M3.2 Earthquake 130 km W of Petrolia, CA — December 16, 2023
2023-12-16 19:16:06 UTC (2023-12-16) · approx. 11:16 AM UTC-8 local
On December 16, 2023 at 19:16 UTC, a magnitude 3.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 130 km W of Petrolia, CA, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 40.3717°, -125.8220°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.1 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 102 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-125.8220°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Petrolia, CA?
The magnitude 3.2 earthquake that struck 130 km W of Petrolia, CA on December 16, 2023 at 19:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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: nc73977141). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 16, 2023). M3.2 Earthquake 130 km W of Petrolia, CA — December 16, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc73977141/