5.0

M5.0 Earthquake north of SvalbardMay 24, 2022

2022-05-24 04:00:27 UTC (2022-05-24) · approx. 4:00 AM UTC+0 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time04:00 UTC4:00 AM UTC+0
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates84.198°, -0.768°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 24, 2022 at 04:00 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Svalbard, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 84.1980°, -0.7678°. This earthquake was detected by 95 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 84.20°, -0.77°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
84.1980°N
-0.7678°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000hc4h
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
95
Azimuthal Gap
57.0°
Min Station Distance
5.606°
RMS Residual
0.63 sec
Last Updated
2022-08-02 19:50:47 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake north of Svalbard?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck north of Svalbard on May 24, 2022 at 04:00 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 84.1980°, -0.7678°, which is north of Svalbard.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000hc4h). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 24, 2022). M5.0 Earthquake north of SvalbardMay 24, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000hc4h/