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Richter scale
- Richter scale (ML), quantitative measure of an earthquake ’s magnitude (size), devised in 1935 by American seismologists Charles F. Richter and Beno Gutenberg. The earthquake’s magnitude is determined using the logarithm of the amplitude (height) of the largest seismic wave calibrated to a scale by a seismograph.
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Apr 19, 2024 · Richter scale, widely used quantitative measure of an earthquake’s magnitude (size), devised in 1935 by American seismologists Charles F. Richter and Beno Gutenberg. Magnitude is determined using the logarithm of the amplitude (height) of the largest seismic wave calibrated to a scale by a seismograph.
- John P. Rafferty
Due to the variance in earthquakes, it is essential to understand the Richter scale uses common logarithms simply to make the measurements manageable (i.e., a magnitude 3 quake factors 10³ while a magnitude 5 quake factors 10 5 and has seismometer readings 100 times larger). [5] Richter magnitudes.
Today, earthquake magnitude measurement is based on the Moment Magnitude Scale (MMS). MMS measures the movement of rock along the fault. It accurately measures larger earthquakes, which can last for minutes, affect a much larger area, and cause more damage.
Seismic magnitude scales are used to describe the overall strength or "size" of an earthquake. These are distinguished from seismic intensity scales that categorize the intensity or severity of ground shaking (quaking) caused by an earthquake at a given location.
Wave Amplitude, Fault Size, Amount of Slip. There are a number of ways to measure the magnitude of an earthquake. Most scales are based on the amplitude of seismic waves recorded on seismometers. These scales account for the distance between the earthquake and the recording seismometer so that the calculated magnitude should be about the same ...
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.
The international standard for measuring earthquake magnitude is called the moment magnitude scale and was formulated by Caltech seismologist Hiroo Kanamori with alumnus Thomas Hanks. Caltech's Charles Richter conceptualized magnitude.
