M4.8 Earthquake near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge — August 15, 2023
2023-08-15 23:40:20 UTC (2023-08-15) · approx. 9:40 PM UTC-2 local
On August 15, 2023 at 23:40 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 0.7620°, -29.6556°. This earthquake was detected by 38 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-29.6556°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on August 15, 2023 at 23:40 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 0.7620°, -29.6556°, which is near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000knkc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 15, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge — August 15, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000knkc/