Earthquake Report: 2016 Summary

Here I summarize the global seismicity for 2016. I limit this summary to earthquakes with magnitude greater than or equal to M 7.0. I reported on all but two of these earthquakes. There were no earthquakes as large as an M 8.0 for the entire year of 2016. However, we had an inventory of 17 earthquakes with M ≥ 7.0. Here is the 2015 Earthquake Summary Page. I initially prepared this a couple weeks ago, but wanted to wait until January 1 before I presented it. Good thing I waited as there was an earthquake in Chile on 12/25 and a swarm in Nevada on 12/28. Happy New Year! Waiting to post this was challenging, sort of like waiting to open wrapped holiday gifts.

    I include summaries of my earthquake reports in sorted into three categories. One may also search for earthquakes that may not have made it into these summary pages (use the search tool).

  • Magnitude
  • Region
  • Year

Annual Summary Poster

  • Here is the map where I show the epicenters as circles with colors designating the age. I also plot the USGS moment tensors for each earthquake, with arrows showing the sense of motion for each earthquake.
  • I placed a moment tensor / focal mechanism legend in the lower left corner of the map. There is more material from the USGS web sites about moment tensors and focal mechanisms (the beach ball symbols). Both moment tensors and focal mechanisms are solutions to seismologic data that reveal two possible interpretations for fault orientation and sense of motion. One must use other information, like the regional tectonics, to interpret which of the two possibilities is more likely.
  • In some cases, I am able to interpret the sense of motion for strike-slip earthquakes. In other cases, I do not know enough to be able to make this interpretation (so I plot both solutions).


  • Compare with last year’s summary poster. Here is the 2015 Earthquake Summary Page. Note how the subduction zones in the southwestern Pacific are highly active in both 2015 and 2016.


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    2016 Highlights from others

  • Here is a summary showing a running total and mean of earthquakes for different magnitude ranges. This came from Chris Rowan @Allochthonous. Here is an update to the graphic below, coming with an explanation.


  • Here is a summary showing the epicenters from earthquakes in 2016 with symbol sorted vs. magnitude. This came from Susan Hough @SeismoSue.


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ALL Earthquake Reports – 2016

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