ASSIGNMENT # 1

EARTHQUAKE SEISMOLOGY

PRESENTED TO: SIR TAHIR

PRESENTED BY: ADNAN ALTAF
REG NUMBER: 04111413040
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES
World's First Largest Recorded Earthquake:
(9.5 Magnitude - May 22, 1960 near Valdivia, Chile)

Introduction:
The world's largest earthquake with an instrumentally documented magnitude occurred on May
22, 1960 near Valdivia, in southern Chile. It was assigned a magnitude of 9.5 by the United
States Geological Survey. It is referred to as the "Great Chilean Earthquake" and the "1960
Valdivia Earthquake."

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The United States Geological Survey reports this event as the "largest earthquake of the 20th
Century." Other earthquakes in recorded history may have been larger; however, this is the
largest earthquake that has occurred since accurate estimates of magnitude became possible in
the early 1900s.

UTC 1960-05-22 19:11:14

Local Date May 22, 1960

Local Time 15:11:14

Magnitude 9.5 Mw

Depth 33km (21mi)

Epicenter 38.24 degree S 73.05 degree W

Type Megathrust

Area Affected Chile, Pacific Rim

Maximum Intensity X11 (Extreme)

Landslides Yes

Casualties 1,000-7,000

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Reason:
The reason why the earthquake occurred is that the subduction of Nazca Plate under the South
America Plate on which Chile is rested.

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World's Largest Earthquake - Tsunami Map:

The Chilean earthquake produced a powerful tsunami that traveled at a speed of about 200 miles
per hour across the Pacific Ocean. The wave killed 61 people in Hawaii, 138 in Japan and 32 in
the Philippines. The star marks the location of the epicenter and the numbers on the contour lines
are travel times in hours for the wave front Image by NOAA.

Tectonics Settings:
This was a megathrust earthquake that occurred at a depth of about 20 miles, where the Nazca
Plate is subducting beneath the South American Plate. It produced a 500-mile-long rupture zone
extending from Talca, Chile to the Chiloe Archipelago. Numerous large earthquakes have
occurred in this area before and after the May 22, 1960 event.

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 F.g Shows the subduction of Nazca Plate under the South America Plate

Foreshocks:
The earthquake was preceded by four foreshocks greater than magnitude 7.0. The largest was a
magnitude 7.9 earthquake one day before that caused significant damage in the Concepcion area.

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Shake Map of Chile Earthquake 1960 (USGS) :

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World's Second Largest Recorded Earthquake:
(The Great Alaska 1960 with Mw=9.2)
Introduction:

The 1964 Alaskan Earthquake is also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage
Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, lasted nearly four minutes on Good Friday, March
27, 1964. This megathrust earthquake attacked south-central Alaska and caused ground fissures,
collapsing structures and tsunami.

It was the most powerful recorded earthquake in US and North America history, at a shocking
magnitude of 9.2 and the second most powerful in the entire world only to the horrible 1960
Valdivia earthquake and also known as Great Chilean Earthquake.

UTC Time 1964-03-28 03:06

Local Date March 27,1964
Local Time 17:36:16 AKST
Duration 4-5 minutes
Magnitude 9.2 Mw
Depth 25 Km
Epicenter 60.908 degree N 147.339 degree W
Type Megathrust
Areas Affected United States, Canada
Total Damage $311 Million (1964 USD)
Peak Acceleration 0.18g
Casualties 131 Killed

After Shocks:

There were hundreds of aftershocks in the first weeks following the main shock. In the first day
alone, eleven major aftershocks were recorded with a magnitude greater than 6.0. Nine more
struck over the next three weeks. In all, thousands of aftershocks occurred in the months
following the quake, and smaller aftershocks continued to strike the region for more than a year.

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World's Second Largest Earthquake - Tsunami Map:

Calculated travel time map for the tectonic tsunami produced by the 1964 Prince William Sound
earthquake in Alaska Tsunami Travel Times computed using Tsunami Travel Time software v3.1 (P.
Wessel). The map does not show the height or strength of the waves, only the calculated travel times.

Tectonic Settings:

On March 27, 1964 at 5:36pm local time (March 28 at 3:36 UTC) a great earthquake of
magnitude 9.2 occurred in the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. The earthquake rupture

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started approximately 25 km beneath the surface, with its epicenter about 6 miles (10 km) east of
the mouth of College Fiord, 56 miles (90 km) west of Valdez and 75 miles (120 km) ea st of
Anchorage. The earthquake lasted approximately 4.5 minutes and is the most powerful recorded
earthquake in U.S. history. It is also the second largest earthquake ever recorded, next to the
M9.5 earthquake in Chile in 1960.

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Shake Map of Alaska Earthquake 1964 (USGS):

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World's Third Largest Recorded Earthquake:
(Sumatra 2004 with Mw= 9.3
Introduction:

The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthqauke occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on 26 December with the
epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The shock had a momemt magnitude of 9.1-
9.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Voilent).the undersea megathrust earthquake was
caused when the India Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate and triggered a series of
devasting tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordening the Indian Ocean. It causes a
killing of 230,000-280,000 people in 24 countries and inundating coastal communities with wave
up to 30 meters high. It was one of the deadliest natural disaster recorded in history. Indonesia
was hardest hit country followed by Srilanka, India and Thailand. It is the third largest
earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph and had the longest duration of faulting ever
observed between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1
centimeter (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far as Alaska. Its epicenter was
between Simeulue and mainland Indonesia. The resulting was given various names, including the
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, South Asia Tsunami, Indonesia Tsunami, the Christmas Tsunami
and the Boxing Day Tsunami.

Foreshock:

The 2002 Sumatra Earthquake occurred at 01:26 UTC on 2nd November. It had a magnitude of
7.3 on the moment magnitude scale with an epicenter just north of Simulue Island and caused
three deaths. This earthquake is regarded as a foreshock of the 2004 Sumatra earthquake, which
had an epicenter about 60km to the northwest.

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Tectonic Settings:

Interseismic Plates:

 India subducts beneath Burma microplate at about 50mm/yr.

 Fault interface is locked.

Earthqauke: (Coseismic)

 Fault interface slips, overriding plate rebounds, releasing accumulated motion.

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 26th December 2004 00h 58min 51s UT
 Western Coast of Northern Sumatra
 Epicenter
Latitude: 3.298 degree
Longitude: 95.778 degree
 Magnitude: 9.2
 3rd Largest Earthquake ever recorded on seismograph.

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Seismogram of the day: Global Seismic Displacement
Wavefield , December 26 2004

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Tsunami:

 All along the rupture the seaflooor was shunted vertically by anout 10 meteres.
 This movement displaced the overlying water, generating a massive tsunami or tidal
wave.
 The wave then fanned out across the Indian Ocean at enormous speed.

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Shake Map of Sumatra Earthquake 2004 (USGS):

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 References:

 Geology.com
 Britannia.com
 USGS ( United States Geological Survey)

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