Seismic Swarm S20131127.1: Analysis of Activity Near Westmorland, California
Seismic swarm S20131127.1 occurred in the Imperial Valley of southern California, centered 12 km NNW of Westmorland. The sequence began at 08:04 on 27 November 2013 and concluded at 15:46 on 28 November 2013, spanning 31 hours and 42 minutes. During this interval, 52 earthquakes were recorded.
Magnitudes ranged from 0.2 to 2.2, with the largest event occurring at the swarm's onset. Depths were predominantly shallow, concentrated between 0 and 7 km. Many events clustered at depths of 0–3 km, indicating activity within near-surface fault structures. The distribution showed an initial energetic phase on 27 November followed by sustained lower-magnitude activity through the following day, with a secondary peak around midday on 28 November.
This pattern aligns with typical swarm behavior in the region, where numerous small events occur without a dominant mainshock-aftershock sequence. The Imperial Valley lies within the Salton Trough, a tectonically active pull-apart basin formed by right-lateral shear between the San Andreas and Imperial fault systems. The area experiences elevated seismicity due to ongoing crustal extension, geothermal heat flow, and fluid migration along a network of northwest-trending strike-slip faults.
Historical records document 66 swarms in the same locale since 2000, with notable annual counts including 13 in 2010, 11 each in 2009, 2012, and 2013. These recurrent swarms reflect the persistent tectonic loading and hydrothermal processes that characterize the Brawley Seismic Zone and adjacent Imperial Fault.
The 2013 swarm contributed to ongoing monitoring of strain accumulation in this high-hazard corridor, where even modest events help delineate active fault segments and inform regional seismic hazard assessments.
References
USGS Earthquake Catalog California Geological Survey regional fault maps Southern California Seismic Network swarm archives