The August 30, 2013 M 7.0 earthquake southeast of Adak, Alaska, occurred as the result of thrust faulting on or near the subduction zone interface between the Pacific and North America plates. At the location of this event, the Pacific plate moves towards the northwest with respect to North America at the rate of approximately 73 mm/yr, beginning its descent into the mantle at the Aleutian trench approximately 130 km south of the August 30 earthquake.
The depth and mechanism of this earthquake are consistent with occurring along the megathrust interface between these two plates. The Aleutians Arc is familiar with large earthquakes-two-dozen events of M 6.5 or larger have occurred over the last century within 250 km of the August 30 earthquake. The largest among these was a M 8.6 earthquake in March of 1957, whose hypocenter was located in just 15 km south of the August 30 earthquake.
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