Phil Wannamaker, University of Utah (IMAGE) University of Utah Caption Phil Wannamaker, a geophysicist at the University of Utah's Energy and Geoscience Institute, on New Zealand’s South Island with the Inland Kaikoura Range in the background. New Zealand sits atop one of the youngest "subduction zones" on Earth, where the Pacific Plate of Earth's crust is diving beneath New Zealand, which sits on the Australian Plate. Wannamaker led a study that showed how and where water is released in a young subduction zone so that it helps crack the ground and otherwise pave the way for earthquakes. Credit George Jiracek, San Diego State University. Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.