A major earthquake just south of the Bay Area is more likely than previously thought, according to new research.
The speed at which the Santa Cruz Mountains portion of the northern San Andreas Fault moves — also known as the fault’s slip rate — is faster than earlier estimates suggested, according to research by San Jose State University professor Kim Blisniuk, an earthquake geologist. Faster faults generally have more frequent earthquakes than equivalent slower-moving faults.
Previous research into slip rates in the area spanned a time period of up to 1,000 years, according to Blisniuk. Her study — which is not yet published, though she hopes to present the findings at a conference in October — stretched over the last 10,000 years…