The distance to the epicenter
4. shear waves and compression waves travel at different speeds, therefore the difference in arrival time can be used to fix the distance.
The difference in arrival times between P and S-waves as measured on a seismometer can be used to determine the distance to the origin.
Using the difference in their arrival times and an estimate of their velocity of propagation you can calculate the distance of the earthquake epicentre from the seismometer recording station. If you do this from three or more different seismometer stations you can triangulate it's position. For more information please see the related question.
Three
It starts from the center, I'm pretty sure, and then moves out from there. BORDERLANDS 2 ALL THE WAY!
No. Seismologists (a type of geophysicist) use the difference in the arrival time of P and S waves to estimate the distance from the seismometer station to the epicentre of the earthquake.
Given the difference in arrival times, you can determine the distance from the epicenter.
4. shear waves and compression waves travel at different speeds, therefore the difference in arrival time can be used to fix the distance.
The diffrence in arrival times of P and S waves.
The difference in arrival times between P and S-waves as measured on a seismometer can be used to determine the distance to the origin.
Using the difference in their arrival times and an estimate of their velocity of propagation you can calculate the distance of the earthquake epicentre from the seismometer recording station. If you do this from three or more different seismometer stations you can triangulate it's position. For more information please see the related question.
Three
It starts from the center, I'm pretty sure, and then moves out from there. BORDERLANDS 2 ALL THE WAY!
They measure the difference in arrival times of P and S seismic waves as measured on a seismograph. From this (based on an estimate of their relative velocities) they can calculate the distance of the seismometer from the earthquakes epicentre using the following equation:Distance to epicentre (km) = Time Difference (s) x (VP - VS) / (VS x VP)Where:VP = P-wave velocity (km/s)VS = S-wave velocity (km/s)
From Science Explorer Prentice Hall Earth Science: " Geologists use seismic waves to locate an earthquake's epicenter. Seismic waves travel at different speeds. P waves arrive at a seismograph first, with S waves following close behind. To tell how far the epicenter is from the seismograph, scientists measure the difference between the arrival time of the P waves and S waves. The farther away an earthquake is, the greater the time between arrival of the P waves and the S waves." Did this help?
Seismologists use the data from triangulated seismographs to locate an earthquake's epicenter. The difference in time between the arrival of p and s waves at a seismometer tells the distance to the epicenter of an earthquake. To get the exact location, scientists must collect data from at least three seismometers. The point where all three circles is the epicenter of the earthquake. +++ The Epicentre is generally obvious: it is the point of maximum disturbance on the surface. The centre of the actual slip is the Focus, and this has to be calculated from seismograph data by triangulating from wave velocities.
Seismologists use the data from triangulated seismographs to locate an earthquake's epicenter. The difference in time between the arrival of p and s waves at a seismometer tells the distance to the epicenter of an earthquake. To get the exact location, scientists must collect data from at least three seismometers. The point where all three circles is the epicenter of the earthquake. +++ The Epicentre is generally obvious: it is the point of maximum disturbance on the surface. The centre of the actual slip is the Focus, and this has to be calculated from seismograph data by triangulating from wave velocities.