Continuous activity of small earthquakes makes mountains grow

In the time between mega-earthquakes, smaller earthquakes continuously occur between oceanic and continental plates (background earthquakes). Where a lot of energy is released through these earthquakes, we observe coastal mountains that rise faster. In contrast, slow-uplifting coastal areas coincide with fewer background earthquakes. From a human perspective, earthquakes are natural disasters - in the past hundred years, they have caused more than 200,000 deaths and enormous economic damage. Mega-earthquakes with a magnitude of nine or higher on the Richter scale are considered a particular threat. Yet the inconceivable energy released in these events doesn't seem to affect the uplift of mountains, according to a new study by geoscientists at the University of Tübingen. The energy of small earthquakes that work steadily in the background appears to play a far greater role in shaping the landscape.