Behavior of the plates is somewhat cyclical

It’s hard enough to monitor these miniscule movements, but the factors that turn shifts into seismic events are far more varied.Different fault lines juxtapose different rocks–some of which are stronger–or weaker–under pressure.Diverse rocks also react differently to friction and high temperatures.Some partially melt, and can release lubricating fluids made of superheated minerals that reduce fault line friction.But some are left dry,prone to dangerous build-ups of pressure.And all these faults are subject to varying gravitational forces,as well as the currents of hot rocks moving throughout Earth’s mantle.So which of these hidden variables should we be analyzing,and how do they fit into our growing prediction toolkit?Because some of these forces occur at largely constant rates,the behavior of the plates is somewhat cyclical.