M5.2 Earthquake near Reykjanes Ridge — December 9, 2023
2023-12-09 10:56:17 UTC (2023-12-09) · approx. 8:56 AM UTC-2 local
On December 9, 2023 at 10:56 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Reykjanes Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 56.6160°, -34.4088°. This earthquake was detected by 131 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-34.4088°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Reykjanes Ridge?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck near Reykjanes Ridge on December 9, 2023 at 10:56 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 56.6160°, -34.4088°, which is near Reykjanes Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lhqe). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 9, 2023). M5.2 Earthquake near Reykjanes Ridge — December 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lhqe/