4.6

M4.6 Earthquake near eastern GreenlandDecember 27, 2022

2022-12-27 20:15:14 UTC (2022-12-27) · approx. 7:15 PM UTC-1 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time20:15 UTC7:15 PM UTC-1
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates78.558°, -19.313°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 27, 2022 at 20:15 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck near eastern Greenland, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 78.5583°, -19.3134°. This earthquake was detected by 185 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 78.56°, -19.31°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
78.5583°N
-19.3134°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000j0i2
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
185
Azimuthal Gap
47.0°
Min Station Distance
6.080°
RMS Residual
0.87 sec
Last Updated
2023-03-07 18:59:53 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near eastern Greenland?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck near eastern Greenland on December 27, 2022 at 20:15 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 78.5583°, -19.3134°, which is near eastern Greenland.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j0i2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 27, 2022). M4.6 Earthquake near eastern GreenlandDecember 27, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j0i2/