4.8

M4.8 Earthquake north of Ascension IslandJanuary 26, 2024

2024-01-26 12:26:20 UTC (2024-01-26) · approx. 11:26 AM UTC-1 local

MagnitudeM4.8(mb)
Time12:26 UTC11:26 AM UTC-1
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-1.048°, -13.643°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On January 26, 2024 at 12:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Ascension Island, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -1.0484°, -13.6427°. This earthquake was detected by 61 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -1.05°, -13.64°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.8 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-1.0484°N
-13.6427°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000lu1c
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
354
Stations Used
61
Azimuthal Gap
49.0°
Min Station Distance
6.787°
RMS Residual
0.74 sec
Last Updated
2024-03-30 22:33:48 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake north of Ascension Island?

The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck north of Ascension Island on January 26, 2024 at 12:26 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 -1.0484°, -13.6427°, which is north of Ascension Island.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lu1c). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, January 26, 2024). M4.8 Earthquake north of Ascension IslandJanuary 26, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lu1c/