fault lines
Where earthquakes originate
Fault lines are fractures in the earth's crust where tectonic plates meet and shift against each other, causing earthquakes when tension releases.
The term extends figuratively to any deep division or source of tension that threatens to split something apart: The debate exposed fault lines within the party.
Political, cultural, or social fault lines suggest areas of instability where conflict may erupt.
Study of ground tremors
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- tremorsSlight shaking movements
aftershocks · magnitude · rupture · crust · plates · rift · fissure · slip
Narrow break or attempt
- fractureSplit in hard material
- fissureNarrow crack in rock
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
strain · vulnerability · instability · break · rupture · failure · collapse · breach
Splitting into parts
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- fractureSplit in hard material
- riftCrack or estrangement
tension · discord · inequality · race · class · urban-rural · generational · ideological
Stretched or strained state
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- flashpointIgnition temperature threshold
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
antagonism · strife · contention · confrontation · struggle · clash · feud · rivalry
seismology
Study of ground tremors
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
tremors · aftershocks · magnitude · rupture · crust · plates · rift · fissure · slip · displacement
crack
Narrow break or attempt
stress · strain · vulnerability · instability · break · rupture · failure · collapse · breach · defect
division
Splitting into parts
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- fractureSplit in hard material
rift · tension · discord · inequality · race · class · urban-rural · generational · ideological · partisan
tension
Stretched or strained state
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- flashpointIgnition temperature threshold
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
hostility · antagonism · strife · contention · confrontation · struggle · clash · feud · rivalry · opposition
- earthquake engineeringearthquake engineering, seismic waves, liquefaction, seismic risk, dampers
- earth scienceatmosphere, earthquake, geology, volcano, crust
- earthquakesearthquake, quake, earthquakes, quakes, epicenter
- geologybedrock, rock, basalt, metamorphic rocks, mineral
- Mappable Thingsterrain, routes, coastlines, borders, cities
- American geologyGrand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountains, Appalachians, Sierra Nevada
fault linescommon ground
Points of agreement
bonds · social cohesion · solidarity · unity · shared values
line, fault, faulty, default, faults, faultless, faulted, defaults, defaulted