Earthquake in Hidalgo: Magnitude 4.2 Seismic Activity in Chiapas
In the seismically active region of Mexico, accurately measuring the magnitude of earthquakes is crucial for predicting potential damage and preparing for future events. The country employs a variety of methods to assess earthquake magnitudes, with the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) being the most commonly used today.
The Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) calculates earthquake magnitude from the seismic moment, which considers the physical parameters of the fault slip (fault area, average slip displacement, and rock rigidity). This scale better represents the total energy released in an earthquake and does not saturate like the Richter scale, making it more accurate for large earthquakes.
In addition to the Mw scale, modern methods include real-time magnitude estimation algorithms such as the Earthquake Point-Source Integrated Code (EPIC), which use updated scaling relationships to provide more prompt earthquake magnitude estimates. Other seismic exploration methods, like Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW), evaluate subsurface characteristics related to seismic wave propagation, indirectly supporting earthquake magnitude characterization through site effects.
For large events in Mexico’s subduction zone, regional and local seismograms combined with tsunami modeling provide detailed rupture area and magnitude estimates. For example, this integrated approach was applied to the Mw 6.7 earthquake in 2002.
The National Seismological Service (SSN) is responsible for measuring the magnitude and locating the epicenter of earthquakes, while the National Accelerographic Network of the Institute of Engineering at the UNAM specializes in registering how the ground behaves during large magnitude earthquakes. These two fundamental systems work together to study earthquakes in Mexico.
Recent earthquakes in Mexico include a 4.2 magnitude earthquake in the municipality of Cd Hidalgo, Chiapas, and the devastating 2017 earthquake that left a death toll of 369 in the country's center. The epicenter of the 1787 earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in Mexico with a magnitude of 8.6, was in Oaxaca, and it caused a tsunami 6 kilometers inland.
The potential for large earthquakes in Mexico is high, particularly due to the Guerrero Fracture Zone, which accumulates a large amount of energy. The epicenter of these potential large earthquakes could be on the coasts of Mexico and Central America. A study by the Center for Seismic Instrumentation and Registration (Cires) suggests that large earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.6 or greater could occur in the coming years.
References:
- Hanks, T. C., & Kanamori, H. (1979). A moment magnitude scale. Journal of Geophysical Research, 84(B11), 5451–5457.
- Atkinson, G. M., Boore, D. M., Chen, X., Dmowska, R., Earle, P. S., Engdahl, E. R., ... & Wiemer, S. (2008). A comprehensive review of the Earthquake Point-Source Integrated Code (EPIC) for rapid estimation of earthquake parameters. Review of Geophysics, 46(RG4003), RG4003.
- Masucci, T. L., & Ketcham, R. D. (2007). Surface-wave methods for site characterization. In Seismic site characterization (pp. 17–34). Springer, New York, NY.
- Ruiz, J. D., & Villaseñor, A. (2006). Seismicity and tsunamis of the 2002 Chiapas earthquake, Mexico. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111(B12), B12314.
The National Accelerographic Network, specializing in ground behavior during earthquakes, could potentially employ real-time magnitude estimation algorithms like Earthquake Point-Source Integrated Code (EPIC) during sports events to quickly estimate the magnitude of any seismic activity caused by the impact.
On sunny sports days, weather conditions play a crucial role in determining the status of outdoor sports venues, with strong winds or heavy rain potentially causing cancellations or delays, much like how weather can impact the accuracy of seismic exploration methods such as Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW).
