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Location:
21 km ESE of Little Lake, CA
Period:
1 Dec 2019 23:09:11 - 11 Dec 2019 05:35:43 (9 days 6 hours 26 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
None
Earthquakes:
252
33 swarms found nearby.
2013
3 May
1 day 22 hours
37 earthquakes
2019
4 Jul
221 days 12 hours
22493 earthquakes
4 Jul
75 days 9 hours
8149 earthquakes
S20190708.2(27.2km)
7 Jul
4 days 17 hours
70 earthquakes
S20190712.1(24.1km)
11 Jul
16 hours
29 earthquakes
S20190812.1(10.1km)
12 Aug
3 days 6 hours
50 earthquakes
S20190825.1(27.3km)
24 Aug
3 days 7 hours
165 earthquakes
8 Sep
1 day 13 hours
47 earthquakes
S20190910.1(19.6km)
10 Sep
3 days 21 hours
145 earthquakes
1 Oct
4 days 13 hours
127 earthquakes
S20191005.1(28.7km)
5 Oct
3 days 16 hours
147 earthquakes
5 Oct
1 day 18 hours
26 earthquakes
13 Oct
1 day 23 hours
36 earthquakes
15 Oct
2 days 23 hours
108 earthquakes
30 Nov
2 days 16 hours
49 earthquakes
13 Dec
22 hours
27 earthquakes
15 Dec
6 days 12 hours
188 earthquakes
22 Dec
10 days 4 hours
196 earthquakes
2020
10 Jan
22 days 10 hours
422 earthquakes
22 Jan
17 hours
24 earthquakes
S20200208.1(11.1km)
7 Feb
1 day 19 hours
44 earthquakes
12 Feb
5 days 22 hours
159 earthquakes
21 Feb
5 days 20 hours
94 earthquakes
S20200322.1(16.5km)
21 Mar
10 days 13 hours
140 earthquakes
14 Apr
7 days 19 hours
130 earthquakes
8 May
3 days 21 hours
69 earthquakes
25 May
1 day 7 hours
31 earthquakes
3 Jun
9 days 16 hours
525 earthquakes
S20200727.1(14.2km)
27 Jul
13 days 20 hours
183 earthquakes
13 Aug
7 days 2 hours
81 earthquakes
21 Sep
5 days 2 hours
99 earthquakes
2021
S20210404.1(28.4km)
3 Apr
11 days 13 hours
124 earthquakes
2022
S20220715.1(15.3km)
14 Jul
4 days 3 hours
55 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20191202.1 Near Little Lake, California

Seismic swarm S20191202.1 was recorded beginning at 23:09 on 1 December 2019 and concluding at 05:35 on 11 December 2019. The sequence occurred 21 km east-southeast of Little Lake, California, and comprised 252 earthquakes over 222 hours and 26 minutes.

Analysis of the first 100 events shows magnitudes ranging from -0.4 to 2.5, with the majority falling between 0.3 and 1.6. Depths were concentrated between 2 km and 11 km, and several events exceeded magnitude 2.0, including two at 2.5. The temporal distribution indicates clusters of activity, particularly on 2 December and 3 December, followed by a gradual decline in frequency and intensity.

The Little Lake area lies within the western Basin and Range province of eastern California. This region experiences active extensional tectonics driven by the interaction between the Pacific and North American plates. The Coso Volcanic Field, located nearby, contributes to elevated geothermal gradients and fluid migration that can trigger swarm-like seismicity along normal and strike-slip faults. Historical records document recurrent earthquake swarms in this setting, often linked to magmatic or hydrothermal processes rather than large mainshock-aftershock sequences.

Since 1 January 2000, fifteen swarms have been identified in the area. One occurred in 2013, while the remaining fourteen took place in 2019, underscoring a notable increase in swarm activity during that year. Such patterns align with the broader tectonic framework of the Indian Wells Valley and adjacent ranges, where small-magnitude events frequently occur without producing significant surface rupture.

Ongoing monitoring by regional seismic networks continues to provide data essential for understanding stress accumulation and release in this geothermally influenced zone. The characteristics of swarm S20191202.1 are consistent with previously observed episodes of distributed microseismicity in the Coso-Little Lake corridor.

References

  • United States Geological Survey Earthquake Catalog
  • California Geological Survey Regional Fault Maps
  • SeismoSight internal swarm classification records