PMEL Acoustics Program logo National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Acoustics Program
  Seismic Activity - East Pacific Rise at 9 South (July, 1997)  
 

 

 
 
epicenter image
(click to enlarge)
Plot of Earthquake Epicenters.
Estimated error for the site based on a numerical simulation is 1 minute in latitude and longitude.
Mean position is 9 0.75'S, 109 27.42'W.
Bathymetry for the region compiled by the RIDGE Multibeam Synthesis Project.
 

Beginning July 18, 1997, the Autonomous Hydrophone Array deployed by PMEL in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific recorded what appears to be volcanic seismicity from the East Pacific Rise near 9 S and 109W. The activity appears to die down after only 4 days with a total of 55 events located.

The character of the seismicity appears volcanic, but the short duration of the event and the location on a fracture zone make the interpretation difficult. The site lies about 45 miles west of an earlier episode of activity at 9 02'S; 108 43'W.

histogram Histogram of number of earthquakes recorded from the Wilkes Transform site per one-hour period.  (click to enlarge)

Listing of earthquake epicenters from the EPR at 9 S recorded July, 1997.

 
 
Last Updated: 01/05/01

Address inquiries to:

Robert Dziak - Seismologist - robert.p.dziak@noaa.gov