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Apr 24, 2024 · 12.2: Seismic Waves and Measuring Earthquakes. The shaking from an earthquake travels away from the rupture in the form of seismic waves. Seismic waves are measured to determine the location of the earthquake, and to estimate the amount of energy released by the earthquake (its magnitude ).
The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording, but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. The USGS currently reports earthquake magnitudes using the Moment Magnitude scale , though many other magnitudes are calculated for research and comparison purposes.
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Apr 24, 2024 · There are two main ways to measure earthquakes. The first of these is an estimate of the energy released, and the value is referred to as magnitude . This is the number that is typically used by the press when a big earthquake happens.
The readings are communicated in terms of magnitude, and the intensity, based on the effects on people and structures, is communicated with the Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity Scale. Here's a...
- Recording Seismic Waves Using A Seismograph
- Finding The Location of An Earthquake
- How Big Was It?
A seismometer is an instrument that detects seismic waves. An instrument that combines a seismometer with a device for recording the waves is called a seismograph. The graphical output from a seismograph is called a seismogram. Figure 12.10 (right) shows how a seismograph works. The instrument consists of a frame or housing that is firmly anchored ...
P-waves travel faster than S-waves. As the waves travel away from the location of an earthquake, the P-wave gets farther and farther ahead of the S-wave. Therefore, the farther a seismograph is from the location of an earthquake, the longer the delay between when the P-wave arrival is recorded, and the S-wave arrival is recorded. The delay between ...
Earthquakes can be described in terms of their magnitude, which reflects the amount of energy released by the shaking. They can also be described in terms of intensity, which characterizes the impact of the shaking on people and their surroundings.
No matter what scale is used, quakes are detected using devices called seismographs, which measure ground motion and produce images showing how these vibrations travel over time.
Evaluating the intensity of U.S. earthquakes. The intensity scale based on the Modified Mercalli Scale of 1931 (MM scale) measures the effects of seismic shaking.
