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 1:59 pm, 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?
New Zealand: Undersea earthquake of moderate strength!
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. For example, the depth at which an earthquake begins to break is important for assessing the intensity of an earthquake. However, the depth of this event could not be determined.
How accurate is this information about the marine earthquake near New Zealand?
The more seismic stations used to locate an earthquake, the more accurate information about an earthquake can be calculated. The figure for this earthquake is relatively low, which means that current knowledge of the earthquake can tentatively be classified as inaccurate 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 average, which is why earthquake locating can be classified as moderately reliable.
Quick Check: Marine Earthquake Overview
| Seaquake: New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| position: | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand |
| Coordinates: | Latitude = -29.89 degrees and Longitude = -177.112 degrees |
| Places within a radius of 100 km: | undefined |
| Magnitude: | 5.1 |
| Accuracy: | Not very accurate |
| reliability: | Reliable average |
| Depth: | undefined |
| Experienced intensity: | undefined |
| rated intensity: | undefined |
| Notification time: | 01/05/2023 – 1:59 PM |
What does the Richter scale mean for 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 the magnitude of an earthquake, the shaking is measured using a seismometer. To do this, it is necessary to know the distance between the measuring station and the source of the earthquake. The largest movement on Earth, the maximum deflection (amplitude), is read from the seismometer’s graphic representation – the seismogram. This amplitude plus distance gives the magnitude. To make it easier to read the deviations on a seismogram, Richter introduced a logarithmic scale. 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.
These are earthquake levels 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).
+++ 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 May 1, 2023 – 2:23 PM. Get more information about the event On the official USGS website here. We accept feedback and comments at [email protected]. +++
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