Information message about destructive earthquake in the North of Chile on November 14, 2007

     The significant earthquake has occurred on November14, 2007 at 15:40 GMT (18:40 Moscow time) in the North of Chile with М=7.7. It caused victims and destructions.
     Parameters of the earthquake have been determined in the Alert Service (AS) of Information Processing Center (IPC) of Geophysical Survey of RAS in Obninsk with station data obtained from digital and analog seismic stations of Russia, countries of CIS and from abroad. Alert message on this earthquake has been delivered in 45 min after registration to the Ministry of Emergency of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM).
     Preliminary processing has been done with data from 28 stations, accurate processing - with data 35 stations.
     Fig. 1 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations East Falkland Island (∆ 30º), Hockley (∆ 57º), Sanae (∆ 62º), Albuquerque (∆ 66º). Fig. 2 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations Vasula (∆ 112º), Obninsk (∆ 117º), Kislovodsk (∆ 121º), Arti (∆ 129º).

Figure 1
 

Figure 2
 
     IPC GS RAS also has obtained information with parameters of this event from some seismological centers, these data are given in table 1:
Table 1
NN Time in origin h-min-s (GMT) Lat degr. Lon degr. Depth km N s/st Ms/ N mb/ N I0 calc GAP Center
1 15-40-51.7 -22.21 -69.93  60  35  7.7/177/78-8.563 IPC GS RAS (Accurate)
2 15-40-52.0 -22.24 -69.94  60  28  7.6/136.9/58-8.563 IPC GS RAS (Preliminary)
3 15-40-50.3 -22.2 -70.02  50  230  7.7Mw   72 CSEM
4 15-40-53.0 -22.19 -69.84  60  192  7.7Mw 6.8/153 76 NEIC
  • IPC GS RAS - Informational Processing Center, Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • CSEM - European - Mediterranean seismological center
  • NEIC - National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
  • Epicenter
         Fig.3 presents the picture downloaded from National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service and demonstrates epicenter of this earthquake, which was located in the north of Chile not far from Pacific Ocean coast at the depth of 60 kilometers, this is 40 km to the east-south-Calama and 170 km to the north-north-east from Antofagasta. However underground shocks were felt even in the capital Santiago, which is located more than thousand kilometers from the origin place.

    Figure 3
    Aftershock
         This earthquake has been accompanied with aftershocks. The strongest aftershock with М=5.8 has occurred in 2 hours after the main shock. GS RAS has registered 7 aftershocks within the first day after the main shock.
    N Date   &   Time (GMT)
    yy-mm-dd hh:mm:sec
    Lat
    degr.
    Lon
    degr.
    Depth
    km
    N
    station
    Ms/ N mb/ N Io
    calc.
    Region
    200740282007-11-14 17:18:44.0-23.08-70.025012-5.3/ 33.5-4 Near coast of Northern Chile
    200740302007-11-14 17:44:03.0-23.16-70.644021-5.8/ 65-5.5 Near coast of Northern Chile
    200740312007-11-14 17:53:27.0-22.97-69.87338-5.1/ 33.5-4 Northern Chile
    200740342007-11-14 18:55:46.0-22.49-69.92336-5.1/ 43.5-4 Northern Chile
    200740332007-11-14 19:17:23.0-22.37-69.94505-4.8/ 32.5 Northern Chile
    200740372007-11-15 01:46:36.0-23.04-69.983312-5.0/ 43.5-4 Northern Chile
    200740402007-11-15 11:14:50.0-23.18-70.73339-5.2/ 24-4.5 Near coast of Northern Chile
    Macroseismic manifestations
         Russian information agency ITAR TASS reported about 2 killed persons in Peru and 150 injured. Local TV showed the pictures from the earthquake’s affected regions: the cars under the debris of crashed portico of the hotel (fig.4-6), cracks in the concrete runway of Antofagasta airport. The situation was complicated by the fact, that there are numerous metal excavation pit mines in the area of the earthquake. Nearly fifty road workers have been blocked in tunnel, which crashed after the surface vibrations. The disaster destroyed and hit many buildings. Dozens of towns and settlements were left without electricity supply. Surface vibrations were registered also in Bolivia, Peru and Argentina in accordance with ICTV

    Figure 4

    Figure 5

    Figure 6
    Focal mechanism and seismic moment of the earthquake
         Focal mechanism solution for this earthquake 14.11.2007 has been obtained in NEIC, USA and in Harvard Center, USA (HARVARD) with TMC method. Both solutions are almost the same. This earthquake has happened under the action of compression forces oriented to the west with the type of the motion – uplift along the steep falling plane having meridian direction of propagation and thrust – along the flat plane of meridian direction of propagation. Focal mechanism solution is presented in table 2 and shown on figures 7, 8.
    Table 2
    Axes of main strengths Nodal planes Center
    T P N NP1 NP2
    Pl Azm Pl Azm Pl Azm Stk Dp Slip Stk Dp Slip
    637626263 217201899171 7287NEIC
    657525262 31713582098170 7087HARVARD
  • NEIC - National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
  • HARVARD - Harvard Geophysical Center (USA)

  • Figure 7

    Figure 8


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