Near New Zealand – earthquake of medium strength May 1, 2023: these are the details of the level 5.1 earthquake
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck New Zealand. Learn all the details about the marine earthquake here.
Iconic image: An undersea earthquake shakes a coastal town Photo: Photo Alliance/Yasar Antar/AFP/DBA | Left Antar
On Monday, May 1, 2023, at 2:16 am, an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter scale occurred. But what does this classification actually mean and what values can be used to classify an earthquake more accurately?
What do we currently know about the marine earthquake?
The earthquake spread into the sea, Kermadec Islands, New Zealand It happened. However, no city was directly affected by the undersea earthquake in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter. On the Richter scale, the earthquake is rated at 5.1. In addition to this scale, there are other details that can be useful when evaluating a natural event. The depth at which an earthquake begins to break is important for estimating the intensity of an earthquake. The depth of this event is currently assumed to be 33 kilometers.
How accurate is this information about the marine earthquake near New Zealand?
The number of measuring stations gives an indication of the accuracy of the measurements. For this earthquake, the number is average, which means that current knowledge about the earthquake can be rated as moderately accurate with respect to other measurements. The accuracy rating is supplemented by the distance between adjacent stations. In general, the smaller this is, the more reliable the calculated horizontal position of the earthquake. In the present case, this distance is relatively high, which is why earthquake positioning can be assessed as not very reliable.
Quick Check: A quick overview of the most important details
| Seaquake: New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| position: | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand |
| Coordinates: | Latitude = -29.827 degrees and Longitude = -177.479 degrees |
| Places within a radius of 100 km: | undefined |
| Magnitude: | 5.1 |
| Accuracy: | average accuracy |
| reliability: | Little reliable |
| Depth: | 33 kilometers |
| Experienced intensity: | undefined |
| rated intensity: | undefined |
| Notification time: | 01/05/2023 – 02:16 AM |
What does the Richter scale say about a marine earthquake?
In the 1930s, seismologist Charles Francis Richter laid the foundation for the Richter scale, which is used around the world today. It makes it possible to make statements about the strength of earthquakes and marine earthquakes using magnitude – a term that comes from the Latin word “magnitudo” (magnitude). To determine this, you need a seismogram that can record ground movements very accurately. The maximum deviation of the measuring instrument – the amplitude – is combined with the distance between the measuring station and the epicenter, which gives the magnitude of the earthquake. A seismologist developed a logarithmic scale so that deviations on a seismogram are easy to read and can be identified continuously. An earthquake of magnitude 7 is 10 times greater than a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale, 100 times greater than a magnitude of 5, and 1000 times greater than a magnitude of 4 on the Richter scale.
Classification of earthquakes by magnitude on the Richter scale
| Richter magnitudes | Classification of earthquake strength | earthquake impact | Frequency of events around the world |
|---|---|---|---|
| <2.0 | microscopic | Small earthquakes, not felt | 8000 x per day (of scale 1.0) |
| 2.0 to 3.0 | Extremely light | Generally it is not observable, but it is measured | 1500 times a day |
| 3.0 to 4.0 | very easy | It is often noticed, and damage is rare | 135 times a day |
| 4.0 to 5.0 | a light | Objects in the room move clearly, vibration sounds, and mostly no damage | 35 times a day |
| 5.0 to 6.0 | Medium strength | Major damage to vulnerable buildings, no minor damage to strong buildings | 4.5 times a day, 1600 times a year |
| 6.0 to 7.0 | strong | Destruction within a radius of up to 70 km | 130 times annually |
| 7.0 to 8.0 | big | destroy large areas | 13 times a year |
| 8.0 to 9.0 | Very large | Devastation in areas of several hundred kilometers | 0.9x annually |
| 9.0 to 10.0 | extra large | Thousands of miles of destruction | 4 times in 122 years (1952/60/64, 2011) |
| more than 10 | global catastrophe | It was never recorded, and is believed to be an earthquake measuring 11 on the Richter scale 66 million years ago, caused by an asteroid impact in Yucatan. | 1 x 66 million years |
Prior to the introduction of the Richter scale, other seismographs were used, for which Richter values do not transfer well, and thus cannot be used to transmit earthquakes measured before they were introduced. However, since measurements using this scale began, there have been at least five documented earthquakes of magnitude 9 or higher. These have occurred in Russia (1952), Chile (1960), Alaska (1964), Indonesia (2004) and Japan (2011). The earthquake that caused devastating damage in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023 had a value of 7.8 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused a huge number of deaths, which cannot be definitively determined at the moment.
+++ Editorial note: This text was automatically generated based on current data from the USGS (US Geological Survey). The USGS sent the latest event update on 01/05/2023 – 02:59 AM. Get more information about the event On the official USGS website here. We accept feedback and comments at [email protected]. +++
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ROJ / news.de
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