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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:
26 km NW of Benton, California
Period:
15 Jan 2008 04:21:09 - 17 Jan 2008 15:02:37 (2 days 10 hours 41 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
Mono Lake Volcanic Field(29km), Mono-Inyo Craters(35km), Mammoth Mountain(49km)
Earthquakes:
50
16 swarms found nearby.
2001
S20010308.1(28.2km)
7 Mar
2 days 6 hours
47 earthquakes
20 Mar
6 days 14 hours
96 earthquakes
2004
S20040918.1(17.6km)
17 Sep
67 days 17 hours
4783 earthquakes
13 Dec
15 days 7 hours
237 earthquakes
2006
S20060505.1(25.7km)
5 May
1 day 14 hours
30 earthquakes
2008
1 Feb
2 days 6 hours
54 earthquakes
2009
30 Aug
2 days 4 hours
34 earthquakes
2015
S20150505.1(14.0km)
4 May
2 days 22 hours
111 earthquakes
S20150510.1(12.7km)
9 May
2 days 3 hours
35 earthquakes
2017
15 Oct
16 hours
26 earthquakes
19 Oct
2 days 13 hours
33 earthquakes
2018
S20180207.1(28.8km)
7 Feb
2 days 14 hours
56 earthquakes
S20181207.1(18.7km)
7 Dec
1 day 2 hours
33 earthquakes
S20181217.1(18.6km)
17 Dec
2 days 9 hours
44 earthquakes
2020
11 Apr
33 days 8 hours
1019 earthquakes
2021
S20210115.1(14.9km)
15 Jan
1 day 14 hours
89 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20080115.1: Analysis of Activity Northwest of Benton, California

An earthquake swarm designated S20080115.1 occurred 26 km northwest of Benton, California, from 04:21 on 15 January 2008 to 15:02 on 17 January 2008. Over 58 hours and 41 minutes, the sequence produced 50 earthquakes. Magnitudes ranged from 0.7 to 2.9, with the two largest events both registering 2.9. Focal depths remained shallow, predominantly between 0 and 8 km, consistent with activity in the upper crust.

The swarm exhibited a typical clustered pattern, with the majority of events occurring within the first 24 hours. Initial activity on 15 January included multiple events above magnitude 2.0, followed by a gradual decline in frequency and size through 16 and 17 January. This temporal distribution aligns with fluid-driven or stress-transfer mechanisms often observed in swarm sequences rather than mainshock-aftershock patterns.

The region lies within the Walker Lane belt, a zone of distributed dextral shear and extension east of the Sierra Nevada. This tectonic setting features active normal and strike-slip faults accommodating Pacific-North America plate motion. The local geology consists of Basin and Range extensional structures superimposed on older volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Shallow seismicity here commonly reflects brittle failure in the uppermost 10 km of crust, influenced by both regional tectonics and possible hydrothermal fluid circulation.

Historical records indicate five prior swarms in the same area since 2000. These occurred in 2001 (two swarms), 2004 (two swarms), and 2006 (one swarm). Such recurrence suggests persistent localized stress conditions capable of generating episodic swarm activity without producing larger mainshock events.

Overall, S20080115.1 represents a moderate, shallow swarm typical of the seismotectonic regime northwest of Benton. Continued monitoring of similar sequences contributes to understanding strain accumulation along the western margin of the Great Basin.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog
California Geological Survey Regional Fault Maps
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Walker Lane Studies