Megathrust

just reading up on the Great Sumatran Tsunami and Mw 9.2 (Mw=Moment Magnitude) "megathrust" earthquake of Dec 26th, 2004. Megathrusts are actually very common all around the globe, but the term has only recently reached a status of common recognition amongst the scientific community. It refers to the faults that run along subduction zone boundaries, which are larger and more laterally extensive than normal continental thrust faults. Anyway, I just like the word "Megathrust"... it kind of reminds me of Megatron (the leader of the evil Decepticons of the fictional Transformers characters)... of course megathrust earthquakes are morally and ethically neutral, being hazards of a geologically active planet, but I suppose if one were to think of a particular natural disaster as evil it would have to be this kind of earthquake. The 9.2 EQ and tsunami four years ago caused the deaths of more than a quarter-million people.

~t