The Puerto Rico Seismic Network Response to the Southwestern Puerto Rico Seismic Sequence

Session: Early Results from the 2020 M6.4 Indios, Puerto Rico Earthquake Sequence
Type: Oral
Date: 4/30/2020
Time: 09:00 AM
Room: 115
Description: 

Starting with a 4.7 magnitude on December 28th 2019 in Southwestern Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN) geophysical data analysts had no notice that this event was the first volley indicating the start of an onslaught of earthquakes for the region. This event was quickly followed by two other significant events in the same region a 5.0 and another 4.7 only hours later. This marked the beginning of the Southwestern Puerto Rico Seismic Sequence. The main shock occurred a little over a week later on January 7, 2020 with a magnitude of 6.4 Mw with a subsequent productive aftershock sequence. Due to the volume of seismicity the PRSN data analysts were required to prioritize significant (M>3.5) events, felt events and all alarms within the PRSN Area of Responsibility (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) including regional tsunami protocol events such as the 7.7Mw event near Cuba on January 28, 2020. Consequently a delay in the analysis of smaller magnitude events was required. In this presentation, the process and the experience of the network operators caught in this maelstrom of events will be presented.

Presenting Author: Gisela Baez-Sanchez

Authors