Location:

Period:

29 Jul 2018 05:53:33 - 3 Aug 2018 11:44:02 (5 days 5 hours 50 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Mono Lake Volcanic Field(88km), Soda Lakes(97km)

Earthquakes:

15 swarms found nearby.

2011

S20110123.1(20.2km)

22 Jan

14 hours

27 earthquakes

2014

S20140114.1(12.3km)

13 Jan

16 days 23 hours

461 earthquakes

S20140421.1(17.7km)

20 Apr

1 day 6 hours

28 earthquakes

S20140426.1(15.3km)

25 Apr

6 days 3 hours

211 earthquakes

2015

S20150908.1(24.3km)

7 Sep

6 days 0 hours

146 earthquakes

S20150911.1(19.9km)

11 Sep

2 days 20 hours

39 earthquakes

S20151218.1(16.2km)

17 Dec

18 hours

29 earthquakes

2016

S20160110.1(23.0km)

9 Jan

10 days 10 hours

116 earthquakes

S20160130.1(25.4km)

30 Jan

1 day 7 hours

28 earthquakes

S20160321.1(27.6km)

21 Mar

17 days 6 hours

779 earthquakes

S20160323.1(24.2km)

22 Mar

1 day 20 hours

34 earthquakes

S20160708.1(23.9km)

7 Jul

5 days 8 hours

76 earthquakes

S20160927.1(29.5km)

26 Sep

3 days 15 hours

44 earthquakes

2017

S20170102.1(4.9km)

2 Jan

1 day 10 hours

31 earthquakes

2024

S20240824.1(4.1km)

23 Aug

2 days 18 hours

51 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm S20180729.1: Analysis of Activity Near Hawthorne, Nevada

The seismic swarm designated S20180729.1 occurred 15 km north-northeast of Hawthorne, Nevada, registering 96 earthquakes over 125 hours and 50 minutes. Activity began at 05:53 UTC on 29 July 2018 and concluded at 11:44 UTC on 3 August 2018. This sequence represents a classic earthquake swarm characterized by numerous small-magnitude events without a dominant mainshock.

Event magnitudes ranged from -0.3 to 2.4, with the largest shock of 2.4 occurring early in the sequence at 07:21 UTC on 29 July. Depths clustered predominantly between 6 and 9 km, though isolated events reached 17 km. The temporal distribution showed peak activity on 29 and 30 July, followed by a gradual decline through 3 August. Most events exhibited magnitudes below 1.0, consistent with microseismicity patterns observed in extensional tectonic regimes.

This swarm aligns with the region's established seismic behavior. Since 1 January 2000, 14 swarms have been documented in the area. Prior episodes occurred in 2011 (1 swarm), 2014 (3), 2015 (3), 2016 (6), and 2017 (1). Such recurrent swarms reflect ongoing strain accommodation within the Walker Lane belt, where right-lateral shear and normal faulting interact along the western margin of the Basin and Range province.

Geologically, the Hawthorne vicinity lies within a zone of active extension featuring Quaternary faults and basin-fill sediments. Earthquake depths indicate brittle failure in the upper crust, typical for the province's 10–15 km seismogenic thickness. Historical records show that similar swarms often precede or accompany periods of elevated regional strain release, though individual sequences rarely produce damaging ground motion.

The 2018 swarm's modest energy release and lack of felt reports underscore its role as background tectonic noise rather than a precursor to larger events. Continued monitoring remains essential given the area's proximity to population centers and infrastructure.

References

SeismoSight internal swarm classification database
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology seismic reports
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program regional tectonics summaries