Location:

Period:

7 Dec 2005 23:59:29 - 10 Dec 2005 17:23:46 (2 days 17 hours 24 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Ubehebe Craters(95km)

Earthquakes:

123

13 swarms found nearby.

2002

S20020705.1(16.0km)

4 Jul

2 days 0 hours

33 earthquakes

S20020727.1(19.3km)

26 Jul

1 day 13 hours

35 earthquakes

2005

S20050622.1(16.9km)

22 Jun

2 days 17 hours

137 earthquakes

S20050710.1(13.5km)

10 Jul

22 hours

33 earthquakes

2008

S20080210.1(23.8km)

9 Feb

2 days 7 hours

40 earthquakes

2009

S20090430.1(18.2km)

29 Apr

4 days 8 hours

203 earthquakes

S20090824.1(29.3km)

24 Aug

1 day 21 hours

100 earthquakes

S20091114.1(24.0km)

13 Nov

4 days 10 hours

95 earthquakes

2012

S20120604.1(27.5km)

3 Jun

1 day 2 hours

28 earthquakes

S20120616.1(2.9km)

15 Jun

5 days 20 hours

98 earthquakes

2013

S20130518.1(18.4km)

17 May

1 day 16 hours

45 earthquakes

2014

S20140113.1(23.8km)

12 Jan

3 days 18 hours

70 earthquakes

S20140215.1(18.2km)

14 Feb

1 day 14 hours

65 earthquakes

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Analysis of Earthquake Swarm S20051208.1 Near Beatty, Nevada

An earthquake swarm designated S20051208.1 occurred 46 km northeast of Beatty, Nevada, from 23:59 on 7 December 2005 to 17:23 on 10 December 2005. Over 65 hours and 24 minutes, the sequence produced 123 events. The first 100 recorded earthquakes exhibited low magnitudes, predominantly between -0.3 and 1.8, with most falling in the 0.0 to 0.9 range. Depths clustered between 2 km and 10 km, indicating shallow crustal activity consistent with the region's extensional setting.

This swarm reflects typical background seismicity in southwestern Nevada. The area lies within the Basin and Range Province, where normal faulting accommodates ongoing crustal extension at rates of several millimeters per year. Proximity to the Walker Lane shear zone further contributes to distributed deformation and episodic earthquake clusters. Historical records document multiple swarms in the vicinity since 2000, including two in 2002 and two in 2005, underscoring the recurrent nature of such sequences without progression to a mainshock.

Geological mapping shows the locale underlain by Paleozoic sedimentary rocks intruded by Mesozoic granites and overlain by Cenozoic volcanic and alluvial deposits. Faults associated with the Bare Mountain and Yucca Mountain systems control local strain release. Depths observed in the swarm align with the brittle-ductile transition zone in this tectonically active corridor.

The events displayed no clear migration pattern in the initial hours, with activity remaining tightly clustered both temporally and spatially. Magnitudes remained below 2.0 throughout the provided sequence, producing no reported damage or felt reports beyond instrumental detection. Such swarms commonly arise from fluid migration or aseismic slip on nearby faults rather than direct tectonic loading.

Subsequent monitoring in the region has confirmed continued low-level activity, consistent with the long-term seismic rate established since 2000. This swarm contributes to the catalog of non-mainshock sequences that characterize the area's hazard profile.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog (earthquake.usgs.gov)
Nevada Seismological Laboratory historical data
Basin and Range Province tectonic summaries (USGS Professional Papers)