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Location:
Island of Hawaii, Hawaii
Period:
28 Feb 2021 12:27:33 - 5 Mar 2021 04:44:21 (4 days 16 hours 16 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
Mauna Loa(1km), Kilauea(32km), Hualalai(38km), Mauna Kea(41km), Kama'ehuakanaloa(69km)
Earthquakes:
47
27 swarms found nearby.
2004
28 Aug
24 days 12 hours
397 earthquakes
11 Oct
19 days 12 hours
360 earthquakes
VS20041103.1(29.8km)
2 Nov
1 day 1 hours
30 earthquakes
9 Nov
24 days 3 hours
334 earthquakes
14 Dec
15 days 10 hours
342 earthquakes
2006
VS20060312.1(21.2km)
11 Mar
3 days 5 hours
41 earthquakes
2012
VS20120223.1(29.4km)
22 Feb
3 days 4 hours
80 earthquakes
2015
1 May
6 days 18 hours
118 earthquakes
23 Jul
23 hours
34 earthquakes
2016
3 Jul
6 days 16 hours
84 earthquakes
2017
7 Apr
4 days 14 hours
129 earthquakes
VS20170416.1(10.0km)
15 Apr
1 day 20 hours
56 earthquakes
2020
S20200302.1(16.7km)
1 Mar
4 days 18 hours
82 earthquakes
4 Dec
5 days 13 hours
110 earthquakes
2021
S20210318.1(19.1km)
18 Mar
2 days 15 hours
113 earthquakes
29 Mar
8 days 10 hours
279 earthquakes
7 Apr
12 days 0 hours
300 earthquakes
S20210927.3(26.2km)
27 Sep
4 days 6 hours
168 earthquakes
2022
VS20220116.1(26.3km)
15 Jan
1 day 4 hours
26 earthquakes
3 Feb
5 days 5 hours
170 earthquakes
2 Aug
3 days 9 hours
131 earthquakes
23 Sep
14 days 19 hours
375 earthquakes
VS20221128.1(10.6km)
27 Nov
11 days 2 hours
416 earthquakes
VS20221231.1(27.4km)
30 Dec
3 days 6 hours
44 earthquakes
2023
VS20231202.1(29.1km)
1 Dec
2 days 5 hours
49 earthquakes
VS20231229.1(29.5km)
28 Dec
4 days 20 hours
173 earthquakes
2026
VS20260115.1(29.7km)
14 Jan
7 days 3 hours
84 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Analysis of Swarm VS20210301.1 on Hawaii Island

Earthquake swarm VS20210301.1 occurred on the Island of Hawaii from 12:27 on 28 February 2021 to 04:44 on 5 March 2021, spanning 112 hours and 16 minutes. During this interval, 47 earthquakes were recorded, with the majority at shallow depths between 0 and 3 km and magnitudes ranging from 0.5 to 2.5. The sequence exhibited typical swarm characteristics, featuring numerous small events without a dominant mainshock.

The temporal distribution showed peak activity on 28 February and 1 March, including multiple events clustered within minutes, such as the paired 2.2 and 1.3 magnitude quakes at 23:27 on 28 February. Later activity tapered, with isolated events through 4 March and a final 0.7 magnitude quake concluding the swarm. Depths remained consistently shallow, indicating a near-surface source consistent with volcanic or hydrothermal processes.

Hawaii Island lies at the southeastern end of the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, formed by the Hawaiian hotspot. The island hosts five major volcanoes, with Kilauea and Mauna Loa remaining active. Ongoing shield-building volcanism drives frequent seismicity through magma intrusion, flank movement, and caldera deformation. Earthquake swarms commonly precede or accompany eruptive episodes, reflecting fluid migration within the volcanic edifice.

Historical records indicate 14 swarms on the island since 1 January 2000. Prior episodes occurred in 2004 (five swarms), 2006 (one), 2012 (one), 2015 (two), 2016 (one), 2017 (two), and 2020 (two). These events cluster in regions of known volcanic unrest, underscoring the persistent influence of hotspot-driven tectonics.

This swarm aligns with patterns observed in Hawaii's volcanic systems, where low-magnitude, high-frequency sequences often signal subsurface pressure changes without leading to immediate surface eruption. Monitoring such activity supports hazard assessment for nearby communities and infrastructure.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog Hawaii Volcano Observatory reports