Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The 2002 Denali fault earthquake, Alaska: A large magnitude, slip-partitioned event

January 1, 2003

The MW (moment magnitude) 7.9 Denali fault earthquake on 3 November 2002 was associated with 340 kilometers of surface rupture and was the largest strike-slip earthquake in North America in almost 150 years. It illuminates earthquake mechanics and hazards of large strike-slip faults. It began with thrusting on the previously unrecognized Susitna Glacier fault, continued with right-slip on the Denali fault, then took a right step and continued with right-slip on the Totschunda fault. There is good correlation between geologically observed and geophysically inferred moment release. The earthquake produced unusually strong distal effects in the rupture propagation direction, including triggered seismicity.

Publication Year 2003
Title The 2002 Denali fault earthquake, Alaska: A large magnitude, slip-partitioned event
DOI 10.1126/science.1082703
Authors D. Eberhart-Phillips, Peter J. Haeussler, J.T. Freymueller, A. D. Frankel, C.M. Rubin, P. Craw, N. A. Ratchkovski, G. Anderson, G. A. Carver, A. J. Crone, T. E. Dawson, H. Fletcher, R. Hansen, E. L. Harp, R. A. Harris, D. P. Hill, S. Hreinsdottir, R. W. Jibson, L.M. Jones, R. Kayen, D. K. Keefer, C.F. Larsen, S.C. Moran, S. F. Personius, G. Plafker, B. Sherrod, K. Sieh, N. Sitar, W. K. Wallace
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Science
Index ID 70026041
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse