Fault rupture refers to the process where stress on a fault line exceeds the strength of the rocks, causing a sudden release of energy that results in an earthquake. This release occurs along a fault plane, which is the surface where two blocks of the Earth's crust have slipped past each other. The characteristics of a fault rupture, including its length, depth, and displacement, play a crucial role in determining the magnitude and impact of the resulting seismic event.
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