Location:

Period:

22 Nov 2024 11:18:58 - 25 Nov 2024 04:50:51 (2 days 17 hours 31 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Spurr(4km), Hayes(34km), Redoubt(97km)

Earthquakes:

15 swarms found nearby.

2021

S20210614.1(7.6km)

14 Jun

2 hours

37 earthquakes

2022

VS20221203.1(1.7km)

2 Dec

1 day 16 hours

40 earthquakes

2024

VS20240220.1(8.4km)

19 Feb

1 day 7 hours

27 earthquakes

S20240303.1(7.7km)

2 Mar

4 days 4 hours

89 earthquakes

VS20240308.1(7.7km)

7 Mar

4 days 5 hours

48 earthquakes

VS20240426.1(2.5km)

25 Apr

3 days 17 hours

68 earthquakes

VS20240519.1(6.6km)

18 May

3 days 19 hours

80 earthquakes

VS20241008.1(2.4km)

7 Oct

4 days 19 hours

110 earthquakes

VS20241028.1(3.4km)

27 Oct

2 days 13 hours

56 earthquakes

VS20241102.1(1.2km)

1 Nov

3 days 22 hours

85 earthquakes

VS20241130.1(19.0km)

30 Nov

53 days 4 hours

1155 earthquakes

2025

VS20250201.1(18.0km)

31 Jan

63 days 9 hours

1115 earthquakes

VS20250507.1(4.5km)

6 May

25 days 14 hours

387 earthquakes

S20250630.1(12.1km)

29 Jun

7 days 9 hours

78 earthquakes

VS20250717.1(10.1km)

16 Jul

9 days 3 hours

170 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm VS20241123.1: Analysis of Recent Activity Near Beluga, Alaska

Seismic swarm VS20241123.1 was detected 67 km west-northwest of Beluga, Alaska, beginning at 11:18 on 22 November 2024 and concluding at 04:50 on 25 November 2024. Over 65 hours and 31 minutes, the event sequence included 49 earthquakes, with magnitudes ranging from -0.9 to 1.9 and depths predominantly between 0 and 22 km.

This swarm reflects typical microseismic behavior in south-central Alaska, where the Pacific plate subducts beneath the North American plate along the Aleutian megathrust. The Cook Inlet region experiences ongoing crustal deformation from this convergence, combined with strike-slip faulting and volcanic influences from the nearby Aleutian arc. Shallow events in the sequence align with upper-crustal adjustments, while deeper occurrences correspond to the transition toward the subducting slab interface.

Historical records indicate ten comparable swarms in the area since 1 January 2000. These occurred in 2021 (one swarm), 2022 (one swarm), and 2024 (eight swarms), underscoring an increase in clustered activity during the current year. Such patterns often arise from fluid migration or stress redistribution along pre-existing faults rather than foreshock-mainshock-aftershock sequences.

Individual events within VS20241123.1 showed variable timing and characteristics. Early activity on 22 November included events at depths of 0–20 km with magnitudes near or below zero. Subsequent peaks on 23 November featured the largest recorded magnitude of 1.9 at 3 km depth, alongside multiple events clustered between 1–8 km. Later stages on 24–25 November maintained low magnitudes and shallow foci, consistent with swarm-style persistence without escalation to larger ruptures.

Regional geology features Quaternary sediments overlying Mesozoic and Cenozoic bedrock, with active faults such as the Castle Mountain Fault contributing to background seismicity. The Beluga area lies within the Cook Inlet basin, a forearc setting prone to both tectonic and induced events linked to hydrocarbon extraction. Updated monitoring by regional networks confirms that swarms of this scale rarely exceed magnitude 3 and seldom produce surface rupture.

Overall, VS20241123.1 represents a low-energy release episode within Alaska’s dynamic plate-boundary environment, providing data for refining models of subduction-related strain accumulation.

References

Alaska Earthquake Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (latest regional catalog through 2024)
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska subduction zone reports (2023–2024 updates)
SeismoSight internal swarm classification records for VS20241123.1