seismotectonics

Seismotectonics is the study of the ways that earthquakes and plate tectonics (the movement of the earth's plates) interact. Earthquake scientists look closely at how earthquakes can be caused by large pieces of the earth's crust (big rocks like the ground) changing their shape and moving, often in different directions. One example of this is when the plates of the earth slide against each other, which can cause a big shake or earthquake. Seismotectonics helps us learn what is causing these big shakes and helps us understand how the earth's plates are moving around.