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Location:
27 km E of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii
Period:
2 Aug 2022 08:47:15 - 5 Aug 2022 18:41:41 (3 days 9 hours 54 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
Mauna Loa(1km), Kilauea(34km), Hualalai(35km), Mauna Kea(39km), Kama'ehuakanaloa(72km)
Earthquakes:
131
22 swarms found nearby.
2004
28 Aug
24 days 12 hours
397 earthquakes
11 Oct
19 days 12 hours
360 earthquakes
VS20041110.1(10.6km)
9 Nov
24 days 3 hours
334 earthquakes
14 Dec
15 days 10 hours
342 earthquakes
2006
VS20060312.1(22.8km)
11 Mar
3 days 5 hours
41 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
15 Apr
1 day 20 hours
56 earthquakes
2020
S20200302.1(17.6km)
1 Mar
4 days 18 hours
82 earthquakes
4 Dec
5 days 13 hours
110 earthquakes
2021
28 Feb
4 days 16 hours
47 earthquakes
S20210318.1(20.5km)
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(28.3km)
27 Sep
4 days 6 hours
168 earthquakes
2022
VS20220116.1(28.1km)
15 Jan
1 day 4 hours
26 earthquakes
3 Feb
5 days 5 hours
170 earthquakes
23 Sep
14 days 19 hours
375 earthquakes
27 Nov
11 days 2 hours
416 earthquakes
VS20221231.1(29.3km)
30 Dec
3 days 6 hours
44 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm VS20220803.1: Geological Context and Event Analysis in Hawaii

Earthquake swarms represent clusters of seismic events occurring in rapid succession without a dominant mainshock, often linked to magmatic or tectonic processes. Swarm VS20220803.1 was recorded in a region 27 km east of Honaunau-Napoopoo on Hawaii's Big Island, commencing at 08:47 on 2 August 2022 and concluding at 18:41 on 5 August 2022. Over 81 hours and 54 minutes, the sequence produced 131 earthquakes.

The Big Island's geology is dominated by active shield volcanoes, primarily Kilauea and Mauna Loa, built through repeated basaltic eruptions over the Hawaiian hotspot. This setting generates frequent seismicity from magma migration, dike intrusions, and slip along flank faults such as the Hilina system. Depths in the swarm data cluster near or above sea level, consistent with shallow volcanic sources rather than deeper tectonic events. Magnitudes remained modest, with the highest reaching 2.8, typical for non-eruptive swarms that relieve stress without surface rupture.

Analysis of the first 100 events reveals a pattern of low-to-moderate activity with fluctuating magnitudes between 0.4 and 2.8. Early events on 2 August showed magnitudes around 1.4–1.9 at depths of 0 to -1 km. Activity intensified on 3 August, featuring multiple events above magnitude 2.0, including clusters at 04:22, 04:32, and 05:13, often at similar shallow depths. Later phases exhibited a gradual decline in both frequency and peak magnitudes, with many events below 1.0 by late 3 August. Depths stayed predominantly at 0 km or -1 km, indicating a consistent shallow source volume.

Historical records document 19 swarms in the same region since 1 January 2000. These occurred in 2004 (four swarms), 2006 (one), 2015 (two), 2016 (one), 2017 (two), 2020 (two), 2021 (five), and 2022 (two). This distribution underscores recurring seismic episodes tied to ongoing volcanic unrest, with elevated frequency in recent years possibly reflecting increased monitoring sensitivity or changes in magmatic supply.

Such swarms contribute to hazard assessment by mapping active fault zones and magma pathways. Continued observation helps differentiate volcanic from tectonic signals in this dynamic island environment.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog
Hawaii Volcano Observatory reports
SeismoSight internal swarm classification