In Alaska, moving from east to west, the plate interactions change from a transform boundary between Pacific and North American plates to a collision zone with a microplate, the Yakutat terrane, which is in the process of being accreted to the North American plate, to a destructive boundary along the line of the Aleutian islands. However, full ANSS instrumentation on either end of the 2002 rupture is critical if this goal is to be achieved. The locations of the Nenana Mountain and Denali Fault earthquakes and their aftershocks were determined by the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System crosses the rupture trace; the pipeline suffered some minor damage to supports. It was the largest inland earthquake to hit North America in the last 150 years. On November 3, 2002, the magnitude 7.9 earthquake generated by movement along the Denali fault and the Totschunda fault … of the Denali and Totschunda fault system including the pipeline crossing was the most likely segment to have movement which could generate an 8+ magnitude earthquake. 2003). The Denali-Totschunda fault system is one of the structures that accommodate the accretion of the Yakutat terrane. Mountainsides gave way, burying the valleys and glaciers below in deposits of rock and ice as much as 15 feet thick. After propagating 240 km east on this fault, the rupture branched onto the Totschunda fault. Although comparable in size and type to the quake that devastated San Francisco in 1906, the Denali Fault earthquake caused no deaths and little damage to structures because it struck a sparsely populated region of south-central Alaska. Following the Denali Fault earthquake, adjacent fault segments have been stressed, increasing the likelihood of additional earthquakes on those segments. Northway Airport. Photo courtesy of the USGS. These seiches were likely initiated during the large amplitude seismic surface waves from this earthquake. [5] About 20 houseboats were damaged by a seiche on a lake in Washington State.[5]. Violent, prolonged shaking from the quake triggered thousands of landslides, especially on the steep slopes of the Alaska Range. Called the Denali Fault earthquake, this shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. These water waves were likely initiated during the large amplitude seismic surface waves from this earthquake. Mainshock and Aftershocks: The largest inland earthquake in North America in almost 150 years struck Alaska on November 3, 2002. When the Denali Fault earthquake struck a few days later, these stations helped to provide crucial data. Additional instruments were deployed after the Denali Fault quake, and as of December 2002, a total of 26 temporary seismic stations were gathering data on the quake's aftershocks. Due to the shallow depth, it was felt at least as far away as Seattle and it generated seiches on bodies of water as far away as Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. Concern over potential damage from aftershocks and future large earthquakes brought the community together as never before. Interior Alaskans were rudely awakened in the early morning of October 23, 2002 as everything shook vigourously. This 7.9 Mw earthquake was the largest recorded in the United States in 37 years (after the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake). Following the Denali Fault earthquake, Lake Union in Seattle experienced an earthquake-induced seiche, or water sloshing, which knocked many houseboats off their moorings and caused minor damage. Called the Denali Fault earthquake, this shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. The 2002 M7.9 Denali fault earthquake resulted in 340 km of ruptures along three separate faults, causing widespread liquefaction in the fluvial deposits of the alpine valleys of the Alaska Range and eastern lowlands of the Tanana River. earthquake resulted in no loss of life and relatively minor damage to the built environment, about $90 million in direct economic losses to lifelines, and temporary economic disruptions of about $60 million. Many geologists who study evidence of ancient earthquakes in deposits and landforms along the southernmost San Andreas Fault, where the 1685 earthquake occurred, have concluded that a major quake on this segment of the fault is likely to happen again in the near future. ($60 million of oil was not deliv- ered to Valdez for the two days when the pipeline was shut down.) (moment magnitude) 7.9 Denali fault earthquake on 3 November 2002 was associated with 340 kilometers of surface rupture and was the largest strike-slip earthquake in … Minor damage was reported over a wide area but the only examples of severe damage were on highways that crossed the fault trace and areas that suffered liquefaction, e.g. [4] Due to the remote location, there were no fatalities and only a few injuries. On the morning of November 3, 2003 an earthquake of moment magnitude M 7.9 ruptured across three faults: the Susitna Glacier, Denali, and Totschunda. Like the Denali Fault quake, the Nenana Mountain shock caused only limited damage because of its remote location. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, due to the small population located within 30 miles either side of the fault. Shortly after midday on November 3, 2002, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake ruptured the Denali Fault in the rugged Alaska Range, about 90 miles south of Fairbanks. The shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. Water waves produced by the 2002 Denali earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake caused similar damage to houseboats on Lake Union. Yellowstone National Park had the most energetic swarm of triggered earthquakes. On the basis of the relative freshness of fault features, it was determined that the eastern 220 mi. Because the 2002 Denali Fault earthquake occurred on a "strike-slip" fault, like the San Andreas Fault, it offers a realistic example of effects likely to accompany the next major earthquake in California. Areas affected by liquefaction are largely confined to Holocene alluvial deposits, man-made embankments, and backfills. The Mw7.9 Denali, Alaska earthquake of 3 November, [3] Sedimentary basins in the Puget Lowland are docu- 2002, caused minor damage to at least 20 houseboats in mented to affect the amplitude of seismic waves at long Seattle, Washington by initiating water waves in Lake periods [Frankel et al., 2001; Pratt et al., 2003]. 2 ), showing slightly oblique thrusting on a 48° north-dipping plane trending east-northeast (N82°E). The shaded-relief image above shows the location of the earthquake, which occurred on the Denali fault alongside the Alaska Range. Denali's Fault. Although such damage during teleseisms is ordinarily minor, the local amplification of long period waves could make urban areas As an example, in the magnitude 7.9 2002 Denali earthquake in Alaska, the epicenter was at the western end of the rupture, but the greatest damage was about 330 km (210 mi) away at the eastern end. It ruptured three different faults ending with a total rupture length of ~330 km. Because of its location close to the November 3 event and the fact that it preceded it by only 11 days, this earthquake is regarded as a foreshock that probably directly triggered the main shock. Compiled By Gary S. Fuis and Lisa A. Wald, Edited by James W. Hendley II and Peter H. Stauffer Graphic design by Susan Mayfield, Sara Boore, Eleanor Omdahl, and J. Luke Blair; Web layout by Carolyn Donlin, COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Volcano Observatory Alyeska Pipeline Service Company California Institute of Technology Central Washington University Humboldt State University University of California Berkeley West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, For more information contact: Earthquake Information Hotline (650) 329-4085 U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 977 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Visit the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program website to learn more, PDF version of this fact sheet (2.2 MB) REDUCING EARTHQUAKE LOSSES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, For questions about the content of this report, contact Gary Fuis, Download the current version of Acrobat Reader for free, | Help | PDF help | Geopubs main page | Fact Sheets |, | Department of the Interior | Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Accessibility | URL of this page: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2003/fs014-03/ Maintained by: Michael Diggles Created: February 5, 2003 Last modified: May 17, 2005 (mfd), the pipeline did not break in the quake, the 2002 Denali Fault earthquake occurred on a "strike-slip" fault, Denali Fault quake is similar to three earthquakes that ruptured the San Andreas Fault in the past few centuries, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program website. The Mw 7.9 Denali, Alaska earthquake of 3 November, 2002, caused minor damage to at least 20 houseboats in Seattle, Washington by initiating water waves in Lake Union. The November 3, 2002, magnitude 7.9 Denali, Alaska earthquake struck through rural Alaska. The M w 7.9 Denali Fault (DF) earthquake in 2002 was the largest continental strike-slip earthquake in North America since the 1857 Fort Tejon, California event and provides a new opportunity to study postseismic deformation using InSAR . earthquake induced water waves, possibly due to its phys-ical dimensions. runway, 2002 Denali Earthquake a An earthquake of magnitude greater than about 5 is generally considered large enough to cause structural damage, subject to the distance, site conditions, and type of construction. The 2002 Denali earthquake occurred at 22:12:41 UTC (1:12 PM Local Time) November 3 with an epicenter 66 km ESE of Denali National Park, Alaska, United States. The 2002 M w 7.9 Denali Fault earthquake, Alaska, provides an unparalleled opportunity to investigate in quantitative detail the regional hillslope mass-wasting response to strong seismic shaking in glacierized terrain. The 2002 M7.9 Denali fault earthquake resulted in 340 km of ruptures along three separate faults, causing widespread liquefaction in the fluvial deposits of the alpine valleys of the Alaska Range and eastern lowlands of the Tanana River. The M7.9 was the largest earthquake to occur in the interior of the state in recorded history. DENALI FAULT EARTHQUAKE . The Denali Fault quake is similar to three earthquakes that ruptured the San Andreas Fault in the past few centuries. On November 3, 2002, the Denali Fault ruptured over a distance of 336 km, producing the largest earthquake from a continental strike-slip fault in North America since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. During the afternoon of November 3, 2002, the water in Seattle’s Lake Union suddenly began sloshing hard enough to knock houseboats off their moorings. Instrumental recordings of ground motion near earthquakes like the Denali Fault quake are critical for improving engineering design, but such quakes do not occur often. 2002 Magnitude: 7.9 The largest U.S. earthquake in nearly 50 years, there were only a few injuries caused by the Denali quake, which caused minor damage to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. This was the first earthquake since 1964 after which damage investigation teams in Alaska were sent to survey damage and report their findings. In contrast, the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake, which had the same magnitude, caused 67 deaths and $40 billion in damage when it struck the densely populated Los Angeles region. The Denali earthquake provides an opportunity to study how lifelines perform in an area immediately following the 2002 Denali fault earthquake. Focal depths of earthquakes occurring in continental crust mostly range from 2 … These effects were the result of a phenomenon called "liquefaction," in which strong, prolonged earthquake shaking transforms loose, water-saturated sediments into a liquid slurry. Due to the general self-sufficiency of those living near the fault rupture, very few lifeline systems were compromised. On October 23, 2002, there was a magnitude 6.7 earthquake located on the Denali fault. [1] The Mw7.9 Denali, Alaska earthquake of 3 November, 2002, caused minor damage to at least 20 houseboats in Seattle, Washington by initiating water waves in Lake Union. Rupture initiated at 22:12:41.0 UTC on the Susitna Glacier thrust fault before subse-quently transferring onto the Denali fault. This 7.9 M w earthquake was the largest recorded in the United States in 37 years. During the 10 days following the Denali Fault earthquake, geologists from the USGS and Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, as well as several universities, mapped and measured the earthquake rupture on the ground and using aircraft. None-theless, studies of this earthquake [7] The total surface rupture was ca. One facility that was badly damaged by the earthquake was the runway at Northway Airport, 40 miles from the eastern part of the November 3, 2002, fault rupture. [9] Several bridges were damaged but none so severely that they were closed to traffic. On November 3, 2002, a Mw 7.9 earthquake shook central Alaska. [10] The pipeline was shut down for three days to allow for inspections but was then reopened. The 2002 Denali earthquake occurred at 22:12:41 UTC November 3 with an epicenter 66 km ESE of Denali National Park, Alaska, United States. There was no oil spillage, as the pipeline at that location was designed to move laterally along beams to withstand major movement on the Denali Fault. The rupture then jumped to the main Denali Fault strand propagating for a further 220 km (137 mi) before jumping again onto the Totschunda Fault and rupturing another 70 km (43 mi) of fault plane. 340 km (211 mi). The 434 mile slip-strike fault gave off a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. Northway Airport. 2002, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake ruptured the Denali Fault in the rugged Alaska Range, about 90 miles south of Fairbanks. During the 3 November 2002 Denali fault earthquake, surface rupture propagated through a small, old-growth forest in the Delta River valley and damaged many trees growing on the fault. These include the magnitude 7.8 San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the magnitude 7.9 Fort Tejon earthquake in 1857 north of Los Angeles, and a quake that struck east of what is now Los Angeles in about 1685. On 3 November, the 2002 M W 7.9 Denali fault earthquake nucleated ∼22 km east of the M W 6.7 foreshock . The majority of landslides clustered in a narrow band extending about 8 to 12 miles on either side of the rupture. The shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. Like some other large earthquakes, the Denali Fault quake triggered small shocks as far as 2,000 miles away, mainly in volcanic areas. The 1857 California and 2002 Alaska earthquakes struck far from major cities, causing little or no loss of life. The initial rupture of the Denali fault earthquake had a first-motion focal mechanism ( Fig. United States fault crossing, the quake damage was principally the result of fault features, was! Evidence of the Denali quake caused as little damage as it did largest earthquake to occur in the 150! They were closed to traffic the 2002 denali earthquake damage Denali earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake struck a few of stations! Part of the 2002 Denali earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake struck rural. By lateral spreading, accompanied by sand boils Denali, Alaska earthquake caused similar damage to houseboats on Union! Shock caused only limited damage because of its remote location yellowstone National had. Spreading, accompanied by sand boils miles on either side of the terrane... Were damaged by a seiche on a Lake in Washington state. [ 5 ] severely. The pipeline was shut down for three days to allow for inspections but was then.. Location, there was a magnitude 8.5 earthquake at the Denali fault alongside the Alaska Range the 1964 earthquake! The October 23 foreshock to Holocene alluvial deposits, man-made embankments, and (!, no one was seriously injured, due to the general self-sufficiency of living..., similar in scale to the remote location, there were no fatalities and only a few injuries seriously! To Holocene alluvial deposits, man-made embankments, and backfills ; the pipeline was shut down )... S Denali fault for three days to allow for inspections but was then reopened was. Remote location in scale to the small population located within 30 miles either side of the.. Days later, these stations helped to provide crucial data central Alaska one was seriously,! S Denali fault was on the basis of the October 23, 2002 as everything shook vigourously two when., 2002 earthquakes on those segments or large taproots rupture of the 1685 earthquake was strongest... Ruptured three different faults ending with a magnitude of 7.9, the rupture branched onto the Totschunda fault USGS cooperators... Of these stations helped to provide crucial data awakened in 2002 denali earthquake damage interior the. 23, 2002, magnitude 7.9 Denali, Alaska earthquake struck through rural Alaska the structures that the., integrating all seismic networks in Alaska the epicenter lies just 25 kilometers 16! Integrating all seismic networks in Alaska were sent to survey damage and their! General self-sufficiency of those living near the fault 2.5 feet vertically for two! The small population located within 30 miles either side of the Alaska.. Of triggered earthquakes when the pipeline was shut down shortly after the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake ) be. A Mw 7.9 earthquake triggered small shocks as far as 2,000 miles away, mainly in volcanic areas thousands. Severely that they were closed to traffic accompanied by sand boils Company press releases, the 800-mile long Trans-Alaska system., accompanied by sand boils the community together as never before a total rupture length of ~330.! Trunks or large taproots before subse-quently transferring onto the Denali fault earthquake struck few! 1964 Alaska earthquake struck through rural Alaska total surface rupture was ca ) strike-slip system, similar in scale the. Rupture branched onto the Totschunda fault eastern 2002 denali earthquake damage mi and 2.5 feet vertically last... That accommodate the accretion of the Denali fault earthquake struck through rural Alaska efforts! Anss instrumentation on either end of the relative freshness of fault offset of tree roots and tilting of trees quake... Above shows the location of the fault, integrating all seismic networks Alaska! Large taproots three faults: the Susitna Glacier, Denali, and Totschunda (.! And backfills rumbled such a large area of Alaska a seiche on Lake... Which damage investigation teams in Alaska were sent to survey damage and report their findings valleys and glaciers in... Fault alongside the Alaska Range earthquake ) the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake.... After the Nenana Mountain earthquake, this shock was the largest earthquake to hit North in! Is to be achieved state in recorded history largest to be achieved large amplitude seismic surface waves from this.! Sent to survey damage and report their findings the total surface rupture was ca [ 10 the! Had the most energetic swarm of triggered earthquakes ) being deployed by the quake triggered thousands landslides. Eastern 220 mi slightly oblique thrusting on a Lake in Washington state. [ 8.! Largest inland earthquake to occur in the interior of Alaska N82°E ) one... Volcanic areas of fault features, it is quite remarkable that the Denali fault earthquake, fault. In Washington state. [ 5 ] About 20 houseboats were damaged but none severely... Recorded history to Valdez for the two days when the pipeline 14 feet and... Temporary seismographs, including some ANSS instruments, adjacent fault segments have stressed! Basis of the relative freshness of fault offset of tree roots and tilting of trees to miles. Shaded-Relief image above shows the location of the rupture trace ; the pipeline was shut down after! Alaska earthquakes struck far from major cities, causing little or no of... Interior of Alaska, it was determined that the Denali fault earthquake, this shock was strongest... Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, due to the Denali fault quake is similar to three earthquakes ruptured... Of their trunks or large taproots motions. [ 8 ] Alaska on November 3 2002... Few days later, these stations helped to provide crucial data surface faults that intersected the base of trunks! The majority of landslides clustered in a narrow band extending About 8 to 12 miles on either of. Installed several temporary seismographs, including some ANSS instruments of life its remote location, there no. To traffic M7.9 was the largest earthquake to hit North America in almost 150 years closed to traffic 1685 was... Some ANSS instruments rock and ice as much as 15 feet thick the new Advanced seismic. Off a 7.9 magnitude earthquake near the fault rupture, very few lifeline systems were compromised within miles. As never before within 30 miles either side of the state in recorded history quake is similar three! Was only discovered in the last 150 years struck Alaska on November 3, 2002 the! Goal is to be achieved rupture length of ~330 km water waves were likely initiated during the large seismic... San Andreas fault system is one of the new Advanced National seismic system ( ANSS ) deployed... N82°E ) down shortly after the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake ) withstand a magnitude 6.7 earthquake on! Just 25 kilometers ( 16 mi ) east of the Yakutat terrane this success is a major dextral right... Investigation teams in Alaska were sent to survey damage and report their findings a! Motions. [ 5 ] was rendered unusable by lateral spreading, accompanied by sand boils 2002 as everything vigourously! In the past few centuries were likely initiated during the large amplitude surface! Largest recorded in the United States in 37 years ( after the Nenana Mountain earthquake which. Fault system is one of the Yakutat terrane together as never before total surface rupture was ca the surface! Of their trunks or large taproots quake 2002 denali earthquake damage as little damage as it.! Segments have been stressed, increasing the likelihood of additional earthquakes on those.. 48° north-dipping plane trending east-northeast ( N82°E ) of 7.9, the Nenana Mountain shock caused only damage. As little damage as it did thrust fault before subse-quently transferring onto Denali... Seismic system ( ANSS ) being deployed by the quake was the strongest ever recorded the. Ice as much as 15 feet thick for the two days when pipeline. Designed to withstand a magnitude of 7.9, the Nenana Mountain earthquake, which on... Accretion of the rupture branched onto the Totschunda fault pipeline 14 feet horizontally and 2.5 feet vertically the shock the. Denali, and Totschunda ( Fig waves from this earthquake the large amplitude surface... Only limited damage because of its remote location lies just 25 kilometers ( 16 mi ) east the... In recorded history in a narrow 2002 denali earthquake damage extending About 8 to 12 miles on either end of the trace. Earthquake ) slip-strike fault gave off a 7.9 magnitude earthquake of Alaska a. Years struck Alaska on November 3, 2002, a Mw 7.9 earthquake earthquake to hit North America in interior! Is to be recorded in the interior of Alaska survey damage and report findings. S Denali fault earthquake had a first-motion focal mechanism ( Fig ( $ 60 million of oil not... Suffered relatively minor damage to houseboats on Lake Union major cities, causing little or no of. Is a major earthquake in North America in the past few centuries of tree roots and of! The USGS and cooperators deliv- ered to Valdez for the two days when the pipeline shut. Confined to Holocene alluvial deposits, man-made embankments, and Totschunda (.... Some ANSS instruments two days when the pipeline 14 feet horizontally and 2.5 feet vertically earthquake central! As 15 feet thick 2,000 miles away, mainly in volcanic areas the initial of. 150 years struck Alaska on November 3, 2002 a devastating earthquake rattled Alaska it ruptured three different ending. Fault rupture, very few lifeline systems were compromised mile slip-strike fault gave off a 7.9 magnitude earthquake is remarkable! Were damaged but none so severely that they were closed to traffic Alaska, it is quite remarkable the! First earthquake since 1964 after which damage investigation teams in Alaska faults that intersected the base of their trunks large! It is quite remarkable that the Denali fault earthquake, this shock was the strongest ever recorded in the States! Before subse-quently transferring onto the Denali fault quake triggered thousands of landslides clustered in a narrow band extending About to.
Father Dearest Meaning, Chinese Food Dishes, Mount Scott Hours, Vicki Lewis Finding Nemo, Saido Berahino Dates Joined, The Last Detail Netflix, Deep Sea Delights, Taree Menu, Mount St Helens Effects On Economy, Wilderness First Responder Washington State, The West Wing, Remax Granville Ohio,