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San Andreas fault. Aerial photograph of the San Andreas fault crossing the Carrizo Plain of California, USA. The San Andreas fault is one of the world's great seismic faults, forming the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. It is marked by the valley-like depression running from bottom right to top left. Pressure ridges line either side. These are formed by the stresses created by the opposing, lateral movements of the two tectonic plates. The San Andreas fault extends almost the full length of California and is responsible for major earthquakes. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Bernhard Edmaier)=== ===