The san andreas fault system: Complexities along a major transform fault system and relation to earthquake hazards

Abstract

The San Andreas fault system is a 1300-km-long transform boundary that accommodates motion between the North American and Pacific Plates. New technologies and data reveal rich details about the present configuration of faults, distribution of strain, and associated seismic hazard on this complex network of faults. This contribution provides a brief summary of the geologic history of the San Andreas fault system, followed by an introduction to recent research that has changed understanding of the hazards along the main faults. Organized by region, we highlight a selection of recent research using new geodetic techniques, improved topographic data, advanced geochronologic methods, and high-resolution geophysics. The contribution ends with a review of the historic earthquakes on the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults, comparing these to past ruptures interpreted from paleoseismic studies.