seismology

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WHAT IS SEISMOLOGY? INTENSITY

— study of earthquake waves — measure of the amount of ground shaking at a

SEISMIC WAVES particular location

— form of energy that travels through the lithosphere — based on observed property damage

and Earth’s interior — qualitative and subjective

— cause the materials to shake INTENSITY SCALE

— also called as vibrations — mid 1800s

ANCIENT CHINESE SEISMOGRAPH — severity of earthquake shaking and destruction

— Zhang Heng MAGNITUDE

— Han dynasty — quantitative measurement (force & duration)

— used to know the direction of earthquake waves — relies on data gathered from the seismic records ot
estimate the amount of energy
SEISMOGRAPH/SEISMOMETER
— sensitive instrument that can detect earthquake RICHTER SCALE

— only 15 earthquakes a day can seismometers/graphs — 1935

detect — Charles Richter

— has three components: —*

vibration - received by the instrument MOMENT MAGNITUDE
inertia - pendulums will move once vibration is received — medium and large
* instrument — total energy released during earthquake

SEISMOGRAM — average amount of slip on the fault

— recorded data coming from the

seismograph/seismometer
— nature of the seismic waves

seismology 1