4.4

M4.4 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionFebruary 1, 2023

2023-02-01 21:18:50 UTC (2023-02-01) · approx. 7:18 PM UTC-2 local

MagnitudeM4.4(mb)
Time21:18 UTC7:18 PM UTC-2
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-58.710°, -25.288°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On February 1, 2023 at 21:18 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates -58.7104°, -25.2878°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -58.71°, -25.29°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.4 mb
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-58.7104°N
-25.2878°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000jmir
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
298
Stations Used
15
Azimuthal Gap
131.0°
Min Station Distance
15.889°
RMS Residual
0.79 sec
Last Updated
2023-04-13 21:53:27 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?

The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on February 1, 2023 at 21:18 UTC had a depth of 35.0 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 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jmir). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 1, 2023). M4.4 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionFebruary 1, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jmir/