Location:

Period:

29 Jul 2009 09:09:39 - 31 Jul 2009 12:05:21 (2 days 2 hours 55 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Ubehebe Craters(64km)

Earthquakes:

11 swarms found nearby.

2002

S20020705.1(24.4km)

4 Jul

2 days 0 hours

33 earthquakes

S20020727.1(11.5km)

26 Jul

1 day 13 hours

35 earthquakes

2008

S20080719.1(12.0km)

18 Jul

4 days 11 hours

64 earthquakes

S20081209.1(20.4km)

9 Dec

3 days 19 hours

70 earthquakes

2009

S20090314.1(18.0km)

14 Mar

6 days 18 hours

105 earthquakes

S20090811.1(0.8km)

10 Aug

2 days 7 hours

47 earthquakes

S20090824.1(2.7km)

24 Aug

1 day 21 hours

100 earthquakes

2014

S20140113.1(7.8km)

12 Jan

3 days 18 hours

70 earthquakes

S20140215.1(13.7km)

14 Feb

1 day 14 hours

65 earthquakes

2016

S20160402.2(29.3km)

1 Apr

1 day 18 hours

30 earthquakes

2017

S20170612.1(28.3km)

11 Jun

3 days 12 hours

77 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm S20090730.1: Analysis of Activity Near Beatty, Nevada

A seismic swarm designated S20090730.1 occurred approximately 24 km north of Beatty, Nevada, between 09:09 on 29 July 2009 and 12:05 on 31 July 2009. Over 50 hours and 55 minutes, the event sequence registered 46 earthquakes. Magnitudes ranged from -0.6 to 1.1, with the majority of events clustered between 4 km and 6 km depth. The sequence began with low-magnitude activity on 29 July, intensified during the evening hours with several events above magnitude 0.5, and gradually declined through 31 July.

The swarm exhibited typical characteristics of clustered microseismicity, with events occurring in short temporal bursts rather than following a classic mainshock-aftershock decay pattern. Depths remained shallow throughout, consistent with activity along near-surface fault structures. No events exceeded magnitude 2.0, indicating limited energy release and low potential for felt shaking or structural impact in the sparsely populated region.

Beatty lies within the Basin and Range Province of southern Nevada, a tectonically active extensional regime driven by the interaction between the Pacific and North American plates. The area features numerous normal faults that accommodate crustal stretching, producing frequent small-magnitude earthquakes. Historical records show elevated swarm activity since 2000, with five documented swarms prior to 2009 occurring in 2002 (two swarms), 2008 (two swarms), and one earlier in 2009. This pattern suggests episodic fluid migration or stress triggering along local fault networks.

The geological setting includes proximity to the Nevada National Security Site and the transition zone toward Death Valley, where Quaternary faulting and volcanic features contribute to elevated seismicity. Updated regional monitoring by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory confirms ongoing low-level activity consistent with the long-term tectonic framework.

References
Nevada Seismological Laboratory. Earthquake Catalog and Swarm Reports.
U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program. Regional Tectonic Summary for Southern Nevada.
Western States Seismic Policy Council. Basin and Range Seismicity Overview (updated 2023).