EIFEL-IMGENBROICH(D)

Earthquake31 May 1911

Magnitude
4.1ML
Depth
–
Max. int.
4
Belgian time
21:05:441911-05-31
UTC
21:05:441911-05-31

Main parameters

Magnitude and intensity

Two numbers often confused, with the values of this earthquake and of the Observatory’s catalogue.

Preparing the animation…

1Magnitude: the size of the earthquake

The magnitude (ML 4.1) measures the size of the earthquake at its source, from the amplitude of the waves recorded by seismographs: a single value for the whole earthquake. Since 1985, 99 % of the 3,122 earthquakes with a magnitude in the Observatory’s catalogue have a smaller one.

Animation drawn from the page and the Observatory’s catalogue (tectonic earthquakes since 1985, ML or MW magnitudes); short descriptions of the European Macroseismic Scale EMS-98.

Date and time1911-05-31 21:05:44 UTC
1911-05-31 21:05:44 Belgian time
MagnitudeML 4.1
Epicentral coordinates50.650° N, 6.233° E
Maximum intensity4
Event IDROB 463

Data source : ROB (Royal Observatory of Belgium)
Last update : 2011-06-27 18:19:24 Belgian time

Location map

Where and when the earthquake began

The focus, the epicentre and their uncertainties, with this earthquake’s values.

Preparing the animation…

1Focus and epicentre

An earthquake starts at depth, at the focus (or hypocentre). For this one, the depth of the focus could not be determined: the page does not show it. The point on the surface above the focus is the epicentre (50.650° N, 6.233° E), the one the map shows.

Values from the page and the Observatory’s catalogue (tectonic earthquakes since 1985).

Seismic activity in the area

Known earthquakes around the epicentre, from the catalogue of the Royal Observatory of Belgium.

Within 10 km of the epicentre

375 other earthquakes in the catalogue since 1818. 361 of them occurred after this one. By magnitude, it is the joint 5th largest of the 358 earthquakes of known magnitude in the area.

Latest earthquakes before this one

DatePlaceMagnitudeIntensityDistance km
1911-05-31EIFEL-MUETZENICH-SCHMIDT(D)–37.0
1911-05-31EIFEL-MAUSBACH(D)ML 4.050.0
1911-05-31EIFEL-BUESBACH(D)ML 4.050.0
1911-05-31EIFEL-WENAU-HEISTERN(D)ML 4.360.0
1911-05-31EIFEL-WALHEIM(D)–37.4

Largest known earthquakes

DatePlaceMagnitudeIntensityDistance km
1911-05-30EIFEL-EICHERSCHEID(D)ML 4.550.0
1911-05-30EIFEL-MAUSBACH(D)ML 4.351.2
1911-05-31EIFEL-WENAU-HEISTERN(D)ML 4.360.0
1911-09-06EIFEL-RAERENML 4.358.1
1911-05-31This earthquakeML 4.14–
Notes and method

Tectonic and induced earthquakes from the Observatory’s catalogue, suspected ones included; quarry blasts, explosions and other events are not counted. Epicentral distances on the WGS84 ellipsoid.

Municipality: 2025 municipal boundaries (Statbel), applied to every earthquake, including those before the merger of municipalities. For an epicentre outside Belgium, only the circular area is given. Each earthquake’s name is the catalogue’s: it may refer to a place near the epicentre.

Magnitude: the one given on each earthquake’s page (ML preferably, otherwise MW or MS); magnitudes of different types are compared as they are.

The epicentres of historical earthquakes are only known to within a few kilometres, sometimes more: whether they fall in the area is indicative. Small earthquakes have only been recorded as the station network grew: the area’s older earthquakes are mostly the largest ones, and recent activity looks more frequent.

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