Information message about the strong earthquake at the Northern Coast of Papua, Indonesia, January 3, 2009

     The strong earthquake with M=7.3 has happened on January 3 2009 at 7:43p.m. GMT (22:43 Moscow time) at the Northern Coast of Papua, Indonesia.
     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 40 min after registration to the Ministry of Emergency of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM).
     Preliminary processing has been done with data from 51 stations, accurate processing - with data 63 stations.
     Fig. 1 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations Tennant Creek (∆ 19.4º), Taejon (∆ 37º), Matsushiro (∆ 37.2º), Vladivostok (∆ 43.4º), Yuzhno-Kurilsk (∆ 45.8º). Fig. 2 presents fragments of records obtained from digital stations Ulaanbaatar (∆ 53.1º), Talaya (∆ 57.5º), Seimchan (∆ 64.9º), Bilibino (∆ 72.2º), College Outpost (∆ 85.9º).

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 19-43-53.0 -0.45 132.75  33  63  7.3/186.4/248.5-9 85 IPC GS RAS (Accurate)
2 19-43-53.1 -0.49 132.7  33  51  7.3/166.4/198.5-9 87 IPC GS RAS (Preliminary)
3 19-43-55.5 -0.52 132.82  35  59  7.7Mw   30 CSEM
4 19-43-54.9 -0.51 132.78  35  36  7.6Mw 6.6/34 61 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 shows epicenter of this earthquake with red star, which was located at the northern shore of Papua, Indonesia, at the depth of 33 km, at 160 km east-north-east from Sorong, at 160 km west-north-west from Manokwari.

    Figure 3
    Aftershock
          The earthquake was accompanied with nimerous aftershocks. Within 13 hours after the main shock GS RAS has registered 24 aftershocks with magnitude M>4.7, the strongest of them with magnitude Ms=7.1 has happened in 3 hours after 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
    200900362009-01-03 19:53:18.0-0.49133.23327-5.9/ 125.5-6 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900372009-01-03 20:04:21.0-0.48132.693313-5.3/ 74-4.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900402009-01-03 20:47:34.0-0.45132.463312-5.1/ 73.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900412009-01-03 21:00:55.0-0.52133.193312-4.9/ 63-3.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900432009-01-03 21:30:46.00.15132.973316-5.3/ 64-4.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900442009-01-03 21:49:30.0-0.35132.7933406.1/ 95.6/ 186.5-7 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900462009-01-03 22:23:45.0-0.61131.913312-5.1/ 63.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900392009-01-03 22:33:39.0-0.73133.2733367.1/ 136.6/ 218-8.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900472009-01-03 23:26:11.0-0.6133.53312-4.9/ 63-3.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900482009-01-04 00:00:36.0-0.66133.23333-5.9/ 115.5-6 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900492009-01-04 00:05:13.00.4132.473322-5.3/ 124-4.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900502009-01-04 00:40:30.0-0.33133.453312-5.0/ 83.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900512009-01-04 00:55:33.0-0.33132.593314-5.3/ 54-4.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900522009-01-04 01:55:23.0-0.89133.323321-5.4/ 124.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900532009-01-04 02:10:38.0-0.61132.48338-4.8/ 63-3.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900542009-01-04 02:29:00.0-0.85133.33315-5.0/ 103.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900552009-01-04 02:47:12.0-0.31132.473312-5.1/ 73.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900562009-01-04 03:28:27.0-0.77133.363313-5.1/ 93.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900572009-01-04 05:44:03.0-0.74133.153329-5.7/ 115-5.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900592009-01-04 06:05:14.0-0.771343314-5.0/ 73.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900602009-01-04 06:53:38.0-0.23132.653310-4.9/ 73-3.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900622009-01-04 07:13:57.0-0.42132.663324-5.7/ 125-5.5 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900632009-01-04 07:32:58.0-0.73133.573315-5.1/ 73.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    200900642009-01-04 08:12:10.0-0.84133.333314-5.1/ 73.5-4 Irian Jaya region, Indonesia
    Macroseismic manifestations
         In accordance with information from France Presse Agency 2 small hotels were destoyed and 4 people killed after the series of shocks, many victims remain under the debris. It was announced tsunami alert message but later it was rejected. Waves of 40 cm height were observed near the coast of Japan.
    Focal mechanism and seismic moment of the earthquake
         Focal mechanism solutions for the origin of this earthquake which happened on January 3, 2009 at 19:43 were obtained with TMC method in NEIC USA, USGS and Harvard Center USA, HRVD (Global CMT Catalog), they are presented in table 2 and shown on fig. 4,5. These solutions are very close to each other. The earthquake has occurred under the action of compression forces oriented north-east. Both nodal planes have n-w-s-e direction of propagation. The type of motion along more flat nodal plane (DP=28-36º) NP1 – uplift with left side shift component, while along more steeply falling (DP=55-69º) plane NP2 – uplift with right side shift components. The value of seismic moment Мо of the earthquake 03.01.2009 at 19:43 in accordance with USGS makes 2.8* 10** 20 n*m, the value of moment magnitude Mw = 7.6; in accordance with HRVD – Mo= 3.43* 10** 20 n*m, Mw=7.6. Focal mechanism solutions for the origin of the strongest aftershock 03.01.2009 at 22:33 in accordance with USGS and HRVD also are similar to focal mechanism of the main shock (fig. 6,7 ). The value of seismic moment Мо of the earthquake 03.01.2009 at 22:33 in accordance with USGS makes 1.2* 10** 20 n*m, the value of moment magnitude Mw = 7.3; in accordance with HRVD – Mo= 1.46* 10** 20 n*m, Mw=7.4.
    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
    77250931 71221123677308 5599NEIC
    612612238 18136982849323 69109HARVARD
    HARVARD
  • NEIC - National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
  • HARVARD - Harvard Geophysical Center (USA)
  • HARVARD - Harvard Geophysical Center (USA)

  • Figure 4

    Figure 5

    Figure 6

    Figure 7


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