4.1

M4.1 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionSeptember 12, 2021

2021-09-12 20:28:09 UTC (2021-09-12) · approx. 6:28 PM UTC-2 local

MagnitudeM4.1(mb)
Time20:28 UTC6:28 PM UTC-2
Depth49.5 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-55.752°, -29.011°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 12, 2021 at 20:28 UTC, a magnitude 4.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 49.5 km and coordinates -55.7519°, -29.0109°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 21 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 406 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -55.75°, -29.01°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.1 mb
Depth
49.5 km
shallow crustal
Location
-55.7519°N
-29.0109°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000fc42
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
259
Azimuthal Gap
202.0°
Min Station Distance
4.547°
RMS Residual
1.13 sec
Last Updated
2021-11-23 15:10:50 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.1 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?

The magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on September 12, 2021 at 20:28 UTC had a depth of 49.5 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 4.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.1 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000fc42). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 12, 2021). M4.1 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionSeptember 12, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000fc42/