Magnitude 7.3 - VANUATU REGION
2010 December 25 13:16:37 UTC
Earthquake Details
- This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.
| Magnitude | 7.3 |
|---|---|
| Date-Time |
|
| Location | 19.775°S, 167.895°E |
| Depth | 12.3 km (7.6 miles) |
| Region | VANUATU REGION |
| Distances | 145 km (90 miles) W of Isangel, Tanna, Vanuatu 195 km (120 miles) N of Tadine, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 230 km (145 miles) S of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu 1740 km (1080 miles) ENE of BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia |
| Location Uncertainty | horizontal +/- 7 km (4.3 miles); depth +/- 7.8 km (4.8 miles) |
| Parameters | NST=173, Nph=173, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=1.52 sec, Gp= 43°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7 |
| Source |
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| Event ID | usc0000usf |
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Earthquake Summary
Tectonic Summary
The Vanuatu (New Hebrides trench) earthquake of December 25, 2010, occurred as the result of normal-faulting within the Australia plate, in the region of the boundary between the Australia plate and the Pacific plate. In the epicentral region of the earthquake, the Australia plate moves east-northeast relative to the Pacific plate with a velocity of about 8 cm/yr. The Australia plate subducts beneath the Pacific plate at the New Hebrides trench and is seismically active northeast of the epicenter of the December 25 earthquake to a depth of 300 km. The stresses that generated the earthquake result from the bending of the Australia plate as it subducts beneath the Pacific plate.
The New Hebrides arc region of the Australia/New Hebrides plate-boundary experiences numerous strong earthquakes. In the past quarter century, the thousand kilometer section of the arc centered on the epicenter of the December 25 earthquake has produced 19 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater, the largest having magnitude 7.7.
The western margin of the Pacific plate that lies to the east of the New Hebrides trench is commonly viewed as being subdivided into several microplates that move with respect to each other at rates of a few cm/yr.
Earthquake Maps
Scientific & Technical Information
Tsunami Information
The earthquake locations and magnitudes cited in NOAA tsunami statements and bulletins are preliminary and are superseded by USGS locations and magnitudes computed using more extensive data sets.
NOAA Tsunami Bulletins for this Earthquake
No Bulletins have been issued at this time.
General Tsunami Information
- Preliminary Earthquake Report
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center:
World Data Center for Seismology, Denver
