: 168: 179:
type of fault trace is known as "mole track", which is best developed in hard-packed, brittle surface materials.
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lies in one of these grabens, which may contribute to the seismic hazard posed to the city's inhabitants.
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across the region that show evidence of counter-clockwise rotation over time.
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The Motagua Fault has been responsible for several major
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Guzmán-Speziale, Marco; Molina, Enrique (2022-04-01).
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It is considered the onshore continuation of the 1139: 1087: 1056: 1015: 984: 928: 888: 881: 830: 745: 674: 610: 498: 478: 455: 221: 219: 217: 81: 71: 63: 53: 48: 40: 21: 197:, and is also notable for its significant visible 718: 420: 8: 1231:Geographic areas of seismological interest 885: 725: 711: 703: 427: 413: 405: 32: 244: 1107:Middleton Place–Summerville Seismic Zone 312:Journal of South American Earth Sciences 162: 16:Geological fault In Guatemala and Mexico 213: 1033:Long Point–Eureka Heights fault system 791:Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province 18: 1157:Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone 59:North American Plate, Caribbean Plate 7: 301: 299: 297: 295: 1117:Northern Appalachians Seismic Zone 77:1717, 1773, 1902, 1976, 1980, 2009 14: 815:Southern Great Lakes Seismic Zone 992:Independence Valley fault system 692:List of seismic faults in Mexico 1168:Lesser Antilles subduction zone 268:Guzmán-Speziale, Marco (2010). 167:Along the Motagua Fault trace ( 1102:Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone 187:'s history, including the 7.5 1: 843:Laurentian Slope Seismic Zone 779:Clarendon-Linden fault system 1163:Gulf of California Rift Zone 687:List of faults in Costa Rica 553:Gulf of California Rift Zone 324:10.1016/j.jsames.2022.103740 233:Geophysical Research Letters 127:Swan Islands Transform Fault 1211:Seismic faults of Guatemala 1023:Central Oklahoma Fault Zone 873:Western Quebec Seismic Zone 767:Canadian Arctic Rift System 392:Datapages, Volume 28 (1978) 286:10.1016/j.tecto.2010.10.002 1252: 1079:Wabash Valley Seismic Zone 863:Saint Lawrence rift system 748:(crosses national borders) 901:Olympic–Wallowa Lineament 345:USGS Historic Earthquakes 195:Guatemala 1976 earthquake 169:1976 Guatemala earthquake 31: 26: 1226:Earthquakes in Guatemala 1216:Seismic faults of Mexico 773:Cascadia subduction zone 761:Basin and Range Province 185:earthquakes in Guatemala 113:. It forms part of the 1236:Pacific Coast of Mexico 1069:New Madrid Seismic Zone 956:Newport–Inglewood Fault 951:Mendocino Fracture Zone 838:Charlevoix Seismic Zone 538:Chapala Tula Fault Zone 171:) where it crosses the 971:San Jacinto Fault Zone 682:Rivera Triple Junction 656:San Pedro Mártir Basin 583:Rivera Transform Fault 180: 133:, which run under the 1173:Middle America Trench 1152:Chixoy-Polochic Fault 1127:Virginia Seismic Zone 1088:Appalachian Mountains 889:Washington and Oregon 853:Queen Charlotte Fault 650:Middle America Trench 166: 117:boundary between the 1140:Caribbean and Mexico 652:(Acapulco/Guatemala) 444:North American Plate 438:of Central America ( 246:10.1029/2006GL027694 119:North American Plate 105:left lateral-moving 44:Guatemala and Mexico 1097:Aiken–Augusta Fault 1074:Sandwich Fault Zone 975:Elsinore Fault Zone 896:Brothers Fault Zone 563:Imperial Fault Zone 367: /  175:soccer field. This 1221:Strike-slip faults 1190:Puerto Rico Trench 1185:Pedro Miguel Fault 1090:and Atlantic Coast 961:Puente Hills Fault 946:Hayward Fault Zone 868:Timiskaming Graben 797:Puget Sound faults 735:seismically active 573:Pedro Miguel Fault 533:Cerro Prieto Fault 181: 109:which cuts across 99:Motagua Fault Zone 27:Motagua Fault Zone 1198: 1197: 1181:(Central America) 1175:(Central America) 1135: 1134: 1043:Nemaha Fault Zone 966:Rose Canyon Fault 848:Leech River Fault 809:San Andreas Fault 700: 699: 661:Tehuantepec Ridge 597:San Lorenzo Fault 450:Convergence Zone) 371:15.133°N 89.367°W 91: 90: 1243: 886: 740:of North America 727: 720: 713: 704: 429: 422: 415: 406: 382: 381: 379: 378: 377: 372: 368: 365: 364: 363: 360: 347: 342: 336: 335: 303: 290: 289: 265: 259: 258: 248: 223: 36: 19: 1251: 1250: 1246: 1245: 1244: 1242: 1241: 1240: 1201: 1200: 1199: 1194: 1131: 1111:Woodstock Fault 1089: 1083: 1052: 1011: 980: 936:Calaveras Fault 924: 877: 858:Saguenay Graben 826: 803:Rio Grande rift 755:Aleutian Trench 747: 741: 731: 701: 696: 670: 615: 606: 578:Pescadero Fault 503: 494: 474: 451: 448:Caribbean Plate 436:Tectonic plates 433: 402: 388: 376:15.133; -89.367 375: 373: 369: 366: 361: 358: 356: 354: 353: 351: 350: 343: 339: 305: 304: 293: 267: 266: 262: 225: 224: 215: 210: 192: 161: 123:Caribbean Plate 107:transform fault 87:transform fault 17: 12: 11: 5: 1249: 1247: 1239: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1218: 1213: 1203: 1202: 1196: 1195: 1193: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1176: 1170: 1165: 1160: 1154: 1149: 1143: 1141: 1137: 1136: 1133: 1132: 1130: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1104: 1099: 1093: 1091: 1085: 1084: 1082: 1081: 1076: 1071: 1066: 1064:Marianna Fault 1060: 1058: 1054: 1053: 1051: 1050: 1048:Wilzetta Fault 1045: 1040: 1035: 1030: 1028:Humboldt Fault 1025: 1019: 1017: 1013: 1012: 1010: 1009: 1004: 999: 994: 988: 986: 982: 981: 979: 978: 968: 963: 958: 953: 948: 943: 938: 932: 930: 926: 925: 923: 922: 917: 903: 898: 892: 890: 883: 879: 878: 876: 875: 870: 865: 860: 855: 850: 845: 840: 834: 832: 828: 827: 825: 824: 818: 812: 806: 800: 794: 788: 782: 776: 770: 764: 758: 751: 749: 743: 742: 732: 730: 729: 722: 715: 707: 698: 697: 695: 694: 689: 684: 678: 676: 672: 671: 669: 668: 663: 658: 653: 647: 642: 637: 632: 627: 621: 619: 608: 607: 605: 604: 599: 594: 588:Polochic Fault 585: 580: 575: 570: 565: 560: 558:Farallon Fault 555: 550: 545: 540: 535: 530: 525: 523:Ballenas Fault 520: 515: 509: 507: 496: 495: 493: 492: 490: 484: 482: 476: 475: 473: 472: 467: 461: 459: 453: 452: 434: 432: 431: 424: 417: 409: 400: 399: 394: 387: 386:External links 384: 349: 348: 337: 291: 280:(1–4): 17–27. 274:Tectonophysics 260: 212: 211: 209: 206: 190: 160: 157: 153:Polochic fault 146:Guatemala City 101:) is a major, 89: 88: 85: 79: 78: 75: 69: 68: 65: 61: 60: 57: 51: 50: 46: 45: 42: 38: 37: 29: 28: 24: 23: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1248: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1217: 1214: 1212: 1209: 1208: 1206: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1180: 1179:Motagua Fault 1177: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1147:Cayman Trough 1145: 1144: 1142: 1138: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1112: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1094: 1092: 1086: 1080: 1077: 1075: 1072: 1070: 1067: 1065: 1062: 1061: 1059: 1055: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1020: 1018: 1014: 1008: 1007:Wasatch Fault 1005: 1003: 1000: 998: 995: 993: 990: 989: 987: 983: 976: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 941:Garlock Fault 939: 937: 934: 933: 931: 927: 921: 918: 915: 911: 910:Seattle Fault 907: 904: 902: 899: 897: 894: 893: 891: 887: 884: 882:United States 880: 874: 871: 869: 866: 864: 861: 859: 856: 854: 851: 849: 846: 844: 841: 839: 836: 835: 833: 829: 822: 821:Tintina Fault 819: 816: 813: 810: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 792: 789: 786: 783: 780: 777: 774: 771: 768: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 752: 750: 746:North America 744: 739: 736: 728: 723: 721: 716: 714: 709: 708: 705: 693: 690: 688: 685: 683: 680: 679: 677: 673: 667: 664: 662: 659: 657: 654: 651: 648: 646: 645:Guaymas Basin 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 631: 628: 626: 625:Alarcon Basin 623: 622: 620: 618: 613: 609: 603: 600: 598: 595: 593: 592:Motagua Fault 589: 586: 584: 581: 579: 576: 574: 571: 569: 566: 564: 561: 559: 556: 554: 551: 549: 548:Guaymas Fault 546: 544: 541: 539: 536: 534: 531: 529: 526: 524: 521: 519: 516: 514: 511: 510: 508: 506: 501: 497: 491: 489: 486: 485: 483: 481: 477: 471: 468: 466: 463: 462: 460: 458: 454: 449: 445: 441: 440:Pacific Plate 437: 430: 425: 423: 418: 416: 411: 410: 407: 403: 398: 395: 393: 390: 389: 385: 383: 380: 346: 341: 338: 333: 329: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 302: 300: 298: 296: 292: 287: 283: 279: 275: 271: 264: 261: 256: 252: 247: 242: 238: 234: 230: 222: 220: 218: 214: 207: 205: 202: 200: 196: 193: 186: 178: 174: 170: 165: 158: 156: 154: 149: 147: 143: 138: 136: 135:Caribbean Sea 132: 131:Cayman trench 128: 124: 120: 116: 112: 108: 104: 100: 96: 95:Motagua Fault 86: 84: 80: 76: 74: 70: 66: 62: 58: 56: 52: 47: 43: 39: 35: 30: 25: 22:Motagua Fault 20: 1178: 1122:Ramapo Fault 1016:Great Plains 914:Tacoma Fault 785:Denali Fault 666:Wagner Basin 640:Delfin Basin 635:Consag Basin 630:Carmen Basin 602:Tamayo Fault 591: 568:Oaxaca Fault 543:Donaji Fault 528:Carmen Fault 518:Atoyac Fault 488:Rivera Plate 401: 352: 340: 315: 311: 277: 273: 263: 236: 232: 203: 182: 150: 139: 98: 94: 92: 1038:Meers Fault 1002:Teton Fault 985:Great Basin 920:Walker Lane 906:Puget Sound 470:Nazca Plate 465:Cocos Plate 374: / 199:fault trace 159:Earthquakes 73:Earthquakes 1205:Categories 997:Moab Fault 929:California 505:rift zones 318:: 103740. 239:(L19309). 208:References 513:Atl Fault 332:0895-9811 111:Guatemala 49:Tectonics 612:Trenches 397:USGS Map 121:and the 115:tectonic 41:Location 1057:Midwest 823:(US–CA) 817:(US–CA) 811:(US–MX) 805:(US–MX) 799:(US–CA) 793:(CA–US) 787:(US–CA) 781:(US–CA) 775:(US–CA) 769:(CA–GL) 763:(US–MX) 757:(US–RU) 617:troughs 362:89°22′W 359:15°08′N 255:3161221 142:grabens 97:(also, 1159:(Cuba) 831:Canada 738:faults 733:Major 500:Faults 330:  253:  177:zigzag 173:Gualán 103:active 67:Active 64:Status 675:Other 480:Small 457:Large 251:S2CID 55:Plate 328:ISSN 129:and 93:The 83:Type 614:and 502:and 320:doi 316:115 282:doi 278:496 241:doi 1207:: 912:, 590:- 326:. 314:. 310:. 294:^ 276:. 272:. 249:. 237:33 235:. 231:. 216:^ 1113:) 1109:( 977:) 973:( 916:) 908:( 726:e 719:t 712:v 446:– 442:– 428:e 421:t 414:v 334:. 322:: 288:. 284:: 257:. 243:: 191:w 189:M

Index


Plate
Earthquakes
Type
active
transform fault
Guatemala
tectonic
North American Plate
Caribbean Plate
Swan Islands Transform Fault
Cayman trench
Caribbean Sea
grabens
Guatemala City
Polochic fault

1976 Guatemala earthquake
Gualán
zigzag
earthquakes in Guatemala
Mw
Guatemala 1976 earthquake
fault trace



"Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system"
doi
10.1029/2006GL027694

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