Are they becoming more common? Seismologist explains

Last night at 11:41pm local time, the greater Melbourne area was rocked by a magnitude 4.0 earthquake – as calculated by the Center for Seismology Research – centered near Sunbury, about 30km north of the CBD.

Geoscience Australia has so far received over 25,000 reports from people who felt this earthquake, some as far as Hobart, which is 620km from the epicenter.

In the Melbourne area, the earthquake reportedly caused a tremor that lasted approximately 10-20 seconds, according to witness reports on social media. This was followed two minutes later by a magnitude 2.8 aftershock, which some people have reported in the epic area between Sunbury and Craggieburn.

Are earthquakes becoming more common in Melbourne?

In September 2021, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Melbourne, with its epicenter at Woods Point, east of the city. People felt this earthquake as far away as Brisbane and Adelaide.

Last night’s earthquake followed a 2.5-magnitude earthquake near Ferntree Gully, east of Melbourne, two weeks earlier on May 16. About 1,300 people felt a 2.0-magnitude quake in roughly the same area on May 22, according to Earth Sciences. Australia.

Some Android phone users in the region have received an earthquake warning message on their smartphones. Conversation

Although this means that some Melburnians have experienced two or even three earthquakes in the past two weeks, earthquakes are not becoming more common in Melbourne. It is not unexpected that there are 10-12 earthquakes felt annually somewhere in the Greater Melbourne area – these earthquakes do not have to happen at regular intervals.

Earthquakes in Australia are caused by stresses at the tectonic plate boundaries surrounding us – where different plates collide, grind against each other, or are forced apart. These stresses work their way towards the middle of the board as well.

In southeastern Australia, forces at the plate boundary between the Pacific Ocean and Australia to our east—the same plate boundary that runs through New Zealand’s Aotearoa—produce a buildup in stress. This is eventually released as earthquake ruptures at weak areas or “cracks” in the crust.

As a result of all this, earthquakes occur in the Greater Melbourne area about once a month. Many of these – usually more than three-quarters – are too small to be felt.

Read more: No one can predict earthquakes, but we can predict them. Here’s how

What determines whether you feel an earthquake?

In general, we are more likely to feel a larger quake than a smaller quake. But other factors also play a role.

The depth of an earthquake affects how strong the accompanying ground shaking is – the shallower the earthquake, the stronger the shaking. An intensity of 4.0 on the Richter scale last night near Sunbury was a relatively shallow earthquake at a depth of only 3 km. Since shallow earthquakes produce a stronger shaking of the ground, they are also more likely to cause damage. Minor damage, such as cracked plaster and fallen photos, has been reported as a result of last night’s earthquake.

Read more: Why are shallow earthquakes more destructive? The Java disaster is a devastating example

The closer you are to the epicenter, the more likely you are to feel it. You’re also more likely to experience an earthquake if you’re standing still, rather than jogging, biking, or driving. Some people reportedly fell asleep during last night’s earthquake.

The earthquakes reported as felt by those near the epicenter are mostly those with magnitudes greater than 2.0-2.5, although smaller events can be felt especially at shallow depths and in populated areas. If an earthquake occurs in a remote area, there are often no people to report feeling it.

Arms and aftershocks

Very small, shallow earthquakes sometimes produce no vibration near the epicenter, but instead produce a sound similar to an explosion – a short, sharp, loud “thump”. This happens when seismic waves reach the surface and are converted into sound waves.

This differs from the more common rumbling sound, often described as an approaching train. It is the result of the vibration of the built environment as the seismic wave passes by.

In addition to the 2.8-magnitude aftershocks from last night’s earthquake, there have been additional aftershocks of less than 1.0 on the Richter scale. These are still being studied by seismologists. There may still be aftershocks large enough to be felt in the coming days, weeks, and months, although the likelihood of them diminishing with time.

Sometimes, a larger earthquake may occur, and in this case, a magnitude of 4.0 would be considered a harbinger.

Read more: The earthquake that rocked Melbourne was among the largest in Australia in half a century, but rock records reveal a much stronger quake.

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