M4.3 Earthquake 276 km WNW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — August 7, 2023
2023-08-07 20:01:15 UTC (2023-08-07) · approx. 8:01 PM UTC+0 local
On August 7, 2023 at 20:01 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 276 km WNW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 79.1875°, 3.9498°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
3.9498°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 276 km WNW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on August 7, 2023 at 20:01 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000kyi2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 7, 2023). M4.3 Earthquake 276 km WNW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — August 7, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kyi2/