Iran-Iraq earthquake: Seismologists work to fill in fault map of the region

Mostly northward continental collision between the Arabian plate and Eurasia (which includes Iran) has created Zagros mountains as the plates crash together in slow motion

With a magnitude of 7.3, the Nov. 12, 2017 earthquake that shook the border region between Iran and Iraq is among the largest ever recorded in this area. Seismologists know it resulted from the pressure built up between the colliding Arabian and Eurasian plates of the Earth’s crust. But there’s still a lot for researchers to uncover about seismic activity in the region.

Originally from Iran, I’m a seismologist who studies earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides. I’ve been thinking a lot about potential seismic activity and the consequent hazard in this area. My earth sciences colleagues