5.3

M5.3 Earthquake near Norwegian SeaDecember 13, 2023

2023-12-13 19:30:46 UTC (2023-12-13) · approx. 7:30 PM UTC+0 local

MagnitudeM5.3(mww)
Time19:30 UTC7:30 PM UTC+0
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates72.556°, 3.593°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 13, 2023 at 19:30 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Norwegian Sea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 72.5563°, 3.5933°. This earthquake was detected by 179 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 72.56°, 3.59°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.3 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
72.5563°N
3.5933°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000lir5
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
432
Stations Used
179
Azimuthal Gap
32.0°
Min Station Distance
7.722°
RMS Residual
0.71 sec
Last Updated
2024-02-17 22:43:09 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Norwegian Sea?

The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near Norwegian Sea on December 13, 2023 at 19:30 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 72.5563°, 3.5933°, which is near Norwegian Sea.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lir5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 13, 2023). M5.3 Earthquake near Norwegian SeaDecember 13, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lir5/