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Focus on known active faults

Nature Geoscience volume 4, page 494 (2011)Cite this article

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To the Editor

A recent Commentary1 in Nature Geoscience argues that the highest priority in earthquake science and risk evaluation is to identify the myriad hidden faults in the continental interiors. Few could disagree that the development of methods that expose unknown killer faults is important science, but is mapping the seismic hazard throughout the ten million square kilometres of the Alpine–Himalayan belt the highest scientific priority? I argue that scientific priority should instead lie with identifying regions of the highest hazard where we have, or can collect, data on known active faults, and then we must work with non-scientists to make these regions more resilient.

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Figure 1: Tsunami evacuation signs in Padang, Sumatra.

RACHEL SHANNON, UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER

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  1. Environmental Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Derry, BT521SA, Northern Ireland

    John McCloskey

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  1. John McCloskey
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Correspondence to John McCloskey.

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McCloskey, J. Focus on known active faults. Nature Geosci 4, 494 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1221

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