M3.0 Earthquake 28 km WSW of Nikolski, Alaska — December 17, 2020
2020-12-17 20:52:00 UTC (2020-12-17) · approx. 9:52 AM UTC-11 local
On December 17, 2020 at 20:52 UTC, a magnitude 3.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 28 km WSW of Nikolski, Alaska, at a depth of 117.0 km and coordinates 52.8031°, -169.2128°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 71 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-169.2128°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Nikolski, Alaska?
The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that struck 28 km WSW of Nikolski, Alaska on December 17, 2020 at 20:52 UTC had a depth of 117.0 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 3.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.0 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d2au). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 17, 2020). M3.0 Earthquake 28 km WSW of Nikolski, Alaska — December 17, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d2au/