The 5.2-magnitude earthquake Tuesday night time shook many elements of Southern California, bringing consideration to an vital side of seismic occasions: their depth.
The temblor, which struck close to Mettler in Kern County at 9:09 p.m. on Tuesday occurred at a depth of roughly 7 miles beneath the Earth’s floor.
In accordance with america Geological Survey (USGS), this latest earthquake is classed as “shallow.”
The USGS categorizes earthquake depths into three zones: shallow (0-70 km), intermediate (70-300 km) and deep (300 – 700 km.)
The earthquake was felt extensively throughout Southern California, with studies coming in from as far south as San Diego, greater than 200 miles from the epicenter. And this wide selection is said to its shallow depth, in keeping with an skilled.
“The depth positively influenced how we really feel it,” Robert de Groot from USGS ShakeAlert System mentioned. “Shallow earthquakes, just like the one we simply had, have a tendency to provide stronger shaking on the floor in comparison with deeper quakes of the identical magnitude.”
He additionally famous that the comfortable soil within the Los Angeles space may cause the wave to “bounce round,” amplifying the shake.
“What we really feel is perhaps bigger than anticipated,” de Groot mentioned.
In accordance with USGS, understanding the depth of an earthquake additionally helps visualize subduction zones, a boundary the place one tectonic plate slides beneath one other, offering worthwhile insights about Earth’s construction and tectonic settings.
In continental areas like Southern California, earthquakes sometimes happen within the shallow crust, often round 10 miles.
“The earthquake (Tuesday) night time was pretty widespread by way of the depth,” de Groot added.