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Note:This page contains AI-generated content for informational and entertainment purposes only. It may contain inaccuracies. Raw event data is from USGS and EMSC. All statistics, lists, and derived information are generated by this site. Full disclaimerFound an error?
Location:
21 km ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana
Period:
5 Dec 2002 04:17:56 - 7 Dec 2002 16:47:42 (2 days 12 hours 29 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
None
Earthquakes:
405
96 swarms found nearby.
2000
S20000125.1(12.8km)
25 Jan
1 day 8 hours
67 earthquakes
9 Mar
9 hours
28 earthquakes
29 Mar
9 days 3 hours
185 earthquakes
8 Apr
1 day 23 hours
41 earthquakes
S20000526.1(19.5km)
26 May
23 hours
25 earthquakes
S20000728.1(13.8km)
27 Jul
5 days 11 hours
144 earthquakes
S20001025.1(14.5km)
25 Oct
2 days 15 hours
52 earthquakes
S20001124.1(16.4km)
23 Nov
3 days 8 hours
120 earthquakes
S20001210.1(18.5km)
9 Dec
1 day 1 hours
29 earthquakes
S20001224.1(11.1km)
23 Dec
4 days 11 hours
64 earthquakes
2001
S20010119.1(19.7km)
18 Jan
4 days 18 hours
341 earthquakes
3 Feb
15 hours
26 earthquakes
26 Feb
2 days 5 hours
56 earthquakes
2 Dec
5 days 0 hours
131 earthquakes
8 Dec
19 days 5 hours
335 earthquakes
2002
15 Jan
7 hours
67 earthquakes
30 Jan
2 days 22 hours
52 earthquakes
S20021104.1(16.4km)
3 Nov
4 days 4 hours
118 earthquakes
3 Nov
3 days 12 hours
80 earthquakes
13 Dec
1 day 12 hours
26 earthquakes
2003
S20030103.2(29.6km)
3 Jan
4 days 3 hours
75 earthquakes
S20030206.1(10.1km)
5 Feb
1 day 18 hours
42 earthquakes
2004
13 Apr
6 days 22 hours
457 earthquakes
S20040717.1(18.1km)
16 Jul
1 day 16 hours
38 earthquakes
2005
S20050604.1(14.2km)
3 Jun
2 days 8 hours
49 earthquakes
2006
S20060613.1(24.1km)
12 Jun
1 day 14 hours
45 earthquakes
18 Jun
1 day 11 hours
57 earthquakes
S20061015.1(28.9km)
14 Oct
19 hours
79 earthquakes
2007
S20070620.1(14.3km)
20 Jun
1 hours
26 earthquakes
S20071214.1(14.1km)
14 Dec
22 hours
28 earthquakes
30 Dec
3 days 10 hours
61 earthquakes
2008
9 Jan
4 days 20 hours
89 earthquakes
S20080203.1(12.4km)
3 Feb
21 hours
47 earthquakes
S20080311.1(28.1km)
11 Mar
2 days 13 hours
69 earthquakes
S20080729.1(26.1km)
28 Jul
4 days 18 hours
189 earthquakes
S20080807.1(10.2km)
7 Aug
6 hours
32 earthquakes
S20081203.1(17.5km)
3 Dec
6 days 17 hours
213 earthquakes
2009
S20090417.1(17.1km)
16 Apr
5 days 18 hours
136 earthquakes
S20090525.1(25.3km)
25 May
10 hours
70 earthquakes
S20090630.1(14.7km)
30 Jun
1 day 12 hours
34 earthquakes
S20090913.1(13.4km)
12 Sep
21 hours
24 earthquakes
S20090916.1(17.1km)
16 Sep
1 day 7 hours
28 earthquakes
2010
S20100117.1(25.7km)
16 Jan
19 days 8 hours
2268 earthquakes
2011
S20110504.1(10.3km)
3 May
1 day 22 hours
33 earthquakes
2013
S20130507.1(24.8km)
7 May
22 hours
34 earthquakes
S20130630.1(13.7km)
29 Jun
3 days 16 hours
79 earthquakes
13 Jul
19 hours
30 earthquakes
13 Sep
4 days 4 hours
243 earthquakes
S20130928.1(17.1km)
27 Sep
1 day 12 hours
28 earthquakes
S20131005.1(28.0km)
5 Oct
7 hours
54 earthquakes
23 Nov
6 days 16 hours
223 earthquakes
2014
S20140122.1(13.4km)
21 Jan
2 days 1 hours
46 earthquakes
S20140217.1(18.8km)
16 Feb
3 days 7 hours
52 earthquakes
S20140330.1(18.8km)
29 Mar
3 days 19 hours
194 earthquakes
S20140601.1(15.6km)
31 May
6 days 5 hours
232 earthquakes
S20140819.4(20.3km)
18 Aug
1 day 15 hours
42 earthquakes
S20140821.1(14.0km)
20 Aug
1 day 4 hours
40 earthquakes
2015
S20150121.1(14.1km)
21 Jan
1 day 8 hours
135 earthquakes
S20151014.1(16.7km)
13 Oct
1 day 20 hours
31 earthquakes
S20151107.1(12.1km)
7 Nov
1 day 23 hours
85 earthquakes
2016
S20160925.1(15.2km)
24 Sep
1 day 16 hours
46 earthquakes
2017
12 Jun
45 days 12 hours
1542 earthquakes
1 Aug
17 days 7 hours
784 earthquakes
14 Aug
22 hours
32 earthquakes
S20170821.1(18.7km)
20 Aug
4 days 18 hours
43 earthquakes
27 Aug
3 days 8 hours
66 earthquakes
2018
15 Feb
11 days 1 hours
728 earthquakes
S20180725.1(14.4km)
24 Jul
2 days 20 hours
52 earthquakes
2019
S20190326.2(14.1km)
26 Mar
20 hours
29 earthquakes
22 Jul
3 days 7 hours
61 earthquakes
S20191026.1(13.1km)
26 Oct
1 day 22 hours
83 earthquakes
2020
S20200219.1(15.1km)
18 Feb
2 days 20 hours
62 earthquakes
9 May
2 days 5 hours
80 earthquakes
S20200522.1(14.2km)
22 May
2 hours
36 earthquakes
S20200529.1(14.7km)
29 May
1 day 10 hours
88 earthquakes
2021
21 Jun
1 day 13 hours
117 earthquakes
27 Jun
5 days 17 hours
230 earthquakes
16 Sep
4 days 0 hours
75 earthquakes
27 Sep
7 hours
26 earthquakes
30 Sep
1 day 16 hours
62 earthquakes
S20211005.1(24.5km)
4 Oct
1 day 0 hours
41 earthquakes
2022
28 Mar
2 days 12 hours
117 earthquakes
S20220611.1(12.7km)
10 Jun
2 days 20 hours
62 earthquakes
S20220826.1(11.9km)
26 Aug
9 days 4 hours
198 earthquakes
S20220918.2(11.6km)
17 Sep
6 days 20 hours
389 earthquakes
S20220930.1(12.9km)
29 Sep
3 days 4 hours
53 earthquakes
S20221013.1(12.0km)
13 Oct
8 days 6 hours
111 earthquakes
S20221115.1(12.9km)
14 Nov
2 days 5 hours
48 earthquakes
2023
6 Feb
2 days 9 hours
63 earthquakes
S20230313.1(13.6km)
13 Mar
1 day 18 hours
136 earthquakes
S20231004.1(14.6km)
3 Oct
1 day 14 hours
39 earthquakes
2024
6 Jan
10 hours
35 earthquakes
S20240218.1(14.6km)
18 Feb
9 hours
50 earthquakes
S20240423.1(12.8km)
23 Apr
4 days 7 hours
79 earthquakes
2025
S20250304.1(13.8km)
4 Mar
12 hours
25 earthquakes
S20250507.1(14.0km)
7 May
8 hours
37 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20021205.1: Analysis of Activity Near West Yellowstone, Montana

Seismic swarm S20021205.1 was recorded 21 km east-northeast of West Yellowstone, Montana, beginning at 04:17 on 5 December 2002 and concluding at 16:47 on 7 December 2002. Over 60 hours and 29 minutes, the sequence produced 405 earthquakes. This event occurred within the seismically active Yellowstone volcanic field, a region shaped by the Yellowstone hotspot and the 640,000-year-old Yellowstone Caldera.

The area experiences persistent earthquake activity driven by magmatic fluids, hydrothermal circulation, and regional tectonic stresses. Swarms are common here, often linked to fluid migration rather than large tectonic ruptures. Historical records indicate 19 swarms in the region since 1 January 2000, with 10 events in 2000, 5 in 2001, and 4 in 2002.

Analysis of the first 100 events reveals predominantly shallow seismicity. Depths clustered between 2 km and 9 km, with isolated occurrences at greater depths including one at 24 km. Magnitudes ranged from negative values to a maximum of 2.1, consistent with low-energy swarm behavior. Event timing showed an initial sparse phase followed by a rapid increase in frequency after 11:00 on 5 December, with multiple events occurring within minutes during peak intervals. Several recordings exhibited anomalous magnitude values that align with internal classification protocols rather than standard scales.

The swarm's short duration and modest energy release align with typical Yellowstone swarm characteristics, where activity often migrates spatially without leading to larger mainshock-aftershock sequences. Such patterns reflect the caldera's dynamic hydrothermal system, which has produced similar swarms throughout the instrumental era.

Ongoing monitoring by regional networks continues to track these phenomena, contributing to assessments of volcanic and seismic hazards in the greater Yellowstone area.

References

  • SeismoSight internal swarm classification records
  • USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory geological summaries