Seafloor sediments appear to enhance Earthquake and Tsunami danger in Pacific Northwest

The Cascadia Subduction Zone off the coast of the Pacific Northwest has all the ingredients for making powerful earthquakes — and according to the geological record, the region is due for its next ‘big one.’ A new study has found that the occurrence of these big, destructive quakes and associated devastating tsunamis may be linked to compact sediments along large portions of the subduction zone.