Seismic activity is concentrated along fault lines ­­ areas of fracture in the Earth’s crust ­­ generally found near ridges or tectonic plate boundaries. Constantly in motion, these huge plates sometimes collide, forcing one beneath the other. The resulting friction creates energy along the fault lines, which eventually become unstable and rupture, sending out a shock wave. The energy released is felt as an earthquake. After the initial jolt, aftershocks can strike as neighboring plates […]