3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 279 km SW of Adak, AlaskaDecember 29, 2022

2022-12-29 19:25:26 UTC (2022-12-29) · approx. 7:25 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM3.9(mb)
Time19:25 UTC7:25 AM UTC-12
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates50.068°, -179.394°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 29, 2022 at 19:25 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 279 km SW of Adak, Alaska, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 50.0676°, -179.3937°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 50.07°, -179.39°

ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity

Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M3.9 earthquake near 279 km SW of Adak, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
50.0676°N
-179.3937°E
Intensity (MMI)
1.3
weak

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000j0zm
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
234
Stations Used
57
Azimuthal Gap
210.0°
Min Station Distance
1.533°
RMS Residual
1.19 sec
Last Updated
2023-03-07 18:59:59 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Adak, Alaska?

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 279 km SW of Adak, Alaska on December 29, 2022 at 19:25 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j0zm). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 29, 2022). M3.9 Earthquake 279 km SW of Adak, AlaskaDecember 29, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j0zm/