Inseismology, a Seismic ZoneorSeismic Belt is an area of seismicity potentially sharing a common cause. It can be referred to as an Earthquake Belt as well. It may also be a region on a map for which a common areal rate of seismicity is assumed for the purpose of calculating probabilistic ground motions. An obsolete definition is a region on a map in which a common level of seismic design is required.[1]
A type of seismic zone is a Wadati–Benioff zone which corresponds with the down-going slab in a subduction zone.[2] The world's greatest Seismic Belt, known as the Circum-Pacific seismic belt,[3] is where a majority of the Earth's quakes occur. Approximately 81% of major earthquakes occur along this belt. The Circum-Pacific seismic belt has earned its own nickname and is often referred to as the Ring of Fire, a ring-like formation that encompasses a majority of the Pacific Ocean. The Notorious San Andreas Fault,[4] responsible for many major quakes in the West Coast of the United States, lies within the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt or Ring of Fire.[5]
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey.
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