Scientists map Yakutat slab beneath Denali Fault using machine learning
Scientists just spotted a super clear line of tiny earthquakes deep beneath Alaska, which marks the edge of the Yakutat slab, basically, a huge chunk of Earth's crust.
They used machine learning to sift through loads of seismic data from the Denali Fault area.
This new information could help explain what triggered Alaska's biggest interior earthquake back in 2002.
Slab movement linked to volcanism
Turns out, the Yakutat slab stretches farther under North America than anyone thought, even dipping below the Denali fault.
These mini-quakes show where stress is building up underground.
Plus, researchers think this slab's movement with other tectonic plates may have helped create Alaska's volcanic fields about one million years ago, so it's not just about earthquakes but volcanoes too!