M3.2 Earthquake 79 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska — December 11, 2020
2020-12-11 18:35:44 UTC (2020-12-11) · approx. 8:35 AM UTC-10 local
On December 11, 2020 at 18:35 UTC, a magnitude 3.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 79 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska, at a depth of 10.9 km and coordinates 69.4326°, -144.0332°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 97 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
-144.0332°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Kaktovik, Alaska?
The magnitude 3.2 earthquake that struck 79 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska on December 11, 2020 at 18:35 UTC had a depth of 10.9 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.2 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ak020fwivh7c). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 11, 2020). M3.2 Earthquake 79 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska — December 11, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ak020fwivh7c/