In earthquake reports, terms like "depth of epicenter" and "location of epicenter" frequently appear. The epicenter refers to the place within the Earth's crust where an earthquake occurs, and the epicenter location is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the epicenter. The vertical distance from the epicenter to the Earth's surface is known as the depth of the epicenter. Generally, it is believed that in comparison to other areas, the epicenter is the location that experiences the most severe damage following an earthquake.However, through post-earthquake geological investigations in the research area, Chinese and foreign scientists have discovered that the area with the greatest surface damage caused by earthquakes may not necessarily be located at the epicenter. On January 19th, the latest research led by scientists from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) was published online in the journal "Science.""This is a very timely, complete, and high-precision record of post-earthquake surface conditions, and our conclusion challenges traditional views," said Timothy Kusky, the corresponding author of the paper and a professor at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), in an interview with "China Science Daily."
New discoveries made in the earthquake-stricken area
Timothy Kusky's team is mainly engaged in research on global tectonics. This field of study plays an important role in systematically understanding the evolution of multi-layered geological processes, habitable Earth, geological disasters, and the distribution of mineral resources.Since joining China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) as a full-time faculty member in 2009, this American scholar has led a team of young Chinese researchers and students to uncover the mysteries of early Earth plate tectonics from hard rocks.Since 2017, Timothy Kusky's team has been conducting research on new structures and tectonic evolution in Turkey, located in a seismically active zone. In the early hours of February 6th, 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck eastern Turkey, followed by a second earthquake measuring 7.5 that occurred 9 hours later. According to available data, these "twin earthquakes" in Turkey are the most destructive earthquake events in the region since the beginning of this century.Ten days after the first earthquake, Meng Jiannan, a doctoral student at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), went to the earthquake-stricken area to conduct post-earthquake geological investigations. On-site, he conducted systematic field measurements of the surface displacement caused by the Dead Sea Fault and the East Anatolian Fault, selected representative areas, and conducted centimeter-level unmanned aerial vehicle mapping of surface ruptures caused by the earthquake. The data was permanently preserved in the form of digital maps."We conducted on-site inspections using unmanned aerial vehicles and performed detailed measurements and modeling," said Meng Jiannan, the first author of the paper, to "China Science Daily." "Compared to satellite data, the accuracy of this research reached the centimeter level, making it a very timely and high-precision record of post-earthquake surface conditions."The research team found that in this earthquake event, the location with the greatest surface destruction was 47.5 kilometers away from the epicenter, and there was no significant surface rupture observed at the location of the earthquake epicenter. The relationship between earthquake activity and surface damage is not simply based on distance, contrary to the widely held belief that the epicenter is the location of the greatest surface destruction.Conducting on-site investigations under pressure
This is not Meng Jiannan's first time in Turkey. He has previously undergone joint training in Turkey and has made multiple field visits to the relevant areas. Most of his research data during his Ph.D. program was collected in Turkey.However, this time there were many uncertainties. Due to the chaotic conditions at the scene after the earthquake, their Turkish collaborators did not recommend immediate travel. "Field investigations are essential for geological research. My Idea was that this was a major event in the area I study, and although there is a certain risk, I should still go and see," Meng Jiannan said."At the time, we were also hesitant," said Wang Lu, a co-author of the paper and a professor at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). "We contacted the leader of the Chinese rescue team at the scene and learned about the situation through various channels to ensure the students' safety."After fully considering safety and after multiple discussions, Meng Jiannan set off. He took the unmanned aerial vehicle for aerial photography, took an international flight with a transfer at Istanbul, Turkey, and arrived in Gaziantep near the earthquake-stricken area.Upon arriving at the earthquake-stricken area, the scene before Meng Jiannan was shocking. In the high-definition aerial photographs he took, the Earth's surface seemed to have been torn open, with residential areas crumbling, roads and farmland displaced, and relief tents everywhere...Under such conditions, Meng Jiannan began a one-month on-site investigation."Science" editor increases page space proactively
He used unmanned aerial vehicles to record the surface ruptures in the area for subsequent determination of plate motion directions; measured the surface displacement caused by faulting and collected data for further
