M4.9 Earthquake north of Svalbard — January 17, 2023
2023-01-17 06:19:01 UTC (2023-01-17) · approx. 6:19 AM UTC+0 local
On January 17, 2023 at 06:19 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Svalbard, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 82.0016°, -4.9025°. This earthquake was detected by 71 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-4.9025°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake north of Svalbard?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck north of Svalbard on January 17, 2023 at 06:19 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 82.0016°, -4.9025°, which is north of Svalbard.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j4u9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 17, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake north of Svalbard — January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j4u9/