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The Richter scale [1] (/ ˈ r ɪ k t ər /), also called the Richter magnitude scale, Richter's magnitude scale, and the Gutenberg–Richter scale, [2] is a measure of the strength of earthquakes, developed by Charles Richter in collaboration with Beno Gutenberg, and presented in Richter's landmark 1935 paper, where he called it the "magnitude scale". [3]
For shallow earthquakes – less than roughly 60 km deep – the surface waves are stronger, and may last several minutes; these carry most of the energy of the quake, and cause the most severe damage. An earthquake radiates energy in the form of different kinds of seismic waves, whose characteristics reflect the nature of both the rupture and ...
The Modified Mercalli intensity scale (MM, MMI, or MCS) measures the effects of an earthquake at a given location. This is in contrast with the seismic magnitude usually reported for an earthquake. Magnitude scales measure the inherent force or strength of an earthquake – an event occurring at greater or lesser depth. (The "M w" scale is ...
7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage. 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities ... You might also have heard the term "the Richter Scale" used to describe earthquakes, but ...
Seismic intensity scales categorize the intensity or severity of ground shaking (quaking) at a given location, such as resulting from an earthquake.They are distinguished from seismic magnitude scales, which measure the magnitude or overall strength of an earthquake, which may, or perhaps may not, cause perceptible shaking.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Seismic Intensity Scale [a] (known in Japan as the Shindo seismic scale) [1] [2] is a seismic intensity scale used in Japan to categorize the intensity of local ground shaking caused by earthquakes. The JMA intensity scale differs from magnitude measurements like the moment magnitude (Mw) and the earlier ...
b) the Guidelines, which aim at better clarifying i) the background of the scale and the scientific concepts that support the introduction of such a new macroseismic scale; ii) the procedure to use the scale alone or integrated with damage-based, traditional scales; iii) how the scale is organized; iv) the descriptions of diagnostic features ...
The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as the 1971 Sylmar earthquake) occurred in the early morning of February 9 in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California. The unanticipated thrust earthquake had a magnitude of 6.5 on the M s scale and 6.6 on the M w scale, and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI ( Extreme ).