M4.5 Earthquake in the Balleny Islands region — June 27, 2020
2020-06-27 17:34:57 UTC (2020-06-27) · approx. 4:34 AM UTC+11 local
Aftershock of the M5.2 mainshock.
On June 27, 2020 at 17:34 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Balleny Islands region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -63.4782°, 172.2325°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 11 days ago in the Balleny Islands region. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
172.2325°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake in the Balleny Islands region?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck in the Balleny Islands region on June 27, 2020 at 17:34 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -63.4782°, 172.2325°, which is in the Balleny Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier in the Balleny Islands region. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ah9m). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, June 27, 2020). M4.5 Earthquake in the Balleny Islands region — June 27, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ah9m/