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Location:
71 km E of Cantwell, Alaska
Period:
9 Nov 2002 10:00:00 - 11 Nov 2002 03:56:39 (1 day 17 hours 56 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
Buzzard Creek(61km)
Earthquakes:
53
17 swarms found nearby.
2002
S20021023.1(28.8km)
23 Oct
12 days 6 hours
727 earthquakes
S20021024.1(28.8km)
23 Oct
10 days 5 hours
183 earthquakes
23 Oct
1 day 18 hours
37 earthquakes
S20021104.2(23.6km)
3 Nov
19 days 3 hours
621 earthquakes
S20021105.2(27.2km)
4 Nov
16 days 23 hours
418 earthquakes
S20021108.1(27.3km)
7 Nov
1 day 2 hours
42 earthquakes
S20021108.2(28.9km)
8 Nov
1 day 9 hours
133 earthquakes
S20021113.1(16.2km)
12 Nov
1 day 14 hours
71 earthquakes
S20021118.1(27.8km)
17 Nov
3 days 1 hours
69 earthquakes
24 Dec
5 days 15 hours
113 earthquakes
S20021227.1(12.0km)
26 Dec
7 days 19 hours
98 earthquakes
2003
S20030107.1(14.2km)
6 Jan
4 days 21 hours
72 earthquakes
S20030307.1(16.2km)
6 Mar
26 days 8 hours
396 earthquakes
S20030403.1(16.0km)
2 Apr
23 days 4 hours
248 earthquakes
S20030602.2(11.4km)
1 Jun
11 days 13 hours
108 earthquakes
S20030714.1(12.9km)
13 Jul
20 days 18 hours
166 earthquakes
7 Aug
6 days 18 hours
95 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20021110.1 Near Cantwell, Alaska: Geological Context and Event Analysis

Seismic swarm S20021110.1 occurred in a tectonically active region 71 km east of Cantwell, Alaska, within the Alaska Range. This area lies along the Denali Fault system, a major right-lateral strike-slip fault that accommodates significant crustal deformation resulting from the oblique convergence of the Pacific and North American plates. The fault has a long history of producing large earthquakes, with slip rates estimated at 8–12 mm per year based on paleoseismic studies.

The swarm initiated at 10:00 on 9 November 2002 and concluded at 03:56 on 11 November 2002, spanning 41 hours and 56 minutes. During this period, 53 earthquakes were recorded. Depths ranged primarily from 1 to 12 km, indicating shallow crustal activity consistent with fault-zone processes in the region. Magnitudes varied from 0.4 to 4.1, with the two largest events reaching 4.0 on 9 November at 10:00 and 4.1 on 10 November at 09:57.

Event timing shows clustering, with notable concentrations in the morning and afternoon hours of 10 November. Multiple events of magnitude 1.0–2.0 occurred at depths of 1–9 km, interspersed with deeper shocks up to 12 km. Later activity on 11 November included a magnitude 2.8 event at 1 km depth. These patterns reflect typical swarm behavior, where numerous small events occur without a dominant mainshock-aftershock sequence.

Geological conditions in the Cantwell area involve complex fault interactions within the broader Denali fault zone. The 2002 Denali earthquake sequence, which included a magnitude 7.9 mainshock on 3 November, heightened regional stress, potentially influencing subsequent swarm activity. Shallow depths and varied magnitudes suggest fluid migration or stress triggering along fault segments.

Since 1 January 2000, seven seismic swarms have been documented in the region, with this event marking the first. Such recurrent swarms highlight ongoing microseismicity along the Denali Fault, providing data for understanding strain accumulation in this high-hazard zone.

  • 9 Nov 2002 10:00:00, magnitude 4.0, depth 1 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 10:10:14, magnitude 1.1, depth 1 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 10:35:28, magnitude 1.0, depth 10 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 10:44:22, magnitude 1.1, depth 7 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 12:45:44, magnitude 1.3, depth 9 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 12:56:44, magnitude 2.3, depth 6 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 14:02:02, magnitude 1.1, depth 5 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 14:48:45, magnitude 1.2, depth 5 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 14:59:16, magnitude 1.6, depth 7 km
  • 9 Nov 2002 20:31:15, magnitude 1.5, depth 8 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 01:29:51, magnitude 2.1, depth 8 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 01:38:58, magnitude 1.1, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 01:39:43, magnitude 1.3, depth 6 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 01:40:35, magnitude 1.1, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 02:18:07, magnitude 1.0, depth 9 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 03:10:53, magnitude 0.8, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 04:57:30, magnitude 1.4, depth 7 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 06:42:30, magnitude 1.3, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 07:00:05, magnitude 1.8, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 07:23:52, magnitude 1.9, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 08:31:25, magnitude 1.6, depth 2 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:25:25, magnitude 1.0, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:27:39, magnitude 1.0, depth 4 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:33:18, magnitude 2.0, depth 3 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:40:12, magnitude 1.0, depth 12 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:41:52, magnitude 0.4, depth 5 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:45:24, magnitude 0.8, depth 9 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:46:26, magnitude 0.7, depth 9 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:53:27, magnitude 0.8, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:54:26, magnitude 1.3, depth 4 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 09:57:44, magnitude 4.1, depth 10 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 10:03:32, magnitude 0.9, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 10:06:24, magnitude 0.8, depth 7 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 10:10:57, magnitude 1.0, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 10:14:45, magnitude 0.7, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 10:20:46, magnitude 1.2, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 13:02:35, magnitude 1.3, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 13:38:35, magnitude 2.9, depth 8 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 13:45:34, magnitude 2.8, depth 5 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 13:46:58, magnitude 1.8, depth 5 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 15:31:43, magnitude 0.9, depth 5 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 16:26:55, magnitude 0.9, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 16:39:49, magnitude 1.3, depth 2 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 16:40:38, magnitude 2.0, depth 4 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 16:45:34, magnitude 0.8, depth 2 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 17:17:52, magnitude 0.7, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 17:42:49, magnitude 1.3, depth 3 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 18:03:47, magnitude 0.5, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 19:17:22, magnitude 1.0, depth 1 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 20:13:54, magnitude 1.6, depth 2 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 20:36:52, magnitude 0.5, depth 5 km
  • 10 Nov 2002 20:48:56, magnitude 1.4, depth 2 km
  • 11 Nov 2002 03:56:39, magnitude 2.8, depth 1 km

References
SeismoSight internal swarm classification records.
USGS Earthquake Catalog for regional tectonics.
Alaska Earthquake Center historical seismicity reports.