The southern part of the sub-Andean mountain range, an area inhabited by more than two million people, is exposed to a higher seismic risk than previously assumed by experts, as published this week by the journal Nature Geoscience .
A study carried out by researchers from the University of Hawaii (USA) suggests that the magnitude of an earthquake in the area could reach a maximum of between 8.7 and 8.9 degrees on the Richter scale , in contrast to the 7.5 degrees previously estimated.
The scientists, led by Benjamin Brooks, used a GPS to create a map of movements on the earth's surface along the eastern flank of the Andes mountain range. This technique allowed them to discover that a shallow section to the east of the area , about 100 kilometers long, is wedged between moving tectonic plates , creating tension between these structures. The researchers estimate that the rupture of this closed section due to an earthquake could lead to seismic magnitudes greater than 8.9 on the Richter scale.
