Scientists studied the ground in Southern California. They found that the earth is under a lot of pressure. This is the highest pressure in 1,000 years.

科學家研究了南加州的地面，發現地殼承受著巨大的壓力。這是 1,000 年來的最高壓力。

Dr. Liliane Burkhard and her team looked at two big cracks in the ground. These cracks are the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults. The team used old trees and dirt to find information about the past.

Liliane Burkhard 博士及其團隊研究了兩個巨大的地面裂縫。這些裂縫即為聖安地列斯斷層與聖哈辛托斷層。該團隊利用古樹與土壤來獲取過去的資訊。

There is a place called Cajon Pass. This place is like a gate. If the pressure is the same on both faults, one big earthquake can move across both. This makes the earthquake much stronger.

有一個地方叫做 Cajon Pass，這裡就像是一道閘門。如果兩個斷層的壓力相同，一次大地震就可能橫跨兩者。這會使地震強度大幅增加。

Now, the pressure on both faults is very high and very similar. This means a big earthquake could hit many cities. Los Angeles is in danger. The scientists cannot say when the earthquake will happen, but the risk is high.

目前兩個斷層的壓力都非常高且十分接近。這意味著大地震可能會影響許多城市。洛杉磯正處於危險之中。科學家無法確定地震何時發生，但風險很高。

The ground in Southern California has too much pressure. A very strong earthquake may happen soon.

南加州的地面壓力過大，可能很快會發生強烈地震。

A new study from several institutions shows that stress levels in Southern California's main fault systems are at their highest point in 1,000 years, which increases the chance of a major earthquake affecting multiple faults.

幾家機構的一項新研究顯示，南加州主要斷層系統的壓力水平處於 1,000 年來的最高點，這增加了發生影響多個斷層的大地震機率。

The research was led by Dr. Liliane Burkhard from the University of Bern and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. The team used a physics-based model to analyze the San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems. By studying 1,000 years of historical data, including sediment analysis and tree rings, they found that current stress levels are higher than any time since the 11th century. This is partly because there has been a long period of seismic silence since the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake.

這項研究由伯恩大學的 Liliane Burkhard 博士領導，並發表於《地球物理研究期刊：固體地球》（Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth）。研究團隊使用了一個基於物理的模型來分析聖安地列斯（San Andreas）與聖哈辛托（San Jacinto）斷層系統。透過研究 1,000 年的歷史數據，包括沉積物分析與樹輪，他們發現目前的壓力水平高於 11 世紀以來的任何時期。這部分是因為自 1857 年 Fort Tejon 地震以來，經歷了很長一段地震沉寂期。

Researchers describe the Cajon Pass as an 'earthquake gate.' This area determines if an earthquake stays within one fault or spreads across both systems. The team emphasized that a dual-fault rupture is more likely when stress levels in both systems are similar. For example, the 1812 Wrightwood earthquake spread across the junction, whereas the 1857 event did not. Current data shows stress levels of 3.6 MPa and 2.8 MPa; because these numbers are close, a larger, more intense earthquake is more probable.

研究人員將 Cajon Pass 描述為一個「地震門」。這個區域決定了地震是會維持在單一斷層內，還是會擴散到兩個系統。團隊強調，當兩個系統的壓力水平相近時，雙斷層破裂的可能性更高。例如，1812 年的 Wrightwood 地震就擴散到了交接處，而 1857 年的事件則沒有。目前的數據顯示壓力水平為 3.6 MPa 與 2.8 MPa；由於這些數值接近，發生更大且更劇烈地震的可能性較高。

Consequently, this situation could cause serious damage to critical infrastructure and crowded cities like Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. However, the researchers clarified that their model cannot predict exactly when an earthquake will happen. Instead, they asserted that this information should be used to improve emergency planning and hazard assessments.

因此，這種情況可能會對關鍵基礎設施以及像洛杉磯（Los Angeles）和 Coachella Valley 這樣擁擠的城市造成嚴重損害。然而，研究人員澄清其模型無法準確預測地震發生的時間。相反，他們主張應利用此資訊來改善緊急計劃與災害評估。

The fault systems in Southern California are under extreme stress, and the conditions at Cajon Pass make a severe multi-fault earthquake more likely.

南加州的斷層系統正處於極高壓力，而 Cajon Pass 的情況使得發生嚴重多斷層地震的可能性更高。

A multi-institutional study indicates that tectonic stress levels within Southern California's primary fault systems have reached a millennium-high peak, increasing the probability of a multi-fault seismic event.

一项由多个机构参与的研究指出，南加州主要断层系统内的构造压力水平已达到一千年来的最高峰，增加了出现多断层地震事件的可能性。

The research, led by Dr. Liliane Burkhard of the University of Bern and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, utilized a four-dimensional physics-based model to analyze the San Andreas and San Jacinto fault systems. By synthesizing a 1,000-year historical record derived from radiocarbon dating, sediment analysis, and dendrochronological anomalies, the team quantified the accumulation of crustal stress. The data reveal that current stress levels have surpassed those recorded at any point since the 11th century, exacerbated by a seismic quiescence persisting since the 1857 Fort Tejon event.

这项研究由伯恩大学的 Dr. Liliane Burkhard 领衔，发表于《地球物理研究杂志：固体地球》(Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth)，利用一个四维物理模型来分析 San Andreas 与 San Jacinto 断层系统。通过综合放射性碳定年法、沉积物分析与年轮异常得出的一千年历史记录，研究团队量化了地壳压力的积累情况。数据揭示，目前的压力水平已超过自 11 世纪以来任何时间点的记录，且 1857 年 Fort Tejon 事件后持续的地震静止状态进一步加剧了这一情况。

Central to the study is the conceptualization of the Cajon Pass as an 'earthquake gate.' This geological junction determines whether a rupture remains isolated within a single fault or propagates across both systems. The researchers posit that the likelihood of a dual-fault rupture is contingent upon the synchronicity of stress levels between the two systems. Historical precedents illustrate this mechanism: the 1812 Wrightwood earthquake demonstrated a cross-junction rupture, whereas the 1857 event remained confined. Current estimates indicate stress levels of 3.6 MPa on the San Jacinto-Bernardino section and 2.8 MPa on the Mojave South section of the San Andreas Fault. The relative proximity of these values suggests a configuration conducive to a multi-fault rupture, which would likely result in significantly higher seismic intensity than a single-fault event.

研究的核心是将 Cajon Pass 概念化为一个「地震之门」。这个地质接合处决定了破裂是保持在单一条断层内，还是会扩散至两个系统。研究人员认为，双断层破裂的可能性取决于两个系统之间压力水平的同步性。历史先例证明了这一机制：1812 年的 Wrightwood 地震展示了跨接合处破裂，而 1857 年的事件则局限在单一条断层内。目前的估算显示，San Jacinto-Bernardino 段的压力水平为 3.6 MPa，而 San Andreas 断层的 Mojave South 段为 2.8 MPa。这两个数值较为接近，表明其配置有利于触发多断层破裂，而这将可能导致显著高于单断层事件的地震强度。

Institutional implications involve the potential for extensive disruption to critical infrastructure and densely populated urban centers, including Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. While the model provides a high-fidelity representation of the current stress state, the researchers emphasize that these findings do not constitute a temporal prediction of a seismic event. Instead, the data serve as a basis for enhanced hazard assessment and infrastructure planning.

机构层面的影响涉及对关键基础设施与人口密集城市中心（包括洛杉矶与 Coachella Valley）造成大规模破坏的可能性。虽然该模型高度还原了目前的压力状态，但研究人员强调，这些发现并不构成对地震事件发生时间的预测。相反，这些数据将作为加强灾害评估与基础设施规划的基础。

The Southern California fault system is currently in a critically stressed state, with conditions at the Cajon Pass favoring a potentially severe multi-fault rupture.

南加州断层系统目前處於一個壓力極高的狀態，Cajon Pass 的情況有利於出現潛在嚴重多斷層破裂。