3.6

M3.6 Earthquake 93 km ESE of Adak, AlaskaOctober 20, 2021

2021-10-20 17:49:48 UTC (2021-10-20) · approx. 5:49 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM3.6(ml)
Time17:49 UTC5:49 AM UTC-12
Depth23.5 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates51.666°, -175.315°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 20, 2021 at 17:49 UTC, a magnitude 3.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 93 km ESE of Adak, Alaska, at a depth of 23.5 km and coordinates 51.6656°, -175.3153°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3.8 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 184 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 51.67°, -175.32°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.6 ml
Depth
23.5 km
shallow crustal
Location
51.6656°N
-175.3153°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000g9ml
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
199
Azimuthal Gap
226.0°
Min Station Distance
0.951°
RMS Residual
0.24 sec
Last Updated
2021-12-25 22:59:01 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Adak, Alaska?

The magnitude 3.6 earthquake that struck 93 km ESE of Adak, Alaska on October 20, 2021 at 17:49 UTC had a depth of 23.5 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 3.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.6 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000g9ml). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, October 20, 2021). M3.6 Earthquake 93 km ESE of Adak, AlaskaOctober 20, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000g9ml/