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Location:
8km WSW of Alberto Oviedo Mota, B.C., MX
Period:
1 May 2010 01:45:52 - 5 May 2010 05:00:07 (4 days 3 hours 14 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
Prieto, Cerro(35km)
Earthquakes:
63
14 swarms found nearby.
2000
S20000502.1(13.4km)
1 May
4 days 19 hours
60 earthquakes
2001
S20011209.1(14.3km)
8 Dec
3 days 15 hours
57 earthquakes
2002
S20020303.1(25.6km)
2 Mar
4 days 12 hours
88 earthquakes
2006
S20060528.1(29.2km)
27 May
1 day 14 hours
27 earthquakes
2008
S20080626.1(27.6km)
25 Jun
21 hours
27 earthquakes
2009
S20090920.1(28.8km)
19 Sep
2 days 5 hours
46 earthquakes
2010
PS20100405.1(17.8km)
4 Apr
1 hours
5 earthquakes
S20100410.1(12.1km)
9 Apr
1 day 9 hours
29 earthquakes
S20100508.1(16.2km)
7 May
6 days 19 hours
95 earthquakes
16 May
23 days 11 hours
365 earthquakes
S20100724.3(10.4km)
24 Jul
9 days 17 hours
117 earthquakes
15 Aug
5 days 9 hours
45 earthquakes
S20101211.1(14.4km)
11 Dec
2 days 18 hours
50 earthquakes
2012
S20120701.1(13.3km)
1 Jul
3 days 2 hours
77 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20100501.1: Analysis of Earthquake Activity Near Alberto Oviedo Mota, Baja California

Seismic swarm S20100501.1 occurred in northwestern Baja California, Mexico, approximately 8 km west-southwest of Alberto Oviedo Mota. The sequence began at 01:45 on 1 May 2010 and concluded at 05:00 on 5 May 2010, spanning 99 hours and 14 minutes. During this period, 63 earthquakes were recorded, with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 3.7 and focal depths between 0 and 17 km.

The swarm exhibited typical characteristics of clustered seismicity in tectonically active zones. Initial events on 1 May included a magnitude 3.7 quake at 4 km depth, followed by numerous smaller shocks clustered between 1 and 14 km. Activity persisted into 2 May with events predominantly at 13–17 km depth, peaking at magnitude 3.0. By 3–4 May, magnitudes remained below 3.5, and the final recorded event on 5 May reached magnitude 2.3 at 13 km depth. Depths showed a general increase over time, suggesting migration along fault structures, while magnitudes followed a standard Gutenberg-Richter distribution without a dominant mainshock.

This region lies within the Salton Trough, a tectonically complex pull-apart basin formed by dextral shear along the Pacific–North American plate boundary. The area experiences frequent earthquake swarms due to interactions between the Imperial and Cerro Prieto fault systems and associated geothermal activity. Historical records since 2000 document eight prior swarms in the vicinity, occurring in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, and twice in 2010, indicating recurrent episodic behavior linked to fluid migration and crustal extension.

Geological studies confirm elevated heat flow and Quaternary volcanism in the Mexicali Valley, contributing to swarm-prone conditions. The 2010 sequence aligns with patterns observed in similar geothermal fields, where low-magnitude events cluster without producing surface rupture.

References

  • SeismoSight internal swarm classification records
  • USGS Earthquake Catalog (regional Baja California events)
  • Geological Survey of Mexico (Servicio Geológico Mexicano) tectonic maps of the Salton Trough