San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth

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Schematic representation of the SAFOD bore with the pilot hole

The SAFOD deep Observatory ( San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth ) is a deep hole near Parkfield ( California ) that for the permanent study of the San Andreas Fault is that the cause of many earthquakes in the region.

The holes were completed from 2004 and 2005 and reached a depth of approximately ~ 3.4 km. The main borehole was divided into several steps, in the first section (phase 1) it was drilled vertically to a depth of 1494 m, then in the summer of 2005 (in phase 2) the borehole was angled in order to get behind the fault at a depth of around 3 km. Subsequently (Phase 3) drill samples were taken from the main well, which together comprised 1585 m of core drillings. This work lasted until 2007, after which measuring devices were installed in the borehole that allow constant monitoring of the fault at great depths.

The data from the SAFOD depth observatory are freely available, the main source being the Northern California Earthquake Data Center at UC Berkeley.

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Coordinates: 35 ° 58 ′ 27.1 ″  N , 120 ° 33 ′ 7.8 ″  W ,