How analog models are changing what we know about fault behavior

Hannah Elston preparing the model by sprinkling sand on the surface of the clay. Credit: UMass Amherst

In a new paper recently published in the journal Geology, graduate student Hanna Elston, Professor Michele Cooke, and alum Dr. Alex Hatem unveil a physical model that yields an unprecedented, high-resolution look at the slip rates of faults, which determine the likelihood of earthquakes.