Geologists have discovered that wide fault zones—once thought to impede earthquake rupture due to their fragmented structure—can actually act as ‘highways’ for rapid seismic energy propagation. Conventional wisdom held that more complex and broken-up faults would absorb or dissipate seismic energy, thereby limiting the magnitude of large earthquakes. However, recent studies using high-resolution seismic imaging and historical earthquake data reveal that some mature, multi-kilometer-wide fault zones (such as segments of California’s San Andreas Fault) contain highly connected, low-friction slip surfaces. These surfaces function like lubricated corridors, enabling earthquake ruptures to travel at extremely high speeds across vast sections of the fault system, sometimes triggering megaquakes. For instance, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan exhibited rapid rupture propagation along a broad fault zone. This new understanding overturns traditional assumptions about the relationship between fault width and seismic hazard, indicating that visual appearance alone is insufficient for assessing earthquake risk—detailed analysis of internal structure and mechanical properties is essential. In the future, integrating artificial intelligence with geophysical surveying techniques may allow scientists to more accurately identify these ‘seismic highways,’ offering crucial insights for disaster preparedness and mitigation.
地质学家发现，宽大的断层带并非如传统认知中那样因结构松散而阻碍地震破裂传播，反而可能成为地震能量快速传递的“高速公路”。传统观点认为，断层越破碎、越复杂，越能吸收或分散地震能量，从而限制强震规模。然而，近年的研究通过高精度地震成像和历史地震数据分析指出，在某些宽达数公里的成熟断层带（如美国圣安德烈亚斯断层的部分段落）中，内部存在高度连通的低摩擦滑移面。这些滑移面如同润滑通道，使地震破裂能够以极高速度穿越整个断层系统，甚至引发超大规模地震。例如，2011年日本东北大地震就显示出破裂沿宽大断层带迅速扩展的特征。这一新认识颠覆了以往对断层宽度与地震危险性关系的理解，提示在地震风险评估中，不能仅凭断层外观判断其危险程度，还需深入分析其内部结构与力学特性。未来，结合人工智能与地球物理探测技术，科学家有望更精准识别这类“地震高速公路”，为防灾减灾提供关键依据。
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