6.0 earthquake off the coast of Oregon

[Shannon Bennett]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/ No reports of damage so far. Downgraded to 5.9 now.

 

[Emily]

I wonder if this could be an undersea eruption with a pattern like this?

5 earthquakes in map area

• 5.9 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 20:11:31 UTC 10.0 km
• 4.4 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 14:46:34 UTC 10.0 km
• 5.5 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 10:46:27 UTC 10.0 km
• 4.3 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 07:01:20 UTC 10.0 km
• 5.8 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 06:52:41 UTC 10.0 km

 

[Shannon Bennett]

The area is certainly fracturing but, I don't see any micro quakes on the shake map. I would expect to see those if it were an undersea eruption. Parks Seamount appears to be the closest. Look for it south of the quake zone on the other side of the fault line. However, there are other vocanoes in the area so it can't be ruled out completely. Will be interesting to see if you called it correctly.

 

[Emily]

I think you are right, Shannon. They are calling this a swarm now and nothing about it looks volcanic to the experts.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-no...nt_oregon.html

There have been a couple more quakes since I last posted and the second to last one was on the other side of the fault not too far from the Parks Seamount, but then the very last one was back inside Juan de Fuca Plate.

• 4.2 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-02 03:11:25 UTC 10.0 km
• 3.9 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-02 02:50:44 UTC 10.0 km
• 5.9 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 20:11:31 UTC 10.0 km
• 4.4 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 14:46:34 UTC 10.0 km
• 5.5 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 10:46:27 UTC 10.0 km
• 4.3 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 07:01:20 UTC 10.0 km
• 5.8 Off the coast of Oregon 2015-06-01 06:52:41 UTC 10.0 km

The volcano I was wondering about is the Axial, but that is too far away for a direct volcanic link. (And I see it just erupted about a month ago.)