Penguins huddle together near Erebus Bay, Antarctica. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Do earthquakes occur in Antarctica?
Earthquakes do occur in Antarctica, but not very often. There have been some big earthquakes--including one magnitude 8.1--in the Balleny Islands (between Antarctica and New Zealand). The boundary between the Scotia Plate and the Antarctic Plate just grazes the north tip of the Antarctic Peninsula (look "northwest" from the Pole toward South America). There is also a hint of a line of seismicity off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula and some activity in the Kerguelen Plateau (in the Indian Ocean "northeast" from the South Pole). The Kerguelen Plateau is within the Antarctic Plate but it is not part of the Antarctic Continent. As with the interior area of all tectonic plates, earthquakes can and do occur in Antarctica, but they are much less frequent than earthquakes on the plate boundaries.
Relative to other plates (such as Australia or North America), Antarctica has fewer seismic stations to record earthquakes in the interior. Even though there are 76 stations in Antarctica that report data to IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology), all but two of them are along the edge of the continent (as of April 2019). The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) has only 4 stations on Antarctica. In the absence of seismic stations throughout the continent, smaller earthquakes are much more likely to go undetected.
The interior of Antarctica also has icequakes which, although much smaller, are perhaps more frequent than earthquakes. Icequakes are similar to earthquakes but occur within the ice sheet itself instead of the land underneath the ice. Some polar observers have said they can hear the icequakes and see them on the South Pole seismograph station, but they are much too small to be seen on enough stations to obtain a location.
Learn more: Listening to the Earth at the South Pole
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Related Content
What is an earthquake and what causes them to happen?
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel. In California there are two plates - the Pacific Plate and the North...
Foreshocks, aftershocks - what's the difference?
"Foreshock" and "aftershock" are relative terms. Foreshocks are earthquakes that precede larger earthquakes in the same location. An earthquake cannot be identified as a foreshock until after a larger earthquake in the same area occurs. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the days to years following a larger event or "mainshock." They occur within 1-2...
Can the position of the moon or the planets affect seismicity? Are there more earthquakes in the morning/in the evening/at a certain time of the month?
Earthquakes are equally as likely to occur in the morning or the evening. Many studies in the past have shown no significant correlations between the rate of earthquake occurrence and the semi-diurnal tides when using large earthquake catalogs. Several recent studies, however, have found a correlation between earth tides (caused by the position of the moon relative to the earth) and some types of...
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At what depth do earthquakes occur? What is the significance of the depth?
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Where can I find earthquake educational materials?
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Can we cause earthquakes? Is there any way to prevent earthquakes?
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What is the difference between aftershocks and swarms?
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Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Penguins huddle together near Erebus Bay, Antarctica. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Mount Erebus in background of Inaccessible Island. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Mount Erebus in background of Inaccessible Island. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Mount Erebus in background. Little Razorback (left) and Big Razorback (right) islands are sites of seal colonies. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Mount Erebus in background. Little Razorback (left) and Big Razorback (right) islands are sites of seal colonies. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Earth Science Week, Continued: Antarctica from Above and Below
In our second Earth Science Week installment, we talk with scientist Richie Williams about the USGS's amazing new satellite imagery of Antarctica as well as what's going on with ice on the southernmost continent.
In our second Earth Science Week installment, we talk with scientist Richie Williams about the USGS's amazing new satellite imagery of Antarctica as well as what's going on with ice on the southernmost continent.
Related Content
What is an earthquake and what causes them to happen?
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel. In California there are two plates - the Pacific Plate and the North...
Foreshocks, aftershocks - what's the difference?
"Foreshock" and "aftershock" are relative terms. Foreshocks are earthquakes that precede larger earthquakes in the same location. An earthquake cannot be identified as a foreshock until after a larger earthquake in the same area occurs. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the days to years following a larger event or "mainshock." They occur within 1-2...
Can the position of the moon or the planets affect seismicity? Are there more earthquakes in the morning/in the evening/at a certain time of the month?
Earthquakes are equally as likely to occur in the morning or the evening. Many studies in the past have shown no significant correlations between the rate of earthquake occurrence and the semi-diurnal tides when using large earthquake catalogs. Several recent studies, however, have found a correlation between earth tides (caused by the position of the moon relative to the earth) and some types of...
What is surface faulting or surface rupture in an earthquake?
Surface rupture occurs when movement on a fault deep within the earth breaks through to the surface. NOT ALL earthquakes result in surface rupture.
At what depth do earthquakes occur? What is the significance of the depth?
Earthquakes occur in the crust or upper mantle, which ranges from the earth's surface to about 800 kilometers deep (about 500 miles). The strength of shaking from an earthquake diminishes with increasing distance from the earthquake's source, so the strength of shaking at the surface from an earthquake that occurs at 500 km deep is considerably less than if the same earthquake had occurred at 20...
Why are there so many earthquakes in the Geysers area in Northern California?
The Geysers Geothermal Field is located in a tectonically active region of Northern California. The major seismic hazards in the region are from large earthquakes occurring along regional faults that are located miles away from the geothermal field, such as the San Andreas and Healdsburg-Rodgers Creek faults. However, activities associated with the withdrawal of steam for producing electric power...
Where can I find earthquake educational materials?
Start with our Earthquake Hazards Education site. That includes: Earthquakes for Kids Cool Earthquake Facts Earthquake Science for Everyone Other good starting points include: State Geological Surveys for states in earthquake-prone regions The Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills website SAGE (Seismological Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience), which is a non-profit consortium
Can we cause earthquakes? Is there any way to prevent earthquakes?
Earthquakes induced by human activity have been documented at many locations in the United States and in many other countries around the world. Earthquakes can be induced by a wide range of causes including impoundment of reservoirs, surface and underground mining, withdrawal of fluids and gas from the subsurface, and injection of fluids into underground formations. While most induced earthquakes...
What is the difference between aftershocks and swarms?
Aftershocks are a sequence of earthquakes that happen after a larger mainshock on a fault. Aftershocks occur near the fault zone where the mainshock rupture occurred and are part of the "readjustment process” after the main slip on the fault. Aftershocks become less frequent with time, although they can continue for days, weeks, months, or even years for a very large mainshock. A swarm, on the...
Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Penguins huddle together near Erebus Bay, Antarctica. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Penguins huddle together near Erebus Bay, Antarctica. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Mount Erebus in background of Inaccessible Island. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Mount Erebus in background of Inaccessible Island. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Weddell Seal Research at Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Mount Erebus in background. Little Razorback (left) and Big Razorback (right) islands are sites of seal colonies. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Mount Erebus in background. Little Razorback (left) and Big Razorback (right) islands are sites of seal colonies. Images were obtained under NMFS Permit No: 1032-1917.
Earth Science Week, Continued: Antarctica from Above and Below
In our second Earth Science Week installment, we talk with scientist Richie Williams about the USGS's amazing new satellite imagery of Antarctica as well as what's going on with ice on the southernmost continent.
In our second Earth Science Week installment, we talk with scientist Richie Williams about the USGS's amazing new satellite imagery of Antarctica as well as what's going on with ice on the southernmost continent.