CATALOG OF CENTRAL UNITED STATES
EARTHQUAKES SINCE 1800 OF mb>3.0

Compiled by
Otto W. Nuttli
Saint Louis University

This catalog was the work of Otto W. Nuttli, a man for whom earthquakes were interesting. The catalog is entitled the Nuttli-Brill catalog since it was published in a report in 1980 co-authored by these two researchers. The catalog was later augmented through September 1983. The citation for the orginal report is

Nuttli, O. W., and Brill, K. G. (1981). Earthquake source zones in the central United States determined from historical seismicity in .R Barstow, N. L., Brill, K. G., Nuttli, O. W., and Pomeroy, P. W., eds, Approach to seismic zonation for siting nuclear electric power generating facilities in the eastern United States, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report NUREG/CR-1577, pp 98-143.

Note: The thousands of felt earthquakes which were aftershocks of the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes are not included in this list. Their magnitude and number are greater than all the earthquakes which have occurred in the central United States since 1812.

EXPLANATION OF CATALOG

Columns 1, 2, 3 give the month, day and year, respectively, of the earthquakes. Columns 4, 5, 6 give the origin time in Universal Time (hour, minute, second, respectively). Column 7 gives north geographic latitude of the epicenter, in degrees. Column 8 gives west geographic longitude of the epicenter, in degrees. Column 9 gives the felt area, in square kilometers. Column 10 gives the epicentral intensity (M.M.). Column 11 gives the the body-wave magnitude. Column 12 gives the surface wave magnitude. Column 13 gives the explanation of how the magnitude was determined (see below). Column 14 gives the principal references used in obtaining the parameters of the earthquake (see below).

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS IN COLUMN 13

A

Magnitude determined from seismographic data

B

Magnitude determined from fall-off of intensity with epicentral distance (see Nuttli, Bollinger and Griffiths, BSSA, vol. 69, 1979, pp. 893-909)

C

Magnitude determined from felt area (see Nuttli and Zollweg, BSSA, vol. 64, 1974, pp. 73-85)

D

Magnitude determined from epicentral intensity

E

Very shallow earthquake, with relatively large epicentral intensity and small magnitude and felt area

REFERENCES USED IN COLUMN 14

1

Bollinger, G.A. (1975). A Catalog of Southeastern United States Earthquakes, 1754 through 1974, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Department of Geological Sciences, Research Division Bulletin 101.

2

Bradley, E.A. and T.J. Bennett (1965). Earthquake History of Ohio, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 55, 745-752.

3

Coffman, J.L. and C.A. von Hake (1973). Earthquake History of the United States, U.S. Dept. of Commerce Publication 41-1, Washington, D.C.

4

Docekal, J. (1970). Earthquakes of the Stable Interior, with Emphasis on the Midcontinent, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Nebraska.

5

DuBois, S.M. and F.W. Wilson (1978). A Revised and Augmented List of Earthquake Intensities for Kansas, 1867-1977, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report NUREG/CR-0294, Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS.

6

Heinrich, R.R. (1941). A Contribution to the Seismic History of Missouri, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 31, 187-224.

7

Lawson, J.E., Jr., K.V. Luza, R.L. DuBois and P.H. Foster (1979). Inventory, Detection and Catalog of Oklahoma Earthquakes, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.

8

Luza, K.V. and J.E. Lawson, Jr. (1979). Seismicity and Tectonic Relationships of the Nemaha Uplift in Oklahoma, Part II, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NUREG/CR-0875.

9

Moneymaker, B.C. (1972). Earthquakes in Tennessee and Nearby Sections of Neighboring States 1951-1970, Jour. Tenn. Acad. Science, 47, 124-132.

10

Nuttli, O.W. (1973). The Mississippi Valley Earthquakes of 1811 and 1812: Intensities, Ground Motion and Magnitudes, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 63, 227-248.

11

Nuttli, O.W. (1974). Magnitude-Recurrence Relation for Central Mississippi Valley Earthquakes, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 64, 1189-1207.

12

Preliminary Determination of Epicenters, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and U.S. Geological Survey.

13

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Allens Creek Plant, Wallis, Texas.

14

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Calloway Plant, Calloway County, Missouri.

15

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Hartsville Plant, Trousdale-Smith Counties, Tennessee.

16

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Marble Hill Plant, Jefferson County, Indiana.

17

Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Perry Plant, Lake County, Ohio.

18

Saint Louis University (1974- ). Central Mississippi Valley Earthquake Bulletin, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, St. Louis, Missouri.

19

Seismological Society of America (1911- ). Seismological Notes, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am.

20

Stauder, W. and A.M. Pitt (1970). Note of an Aftershock Study, South Central Illinois Earthquake of November 9, 1968, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 60, 983-986.

21

Street, R.L. (1979). Personal Communication.

22

Street, R.L. (1980). The Southern Illinois Earthquake of September 27, 1891, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 70, 915-920.

23

Street, R.L., R.B. Herrmann and O.W. Nuttli (1975). Spectral Characteristics of the Lg Wave Generated by Central United States Earthquakes, Geophysical Journal R.A.S., 41, 51-63.

24

U.S. Dept. of Commerce (NOAA) and U.S. Dept. of the Interior (USGS), (1928- ), United States Earthquakes, Washington, D.C.

25

Varma, M.M. (1975). Seismicity of the Eastern Half of the United States (Exclusive of New England), Ph.D. Dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

26

Walter, E.J. (1939). The Arkansas Earthquake of September 17, 1938, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 29, 497-503.

27

Weston Geophysical, Inc. (1979). Bedrock Deformation in the Cooling Water Tunnels, Perry Nuclear Power Plant, North Perry, Ohio, GAI Report No. 2063.

28

Zollweg, J.E. (1974). A Preliminary Study of the Seismicity of the Central United States 1963-1974, Unpublished B.S. Thesis, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.

29

Gordon D.W. (1983) Revised Hypocenters and Correlation of Seismicity and Tectonics in the Central U.S. Ph.D. Thesis, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri.

30

Mauk F.J.,D. Christensen, S. Henry. (1982). The Sharpsburg, Kentucky, Earthquake 27 July 1980: Main Shock Parameters and Isoseismal maps. Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 72, 221-236.

31

United States Dept. of Interior-Geological Survey.(19811-1983) Preliminary Determination of Epicenters. National Earthquake Information Center, Denver, Colorado.

32

Metszer A., S. Nava, D. Gracey. (1980-1982) Tennessee Information Center Bulletin. Memphis State University, Memphis, Tennessee.

33

Stover C.W. (1978-1980). United States Earthquakes. U.S. Geological Survey-NOAA, Golden Colorado.

34

Stover C.W., J.H. Minsch, B.G. Reagor, F.W. Baldwin.(1981-1982). Earthquakes in the United States. Geological Survey Circulars, Alexandria, Virginia.

EVENTS WHICH ARE NOT EARTHQUAKES IN THE
CENTRAL UNITED STATES

10 March 1828 In some lists the epicenter is mistakenly placed at Maysville, KY. The earthquake occurred in North Carolina or Virginia.

February 1857 No earthquake in New Madrid, MO area.

1865 to 1870 Duplication of 1860 earthquake in Minnesota.

19 November 1878 A duplication of the Cairo, IL earthquake of 19 November 1877.

31 October 1878 An explosion in Niles, MI.

08-09 Feb. 1899 Breaking up of ice at Chicago, IL.

31 December 1903 Dynamite explosion at Fairmont, IL.

09 February 1906 Mining activity in Michigan.

20 April 1906 Mining activity in Hancock, MI.

10 January 1907 Ice yielding in Menominee, MI.

20 February 1907 Landslide in Waldrun, AR.

1916 No earthquake in south central Iowa.

02 March 1924 Duplication of Kentucky earthquake of 02 April 1924.

20 July l927 According to Moneymaker, this was a sharp local shock, accompanied by an explosive sound, and believed to have been an explosion.

20 September 1930 Duplication of Anna, Ohio earthquake of 30 September 1930 or 20 September 1931.

23 November 1940 Duplication of Griggs, IL earthquake of 23 November 1939.

15 January, 01, Sonic booms at Texas-Louisiana border. 02, 03 Feb. 1966

06 July 1970 Rockburst at Leadwood, MO.