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Data Release for the 2023 U.S. 50-State National Seismic Hazard Model - Overview

Metadata Updated: October 30, 2025

The U.S. National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) was updated in 2023 for all 50 states using the best available science related to earthquake seismicity, fault ruptures, ground motions, and hazard estimation techniques to produce a standard of practice for public policy applications. Best available or applicable science is defined here as well-vetted and published hazard input component models and information that are accepted through a comprehensive review process, consistent with open and timely science principles, and encompass a scientifically reasonable range of earthquake characteristics and ground motion effects that improve the basis of the 2023 NSHM. This time-independent probabilistic seismic hazard model benefited from several dozens of co-authors, more than 50 reviewers, and hundreds of end-users, and hazard scientists that attended the public workshops and provided technical inputs and reviews of the inputs and their integration in the hazard assessment. The hazard assessment applies new earthquake catalogs, declustering algorithms, gridded seismicity models, magnitude-scaling equations, fault-based structural and deformation models, multi-fault earthquake rupture forecast models, semi-empirical and simulation-based ground motion models, and site amplification models conditioned on velocities of the upper 30 m of soil and deeper sedimentary structure. Resulting seismic hazard calculations yield hazard curves, maps, uniform hazard response spectra, and disaggregations which are developed for spectral accelerations at 21 oscillator periods, two peak parameters, and eight site classes that are now required by the 2020 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions and applied in multiple other public policy products. A system-level test is performed to ensure the resulting ground motions are consistent with historical intensity information. Several impact products including building seismic design criteria, intensity maps (Modified Mercalli Intensity), ground motion scenarios, and engineering risk assessments that show the potential physical and social impacts and provide a basis for assessing, planning, and mitigating the effects of future earthquakes across the U.S.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 30, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 30, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-644af897d34e45f6ddcd13b3
Data Last Modified 2023-12-21T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id a0e16cbb-0dac-4a5c-b304-fa96dfc01594
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -125.3000, 24.4000, -66.7000, 49.6000
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 9cd01a33c5a7519136a56733f557ead0c49afa6c085b17bc40f0348b322dea05
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -125.3000, 24.4000, -125.3000, 49.6000, -66.7000, 49.6000, -66.7000, 24.4000, -125.3000, 24.4000}

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