M4.0 Earthquake 285 km WSW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — December 21, 2020
2020-12-21 19:03:22 UTC (2020-12-21) · approx. 6:03 PM UTC-1 local
On December 21, 2020 at 19:03 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 285 km WSW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 69.9605°, -15.8137°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-15.8137°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 285 km WSW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on December 21, 2020 at 19:03 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d5fj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 21, 2020). M4.0 Earthquake 285 km WSW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — December 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d5fj/