WHAT IS THE NATURE OF DEFORMATION AT PLATE BOUNDARIES AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS?

Earthquakes are one of nature's most complex phenomena, threatening many of the world's megalopolis. A great Pacific Rim earthquake near a major economic area might cause damages well in excess of $1T, and tens of thousands of casualties. Reaching a physics-based understanding of earthquake systems behavior is required in order ultimately to address the issue of their predictability, with the goal of mitigating their impact.

• To what extent can earthquakes be forecasted?
• How do fault systems act and interact?
• What are the mechanical properties of the crust and mantle?