3D waveform simulations of the 1964 Alaskan earthquake

Vertical displacement simulation of the Great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 realized with SPECFEM3D. After the simulation ends and the waveform fades away, a static displacement of several meters remains near the trench.

The interest of this kind of simulation is that it allows coming back on significant historical events, for which the number of observations was limited by the low recording means of the time.

One day after the magnitude 9.2 earthquake on March 27, 1964, a section of an Anchorage street was several feet higher than another section. Associated Press

The 1964 Alaskan earthquake was the largest earthquake to ever hit North America and the most powerful quake in U.S. history, with a magnitude of 9.2 on the Richter scale. The quake triggered tsunamis that caused extensive damage along Alaska's coastlines and killed more than 100 people. It also caused significant damage in the Canadian province of British Columbia and in parts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The earthquake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including a magnitude 7.3 quake that struck just over two weeks later and caused additional damage and casualties.

You can read about this very special event on the Alaska Earthquake Center and on the USGS websites.