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Location:
13 km SSW of Searles Valley, CA
Period:
7 Feb 2020 09:12:47 - 9 Feb 2020 05:08:13 (1 day 19 hours 55 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
None
Earthquakes:
44
M 7.0+:
M 7.1; Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence; (6 Jul 2019) (11km from the swarm center)
51 swarms found nearby.
2013
S20130504.1(10.1km)
3 May
1 day 22 hours
37 earthquakes
2015
S20150602.1(20.6km)
1 Jun
1 day 6 hours
36 earthquakes
2019
4 Jul
221 days 12 hours
22493 earthquakes
S20190705.1(12.9km)
4 Jul
75 days 9 hours
8149 earthquakes
S20190708.2(20.1km)
7 Jul
4 days 17 hours
70 earthquakes
S20190712.1(13.0km)
11 Jul
16 hours
29 earthquakes
S20190812.1(21.2km)
12 Aug
3 days 6 hours
50 earthquakes
S20190819.2(26.4km)
19 Aug
1 day 7 hours
38 earthquakes
S20190825.1(16.3km)
24 Aug
3 days 7 hours
165 earthquakes
8 Sep
1 day 13 hours
47 earthquakes
10 Sep
3 days 21 hours
145 earthquakes
S20190918.1(26.9km)
17 Sep
14 days 12 hours
471 earthquakes
1 Oct
4 days 13 hours
127 earthquakes
S20191005.1(17.6km)
5 Oct
3 days 16 hours
147 earthquakes
S20191006.1(16.4km)
5 Oct
1 day 18 hours
26 earthquakes
S20191011.1(27.5km)
10 Oct
4 days 18 hours
165 earthquakes
S20191014.1(16.2km)
13 Oct
1 day 23 hours
36 earthquakes
S20191016.2(10.9km)
15 Oct
2 days 23 hours
108 earthquakes
S20191119.1(30.0km)
18 Nov
10 days 3 hours
223 earthquakes
S20191201.2(14.1km)
30 Nov
2 days 16 hours
49 earthquakes
S20191202.1(11.1km)
1 Dec
9 days 6 hours
252 earthquakes
S20191211.1(29.2km)
10 Dec
2 days 14 hours
78 earthquakes
13 Dec
22 hours
27 earthquakes
15 Dec
6 days 12 hours
188 earthquakes
S20191223.1(10.1km)
22 Dec
10 days 4 hours
196 earthquakes
2020
S20200101.1(21.9km)
1 Jan
7 days 0 hours
130 earthquakes
S20200109.2(27.8km)
8 Jan
23 hours
27 earthquakes
10 Jan
22 days 10 hours
422 earthquakes
22 Jan
17 hours
24 earthquakes
S20200212.1(27.5km)
11 Feb
230 days 17 hours
4310 earthquakes
12 Feb
5 days 22 hours
159 earthquakes
21 Feb
5 days 20 hours
94 earthquakes
S20200309.1(28.3km)
8 Mar
12 days 22 hours
242 earthquakes
21 Mar
10 days 13 hours
140 earthquakes
S20200403.1(28.7km)
2 Apr
3 days 6 hours
67 earthquakes
S20200415.1(11.7km)
14 Apr
7 days 19 hours
130 earthquakes
S20200509.1(11.5km)
8 May
3 days 21 hours
69 earthquakes
S20200521.1(29.0km)
20 May
4 days 3 hours
97 earthquakes
25 May
1 day 7 hours
31 earthquakes
S20200527.1(28.1km)
26 May
3 days 23 hours
82 earthquakes
3 Jun
9 days 16 hours
525 earthquakes
S20200708.3(20.1km)
7 Jul
13 days 9 hours
239 earthquakes
27 Jul
13 days 20 hours
183 earthquakes
S20200814.1(13.0km)
13 Aug
7 days 2 hours
81 earthquakes
21 Sep
5 days 2 hours
99 earthquakes
S20201003.1(27.5km)
2 Oct
25 days 20 hours
320 earthquakes
S20201113.2(24.2km)
12 Nov
13 days 17 hours
181 earthquakes
2021
S20210404.1(17.4km)
3 Apr
11 days 13 hours
124 earthquakes
S20210820.2(29.8km)
19 Aug
19 days 14 hours
212 earthquakes
2022
14 Jul
4 days 3 hours
55 earthquakes
2023
S20230503.1(20.6km)
2 May
1 day 6 hours
32 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20200208.1 Near Searles Valley, California

Seismic swarm S20200208.1 was recorded 13 km SSW of Searles Valley, California. The sequence began at 09:12 on 7 February 2020 and concluded at 05:08 on 9 February 2020, spanning 43 hours and 55 minutes. During this interval, 44 earthquakes were registered. Magnitudes remained predominantly low, ranging from negative values to a peak of 2.8, with the majority falling between 0.0 and 1.6. Focal depths clustered between 0 km and 11 km, indicating shallow crustal activity typical of the region.

The swarm exhibited a classic pattern of clustered, low-magnitude events without a dominant mainshock, consistent with swarm behavior observed in tectonically active zones. Event timing showed initial activity on 7 February with several events above magnitude 1.0, followed by sustained lower-magnitude occurrences through 8 February, and a final notable event of magnitude 2.8 on 9 February.

The Searles Valley region lies within the Eastern California Shear Zone, a broad area of distributed right-lateral strike-slip faulting that accommodates a portion of the Pacific-North American plate boundary motion. This zone features numerous northwest-trending faults and is subject to ongoing deformation. The local geology includes Quaternary alluvium, lacustrine deposits from ancient Searles Lake, and surrounding basement rocks of Mesozoic age. The area experiences elevated seismic hazard due to its position between the San Andreas Fault system to the west and the Basin and Range province to the east.

Historical records since 2000 document 29 swarms in the vicinity, with notable concentrations in 2019 (23 swarms) and additional episodes in 2013, 2015, and 2020 (four swarms total). These recurrent swarms reflect persistent microseismicity along minor faults and fractures. The July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence, highlighted by a magnitude 7.1 mainshock located 11 km from the swarm center, significantly altered local stress conditions and likely contributed to subsequent seismic episodes, including this 2020 swarm.

Such swarms provide insight into post-mainshock relaxation processes and fluid migration within the crust. Continued monitoring remains essential given the region's demonstrated capacity for both swarm activity and larger events.

References

SeismoSight internal swarm classification S20200208.1
USGS Earthquake Catalog and regional fault database
California Geological Survey seismic hazard reports