Quake Watch 2010

Been a little bit busy today, even a 6.0:

MAP 6.0 2010/09/26 12:12:39 -5.314 133.933 8.7 KEPULAUAN KAI, INDONESIA
MAP 5.2 2010/09/26 11:08:45 -5.567 146.469 96.7 EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
MAP 4.9 2010/09/26 10:40:37 -21.121 -68.411 105.4 ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE
MAP 2.7 2010/09/26 10:40:29 32.150 -115.328 32.3 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP 5.1 2010/09/26 10:16:15 -21.223 -68.233 94.3 POTOSI, BOLIVIA
MAP 5.0 2010/09/26 09:34:14 -4.465 152.051 171.9 NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
MAP 5.0 2010/09/26 09:26:21 -12.605 166.755 130.0 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
MAP 4.6 2010/09/26 08:03:43 13.590 -88.409 83.2 EL SALVADOR
MAP 5.3 2010/09/26 06:44:37 -14.301 167.949 80.1 VANUATU
MAP 4.6 2010/09/26 06:43:18 21.695 143.294 275.0 MARIANA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2010/09/26 06:20:02 -24.189 -70.319 29.9 ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE
MAP 2.7 2010/09/26 05:55:44 59.890 -153.383 141.5 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 5.3 2010/09/26 05:33:31 5.760 126.036 142.5 MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
MAP 5.1 2010/09/26 05:29:52 -40.412 -72.961 68.8 LOS LAGOS, CHILE
MAP 3.1 2010/09/26 03:28:10 43.291 -71.657 3.4 NEW HAMPSHIRE
MAP 2.9 2010/09/26 02:36:02 18.179 -67.950 94.0 MONA PASSAGE, PUERTO RICO
MAP 5.1 2010/09/26 00:23:25 -14.375 167.816 59.1 VANUATU
MAP 3.0 2010/09/26 00:20:15 51.373 -176.061 25.6 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA

earthquake.usgs.gov...

And a 6.2

Earthquake Details

* This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude 6.2 (Preliminary magnitude — update expected within 15 minutes)
Date-Time

* Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 18:27:25 UTC
* Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 09:27:25 AM at epicenter

Location 52.342°N, 176.196°E
Depth 42 km (26.1 miles) set by location program
Region RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
Distances

* 211 km (131 miles) ESE (104°) from Attu Station, AK
* 1182 km (735 miles) E (87°) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia
* 3401 km (2113 miles) NE (46°) from TOKYO, Japan

Location Uncertainty Error estimate not available
Parameters NST= 10, Nph= 10, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=0.52 sec, Gp=342°,
M-type="moment" magnitude from initial P wave (tsuboi method) (Mi/Mwp), Version=1
Source

* West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center/NOAA/NWS

Event ID at00552566

Looks as if EMSC has this as a 5.5

Magnitude mb 5.5
Region RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
Date time 2010-09-26 18:28:01.3 UTC
Location 52.58 N ; 179.82 E
Depth 258 km
Distances

Expect revisions!!!

Actually looking at this there is nearly 4 deg difference in the longitude. Maybe it is not the same quake. Off to look at the webicorders.

reply to post by PuterMan


6.2 Rat Islands Downgraded

MAG 5.7
Date-Time
Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 18:27:58 UTC
Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 09:27:58 AM at epicenter
Location
52.489°N, 179.766°E
Depth
226 km (140.4 miles)
Region
RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
Distances
65 km (40 miles) N of Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska
105 km (65 miles) NE of Little Sitkin Island, Alaska
2070 km (1280 miles) WSW of Anchorage, Alaska
2910 km (1810 miles) W of JUNEAU, Alaska
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 7.1 km (4.4 miles); depth +/- 7.4 km (4.6 miles)
Parameters
NST=183, Nph=183, Dmin=127.9 km, Rmss=0.84 sec, Gp=108°,
M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=6
Source
USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID
us2010brbn

I know we don't normally post smaller ones, but this one is pretty close to Tokyo.

Magnitude 4.9
Date-Time Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 17:54:55 UTC
Monday, September 27, 2010 at 02:54:55 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 35.620°N, 140.041°E
Depth 18.5 km (11.5 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances 30 km (20 miles) ESE of TOKYO, Japan

earthquake.usgs.gov...

reply to post by berkeleygal


I was expecting that! It is interesting to note that when USGS revised that magnitude the location jumped by several degrees of longitude and is now much closer to the EMSC value posted.

Not a very seismic area....

NEBRASKA
Magnitude
3.0
Date-Time
Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 19:55:47 UTC
Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 02:55:47 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
41.085°N, 99.848°W
Depth
5 km (3.1 miles) set by location program
Region
NEBRASKA
Distances
35 km (20 miles) NNW of Lexington, Nebraska
40 km (25 miles) SSW of Broken Bow, Nebraska
75 km (50 miles) E of North Platte, Nebraska
270 km (170 miles) W of LINCOLN, Nebraska
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 10.1 km (6.3 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters
NST= 10, Nph= 10, Dmin=147 km, Rmss=1.04 sec, Gp= 86°,
M-type="Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (mbLg), Version=7
Source
USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID
us2010brbw

neic.usgs.gov...
Link to Historic Seismicity

This happening SW of Iceland again.

4.8, 5.2 or 5.4 - these may be three events. Can't tell yet.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Date/Time UTC,Latitude,Longitude,Magnitude,Depth(Km),Location
27/09/2010 00:08:45,57.66870,-32.78100,5.400,10.000,Reykjanes Ridge
27/09/2010 00:08:56,57.80000,-32.69000,4.800,100.000,REYKJANES RIDGE
27/09/2010 00:16:28,58.20000,-33.05000,5.200,200.000,REYKJANES RIDGE

Maybe the 5.4 and the 4.8? Actually these look like three different quakes.

Difficult to say as not much is showing on BORG and that is all we have to go on.

BORG.II.00.BH2.2010.270




Update just been another 5.0

Date/Time UTC,Latitude,Longitude,Magnitude,Depth(Km),Location
27/09/2010 00:08:45,57.66870,-32.78100,5.400,10.000,Reykjanes Ridge
27/09/2010 00:08:56,57.80000,-32.69000,4.800,100.000,REYKJANES RIDGE
27/09/2010 00:16:28,58.20000,-33.05000,5.200,200.000,REYKJANES RIDGE
27/09/2010 00:28:13,57.72000,-32.74810,5.000,10.200,Reykjanes Ridge

A very noticeable LACK of listed activity (2.5+) in Alaska/West Coast US today...

,.. and lots of big mags everywhere else

reply to post by MoorfNZ


Yes, unsettling isn't it

Magnitude 5.7
Date-Time Monday, September 27, 2010 at 11:22:47 UTC
Monday, September 27, 2010 at 02:52:47 PM at epicenter

Location 29.670°N, 51.656°E
Depth 35.3 km (21.9 miles)
Region SOUTHERN IRAN
Distances NEAR Kazerun, Iran
85 km (55 miles) W of Shiraz, Iran
110 km (70 miles) S of Yasuj, Iran
665 km (415 miles) S of TEHRAN, Iran

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 9.7 km (6.0 miles); depth +/- 19 km (11.8 miles)
Parameters NST= 61, Nph= 62, Dmin=691.3 km, Rmss=0.87 sec, Gp= 72°,
M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=6
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)


Event ID us2010bsa3

reply to post by lasertaglover


Another one in the Japan region:

Magnitude 5.2
Date-Time Monday, September 27, 2010 at 15:49:23 UTC
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 12:49:23 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 24.932°N, 123.447°E
Depth 39.5 km (24.5 miles)
Region SOUTHWESTERN RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN

earthquake.usgs.gov...

reply to post by lasertaglover


and another

Magnitude 5.2
Date-Time Monday, September 27, 2010 at 16:13:38 UTC
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 01:13:38 AM at epicenter

Location 43.536°N, 145.690°E
Depth 103.8 km (64.5 miles)
Region HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
Distances 125 km (75 miles) ENE of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
215 km (135 miles) ENE of Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
255 km (160 miles) SW of Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands
1005 km (630 miles) NNE of TOKYO, Japan

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 15.4 km (9.6 miles); depth +/- 14.2 km (8.8 miles)
Parameters NST= 28, Nph= 28, Dmin=257.4 km, Rmss=0.97 sec, Gp=144°,
M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=6
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)


Event ID us2010bsbh

reply to post by Anmarie96


Wow, north and south of each other.

Hmm.

TONGA REGION

Magnitude
5.0
Date-Time
Monday, September 27, 2010 at 19:18:14 UTC
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 07:18:14 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
22.704°S, 175.412°W
Depth
97.4 km (60.5 miles)
Region
TONGA REGION
Distances
175 km (110 miles) S of NUKU`ALOFA, Tonga
410 km (255 miles) SE of Ndoi Island, Fiji
470 km (295 miles) SSW of Neiafu, Tonga
1830 km (1140 miles) NNE of Auckland, New Zealand
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 14.5 km (9.0 miles); depth +/- 28.8 km (17.9 miles)
Parameters
NST= 38, Nph= 38, Dmin=877.4 km, Rmss=1.09 sec, Gp=112°,
M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=7
Source
USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID
us2010bsby

We had a 6.4 near White Island today half an hour ago at 5.14pm. Was quite a deep one thank goodness, but not that great that it was out near White Island (live volcano), bit scarey (nothing like in Christchurch though) so am totally not complaining.

www.geonet.org.nz...

Poor old Christchurch and Darfield are still getting the aftershocks happening.

OFF EAST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, N.Z.

Magnitude 5.3

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 04:14:48 UTC
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 04:14:48 PM at epicenter

Location
36.687°S, 177.018°E
Depth
300 km (186.4 miles)

Distances
175 km (110 miles) NNE of Rotorua, New Zealand
200 km (125 miles) E of Auckland, New Zealand
235 km (145 miles) NNW of Gisborne, New Zealand
550 km (340 miles) NNE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 15.9 km (9.9 miles); depth +/- 7.1 km (4.4 miles)
Parameters
NST= 77, Nph= 83, Dmin=150.3 km, Rmss=1.28 sec, Gp= 61°,
M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=6
Source
USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID
us2010buak

reply to post by kiwitina948

Felt that one here on the Kapiti Coast

Almost the same feeling as the Darfield 7.1. It was just a very weak rocking (under the couch this time). Like the 7.1 I looked around to see if it was the cat playing around with the furniture but she was sleeping on another chair.
We are 510km away

Reference Number 3380101/G
Universal Time September 29 2010 at 4:14
NZ Daylight Time Wednesday, September 29 2010 at 5:14 pm
Latitude, Longitude 36.68°S, 177.29°E
Focal Depth 280 km
Richter magnitude 6.4 ML
Region Raukumara Plain
Location

* 90 km north of White Island
* 120 km north of Te Kaha
* 150 km north of Whakatane
* 230 km east of Auckland

USGS have it at 5.3mb. Geofon 5.2mb on the main list but 5.3mb on the event page
The Geofon NZ station phase magnitude readings are interesting compared to the USGS (same place different machine) the further away the higher the reading
Stat Net Geomb, GeoML ~ USGS Mag (Unk.type)
URZ NZ 0.0, 5.4 ~ 4.5
HIZ NZ 0.0, 5.2 ~ 4.5
BKZ NZ 0.0, 6.2 ~ 4.6
WPVZ NZ 0.0, 5.8 ~
OUZ NZ 0.0, 6.1 ~ 4.6
BFZ NZ 0.0, 6.5 ~ 5.9
SNZO IU 0.0, 6.6 ~ 5.7
QRZ NZ 6.6, 6.7 ~ 5.8
KHZ NZ 7.0, 7.0 ~ 5.8
RPZ NZ 6.0, 6.9 ~ 5.7
ODZ NZ 5.8, 0.0 ~


Whats really weird is the distances at which it was felt www.geonet.org.nz...

some of the Christchurch ones might be mistaken local aftershocks from Sept 4, but look at those others
MM4 Wellington 235, Palmerston North 22


5.3 my arse

I have heard from friends who felt it in Hamilton and Hawkes Bay... I would have expected many more to have felt it - but I guess it was quite deep.

So... need we worry about any connection to this quake and nearby White Island where NZ's only active marine volcano is located?

reply to post by muzzy


What makes you think these are different instruments? These are as far as I can see all reading the same instrument the differences being in interpretation of the raw data which will be dependent on the program used to calculate this.

Earthquake readings are a very precise science [not] I will have you know. You can even see differences in arrival time for each station despite that fact they are the same, or as you put it different instruments in the same location. Either way there should be no difference in arrival time. This is purely down to interpretation of the incoming data which IS I assure you all from the same source.

I think we need a new universal scale:

1 - eh? earthquake? where? This covers 0 Mb to 2 ML

2 - so there was an earthquake? This covers 1 Mb to 3 ML and all Md and the rest in between.

3 - Mm was that an earthquake or did the cat fart? This covers 2 mb USGS to 3 Mb everywhere else and up to 4 ML in all countries outside of the States

4 - felt that - 3Mb USGS, 3,5 Mb EMSC 4 ML to 4.5 ML rest of the world

5 - the earth moved for me! - 3.5 Mw USGS, 4.5 Mb EMSC,6 ML rest of the world

6 - WOW that woke me up - 4.5 Mb USGS 4.7 Mw USGS, 5.5 Mb EMSC 6.5 ML Rest of the world

7 - HMMOG that was a bigie - 5.5 GS USGS, 6.5 Mb or Mw EMSC, 7.5 ML rest of the world

8 - JC that was serious - 6.5 GS USGS, 7.5 Mb/Mw EMSC, 8.5 ML rest

9 - OMG The world just ended - USGS such a magnitude is not possible as GS (Guesswork scale) only goes to 7 and we don't want nasty 7 and 8 magnitudes in the figures - in fact we are not too happy with 6's either, EMSC 8.5, rest 9.5 ML

To sum up, earthquake will now be graded as

EH, SO, MM (Do not confuse this with Moment of magnitude), FELT, MOVED, WOW, MOG, JC, OMG

In the interests of universality no numerical value is ascribed to this scale and as always the data is inaccurate because the Republic of Kiribati which produces accurate earthquake values has several thousand more seismographs than the USGS, EMSC and GeoFon combines and the data is accessible to no one thus you will always find that the USGS, EMSC values are not the same and conveniently less in case the world figures show an increase.

The result of this is that the recent NZ earthquake is now categorised as a WOW.

@ Puterman...

.. but, much as I hate to disagree with the Bill Bryson of seismology.. I would like to point out that your 7 scale is way out.. HMMOG just doesn't cut it.. might I suggest at least an "OMFG" and a change of undies?

reply to post by MoorfNZ


Well I don't know. I think if you are going to have an OMFG/CU level then that really should replace OMG which should be downgraded.

Perhaps the upper end of the scal should be:

7 - WTF that was a bigie - 5.5 GS USGS, 6.5 Mb or Mw EMSC, 7.5 ML rest of the world

8 - OMG that was serious - 6.5 GS USGS, 7.5 Mb/Mw EMSC, 8.5 ML rest

9 - OMFG(CU) The world just ended - USGS such a magnitude is not possible as GS (Guesswork scale) only goes to 7 and we don't want nasty 7 and 8 magnitudes in the figures - in fact we are not too happy with 6's either, EMSC 8.5, rest 9.5 ML

Of course the scientists and geologists could perhaps consider a 10

OMGGAFMWTFCU. This of course would be pretty close to an extinction event.