A geological fault under the city of Santa Barbara in the southern US state of California may cause an earthquake. This is the conclusion reached by American scientists who published an article in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The research is briefly described by the Gizmodo edition.
The Ventura-Pitas Point Fault stretches one hundred kilometers west of the city of the same name, passes under Santa Barbara and Goleta, and part of it is located under the Pacific Ocean. Until the 80s, geologists believed that he was not active, but new data showed that he could provoke a devastating earthquake. The main factor is its structure, which can be either stepped or smooth.
To determine the exact shape of the fault, the scientists conducted computer simulations based on plate tectonics as well as local seismic activity data. It turned out that Ventura has a structure resembling a ladder and is closer to the surface than previously thought.
This means that the fault is a possible source of earthquakes up to magnitude eight on the Richter scale, and since part of it is located under the ocean, it can cause a tsunami.