Alaska's 5.7 Mag Earthquake

[308Mike]

NPR, AlaskaTRX, and others up there, did you guys feel it?

Earthquake Details
Magnitude MW 5.7
Date-Time Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 18:09:50 UTC
Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 09:09:50 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 59.389°N, 152.811°W
Depth 100 km (62.1 miles) set by location program
Region SOUTHERN ALASKA
Distances 51 km (32 miles) W (275°) from Nanwalek, AK
56 km (34 miles) W (275°) from Port Graham, AK
62 km (39 miles) W (265°) from Seldovia, AK
262 km (162 miles) SW (221°) from Anchorage, AK

Location Uncertainty Error estimate not available
Parameters NST=013, Nph=017, Dmin=114.5 km, Rmss=0 sec, Gp=126°,
M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=2
Source Alaska Earthquake Information Center
Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Event ID ak00088513

[Netpackrat]

I felt it, but it wasn't much. Just a couple of light jolts back and forth.

[arctictom]

Alaska is a really really big place, I am about 700 miles away from that point and didnt notice it

[308Mike]

I'm not surprised since Alaska is a seismically active area like SoCal and the quake waves don't travel as far, strong, or fast they they do in less active areas like the mid-west or even the eastern seaboard - where even minor earthquakes can be felt for hundreds of miles (because the earth is more densely packed, more solid).

That same 5.7 in other parts of the nation would be considered a major event, even though it's a fairly moderate earthquake. As far as the earth is concerned, it's a non-event.

I was just curious if any of you felt it and if so, what was your reaction to it. Those of us who live with earthquakes just shrug our shoulders and go about our business. I happen to find it fascinating how the earth is moving and shifting, and would love to be on the surface near the epicenter of a significant earthquake (especially since most of them happen several KMs below the surface). I mean, I would LOVE to have been standing at the same location as this photographer who took this picture in Alaska WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE WAS HAPPENING:



That would be AWESOME!!!

[Netpackrat]

I think that picture is from the 2002 earthquake. Sad thing is, prior to the quake, that road was in better condition than most others in the state. We definitely felt it here in Anchorage, I think I've posted about it before.

[308Mike]

It is from the 2002 earthquake, and the photo is of a location called the "Richardson Offset". Much of the information about the 2002 Alaska quake can be found here.

[Netpackrat]

Oops. No, the Richarson has always been a mess, I was thinking of the Tok Cutoff, which was also heavily damaged, IIRC.