A geological fault or fracture in rock that is located at the front or foremost position of a fault system.
From 'fore-' (front) + 'fault' (geological term from Old French 'faut'). This is technical geology terminology for describing fault relationships.
Geologists studying fault lines found that 'forefaults' often rupture first and actually relieve stress that prevents the main fault from moving—sometimes the minor players protect us from the major catastrophe.
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