February 15, 2013 (03:20:26 UTC)
Magnitude 0.0 Russia
A meteor entered the Earth’s atmosphere and blew apart over the city of Chelyabinsk, 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow on Friday, February 15. The explosion caused a massive shock wave that damaged hundreds of buildings and injured more than 1,000 people in the Chelyabinsk region. There was no advance warning before the meteor appeared in the sky.
Teachable Moment Presentation
13 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 5.35 MB / pdf 3.37 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 5.47 MB / pdf 3.21 MB)
Additional Resources
Animations and Visualizations
CTBTO: How the International Monitoring System Works
February 12, 2013 (02:57:51 UTC)
Magnitude 5.1 North Korea
At 02:57:51 UTC on February 12, 2013, monitoring stations of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and many other stations around the world detected a shallow seismic event with explosion-like characteristics in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Teachable Moment Presentation
UPDATED 10 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 13.7 MB / pdf 688 kB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt13.7 MB / pdf 712 kB)
Additional Resources
Animations and Visualizations
CTBTO: How the International Monitoring System Works
CTBTO: The seismic network and how it works
CTBTO: The infrasound network and how it works
February 6, 2013 (01:12:27 UTC)
Magnitude 8.0 Solomon Islands
A 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck offshore in the Solomon Islands. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 28.7 km (17.8 miles) and a tsunami warning was issued for the region.
Teachable Moment Presentation
10 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 11.7 MB / pdf 1.32 MB)
NEW 8 slide Powerpoint update (zipped ppt 2.87 MB / pdf 1.76 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt/animación 11.7 MB / pdf 1.28 MB)
NEW Información actualizada en Español (zipped ppt 2.87 MB / pdf 1.77 MB)
Animations and Visualizations
USArray Ground Motion Visualization (mpeg-4 9.23 MB / More Info)
USGS Resources
January 5, 2013 (08:58:19 UTC)
Magnitude 7.5 Southeastern Alaska
A major 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck at approximately midnight local time off the west coast of southeastern Alaska. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. This earthquake occurred as a result of shallow strike-slip faulting on or near the plate boundary between the Pacific and North America plates.
Teachable Moment Presentation
10 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 8.93 MB / pdf 1.83 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 8.93 MB / pdf 1.78 MB)
Animations and Visualizations
USArray Ground Motion Visualization (mpeg-4 6.73 MB / More Info)
USGS Resources
December 10, 2012 (16:53:09 UTC)
Magnitude 7.1 Banda Sea
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Tuesday morning (1:53 am local time) with the epicenter 236 km (147 miles) northwest of the city of Saumlaki. The earthquake was reported at a depth of 159.3 km (99 miles).
Teachable Moment Presentation
6 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt 1.6 MB / pdf 901 kB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 1.6 MB / pdf 920 kB)
USGS Resources
December 7, 2012 (08:18:24 UTC)
Magnitude 7.3 Off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan
A powerful earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday evening local time, rattling buildings in Tokyo and generating a small tsunami. Only minor injuries were reported.
Teachable Moment Presentation
9 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt 2.15 MB / pdf 1.67 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 2.15 MB / pdf 1.67 MB)
USGS Resources
November 7, 2012 (16:35:50 UTC)
Magnitude 7.4 Offshore Guatemala
A major earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Guatemala Wednesday morning, rocking the capital and shaking buildings as far away as Mexico City and El Salvador.
Teachable Moment Presentation
13 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 18.4 MB / pdf 2.37 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt/animación 18.1 MB / pdf 2.49 MB)
Animations and Visualizations
Wave Propagation and Tectonic Setting (mpeg-4 8.49 MB / YouTube)
USArray Ground Motion Visualization (mpeg-4 7.22 MB / More Info)
Back Projection (mpeg-4 62.6 kB / More Info)
Focal Mechanisms Explained (mpeg-4 41.0 MB / YouTube)
USGS Resources
October 28, 2012 (03:04:10 UTC)
Magnitude 7.7 Queen Charlotte Islands
A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 8:04 PM local time in western British Columbia, Canada. The epicenter is located on Moresby Island, the southern large island in the Queen Charlotte Islands region. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. A tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake.
Teachable Moment Presentation
11 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt/animation 4.85 MB / pdf 1.48 MB)
En Español
Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 4.85 MB / pdf 1.49 MB)
Animations and Visualizations
USArray Ground Motion Visualization (mpeg-4 7.2 MB / More Info)
USGS Resources
September 30, 2012 (16:31:35 UTC)
Magnitude 7.3 Colombia
A major 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Colombia near the border with Ecuador on late Sunday morning local time. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. No tsunami warnings were issued.
Teachable Moment Presentation
- 8 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt 1.63 MB / pdf 775 kB)
En Español
- Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 1.63 MB / pdf 741 kB)
USGS Resources
September 5, 2012 (14:42:10 UTC)
Magnitude 7.6 Costa Rica
This magnitude 7.6 earthquake beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, occurred as the result of thrust faulting on or near the subduction zone interface between the Cocos and Caribbean plates. At the latitude of this earthquake, the Cocos plate moves north-northeast with respect to the Caribbean plate at a velocity of approximately 77 mm/yr, and subducts beneath Central America at the Middle America Trench.
Teachable Moment Presentation
- 16 slide Powerpoint presentation (zipped ppt only 4.6 MB / zipped ppt/animation 61.3 MB / pdf 2.13 MB)
En Español
- Presentación en Español (zipped ppt 4.67 MB / pdf 1.7 MB)
Animations and Visualizations
- Wave Propagation and Tectonic Setting (mpeg-4 13.9 MB / YouTube)
- USArray Ground Motion Visualization (mpeg-4 8.94 MB / More Info)
- Back Projection (mpeg-4 62.2 kB / More Info)
- Focal Mechanisms Explained (mpeg-4 41.0 MB / YouTube)
USGS Resources
