Seismic Activity Around McMurdo Sound in Antarctica

Abstract

For the purpose of observing micro earthquakes around the McMurdo Sound area and volcanic earthquakes around Mt. Erebus on Ross Island, in Antarctica, seismological observations were carried out in the austral summer seasons of 1974-75 and 1975-76, as one of the research programs of the Dry Valley Drilling Project (DVDP) which was carried out by scientists from Japan, New Zealand and the United States. The sites and duration of observations are as follows: 1) Arrival Heights, McMurdo Station (three weeks in 1974-75); 2) Lake Leon, Taylor Valley, one of the dry valleys in Victoria Land (10 days in 1974-75); 3) Northern foot of Observation Hill, McMurdo Station (one month in 1975-76). The micro seismic activity around McMurdo Station obtained from the observations is about one earthquake per day, and that in the Taylor Valley is about 0.5. Background seismicity around the McMurdo Sound area is estimated to be one micro earthquake every two days. In addition to this background seismicity, one earthquake occurs in every two days in the volcanic area around McMurdo Station.