What is the University of Texas at Arlington doing to study the San Andreas Fault?

Researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington are collecting rock samples from the San Gorgonio Pass region to analyze the thermal history of the rocks and determine which fault segments are most active and pose the greatest seismic risks.

How are the UTA researchers studying the San Andreas Fault?

The researchers are crushing the bedrock samples into sand-sized grains and isolating certain minerals, such as potassium feldspar, to measure their natural luminescence response. This helps them understand how the rocks have been heated or cooled over time, which provides insights into the fault's activity.

What did the UTA researchers present at the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) meeting?

Ayush Joshi, a Ph.D. student at UTA, presented the team's initial findings from their research on the San Andreas Fault at the SCEC meeting held in Palm Springs in September 2025.

Home / Science / Texas Researchers Uncover Secrets of San Andreas Fault

Texas Researchers Uncover Secrets of San Andreas Fault

10 Sep

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Summary

UT Arlington researchers study San Andreas Fault to identify active segments
Analyze rock samples to determine fault movement and seismic risks
Findings presented at Statewide California Earthquake Center meeting

Texas Researchers Uncover Secrets of San Andreas Fault

In September 2025, researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) are making significant strides in understanding the seismic risks posed by the San Andreas Fault in California. Nathan Brown, an assistant professor of Earth and environmental sciences at UTA, and his Ph.D. student Ayush Joshi traveled to the San Gorgonio Pass region last spring to collect bedrock samples.

Back in the lab, the researchers are examining the thermal history of these rocks to identify which fault segments remain active. Their findings suggest that the San Andreas Fault is not a single, continuous structure, but rather a series of different segments that can move independently. By understanding which of these individual fault strands are actively shifting, the team can better assess the potential for future earthquakes in the region.

Joshi presented the team's initial results at the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) meeting held in Palm Springs from September 7-10, 2025. The researchers' innovative approach, which involves measuring the luminescence of crushed rock samples, is providing valuable insights that could help inform infrastructure planning and public safety measures in earthquake-prone areas.

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