Location:

Period:

13 Mar 2003 02:35:05 - 2 Apr 2003 09:56:31 (20 days 7 hours 21 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Ubehebe Craters(50km)

Earthquakes:

657

5 swarms found nearby.

2003

S20030223.3(2.2km)

22 Feb

2 days 14 hours

42 earthquakes

S20030309.1(2.4km)

9 Mar

1 day 22 hours

36 earthquakes

2015

S20150629.1(13.4km)

29 Jun

22 hours

31 earthquakes

S20151122.1(0.6km)

21 Nov

2 days 4 hours

51 earthquakes

2024

S20241025.1(5.6km)

24 Oct

3 days 12 hours

90 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm S20030314.1: Earthquake Activity Northwest of Furnace Creek, California

Seismic swarm S20030314.1 began at 02:35 on 13 March 2003 and concluded at 09:56 on 2 April 2003. The events were centered 35 km northwest of Furnace Creek, California, within the tectonically active Death Valley region. Over 487 hours and 21 minutes, the swarm produced 657 earthquakes.

The Death Valley area lies in the Basin and Range province, where crustal extension along normal and strike-slip faults drives frequent seismicity. The Furnace Creek Fault and nearby structures of the Eastern California Shear Zone accommodate regional strain. Shallow crustal depths, typically 4–11 km, characterize earthquakes in this extensional setting, consistent with the observed swarm parameters.

Analysis of the first 100 events reveals predominantly low-magnitude activity. Magnitudes ranged from –0.4 to 2.9, with the majority below 1.5. Depths clustered between 4 km and 9 km, averaging near 6.5 km. The sequence initiated with events of magnitude 1.0 and 0.3, followed by a gradual increase in rate. Notable larger events included a magnitude 2.9 earthquake on 15 March at 05:14:28, accompanied by several magnitude 1.5–2.0 shocks within the same hour. Most events occurred at depths of 5–8 km, indicating a shallow source volume typical of normal-faulting regimes in the region.

Historical records indicate this swarm was the first of two documented since 1 January 2000. The second swarm occurred after 2003. Such episodic clusters reflect the intermittent release of strain along local fault segments without producing a single mainshock.

The swarm’s spatial and temporal pattern aligns with known background seismicity in Death Valley National Park. No surface rupture or significant damage was associated with the activity. Continued monitoring by regional networks supports improved understanding of fault behavior in this high-strain zone.

References

SeismoSight internal swarm classification records
USGS Earthquake Catalog (historical context for Death Valley region)