0
Is A Richter and Moment Magnitude 8 earthquake twice as large as a Richter or Moment Magnitude 4 earthquake?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
No, but it would be much stronger.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Why is the modified mercalli scale used?
It can be used to calculate the magnitude of Earthquakes that are too large for the Richter scale (any Earthquake with a magnitude over 6.9 is un-suited for measurement using the Richter scale, hence the introduction of the moment magnitude scale for large earthquakes). For more information about the two scales, please see the related questions.
What scale measures earthqukes?
The moment magnitude scale, the Richter scale (which can only be used for low and moderate magnitude earthquakes less than 6.9) and the modified mercalli intensity scale are used to measure earthquakes.
What scale is used to measure earthquake intensity?
The moment magnitude scale is used to measure the magnitude of large earthquakes. The Richter scale is still used to make an initial estimate of the magnitude of larger earthquakes and to measure small and moderate ones (those with a magnitude below 7).
What is the difference between the Mercalli scale the Richter scale and the magnitude scale?
In seismology (the study of seismic waves or vibrations in the ground / earthquakes) the Richter scale is a magnitude scale. Magnitude scales show the amount of energy released by an earthquake. In the case of the Richter magnitude this is based on the amplitude of the seismic waves measured on a seismometer and the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre of the earthquake. The magnitude value should be the same for a given earthquake no matter where it is recorded. The Mercalli scale is an intensity scale. This gives information on the perceived ground shaking in a specific location. The value is derived from witness reports on the perceived violence of the shaking, from the damage done to buildings and other infrastructure and also based on measurements from accelerometers and other seismic recording instruments in order to make the Mercalli intensity value a less subjective parameter. The intensity and damage to infrastructure can be influenced strongly by a number of variables including local ground conditions and the use (or otherwise) of earthquake resistant design. Please see the related questions for more information.
The scale most widely used by scientists for measuring earthquakes is the?
This depends on what they are trying to measure. If they are interested in the amount of energy an earthquake produces (magnitude), then they will make an initial measurement using the Richter magnitude scale. If it is a large earthquake (greater than 8.0) they will use the moment magnitude scale. If they are interested in the damage caused by an earthquake and the level of ground shaking in a specific area they will use an intensity scale. The most commonly used intensity scales are the Modified Mercalli scale, the European Macroseismic scale, the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale, in India, Israel, Russia and throughout the CIS they use the MSK-64 scale and in China, the China Seismic Intensity Scale. These are all conceptually similar to the Modified Mercalli scale.
What are two advantages of the moment magnitude scale over the Richter scale?
The moment magnitude scale is more accurate for large earthquake than can cause damage.
What scale describes an earthquake with a magnitude?
There are a number of earthquake magnitude scales, including the moment magnitude scale (the scale currently favoured by seismologists), the Richter or local magnitude scale and the surface wave magnitude scale.
Was the Haitian earthquake the 2nd highest ever on the Richter scale?
No. The second highest earthquake magnitude (depending on the source of the information) was either the Boxing Day 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (magnitude 9.1 - 9.3) or the 1964 Alaskan earthquake (magnitude 9.2). The Haitian Earthquake in January 2010 had a Richter magnitude of 7.2.
What was the Japan Earthquake 2011 on the moment magnitude scale?
Magnitude of the 2011 Japan earthquake on moment magnitude scale is 9.0.The use of the Richter magnitude scale has largely been replaced by the moment magnitude scale in most countries. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), for example, uses the moment magnitude scale designated as MMS or Mw to measure all large earthquakes.UPDATE: Official magnitude was updated to 9.1 on Nov 7, 2016.
Why is the modified mercalli scale used?
It can be used to calculate the magnitude of Earthquakes that are too large for the Richter scale (any Earthquake with a magnitude over 6.9 is un-suited for measurement using the Richter scale, hence the introduction of the moment magnitude scale for large earthquakes). For more information about the two scales, please see the related questions.
What is the name of the scale that measures earthquakes?
The Richter scale was originally developed to measure the strength or magnitude of moderate earthquakes (magnitudes less than 7). The surface wave magnitude scale was then developed by Richter and Guttenburg to allow larger earthquake magnitudes to be measured (up to 8). To measure large earthquakes the moment magnitude scale must be used. To measure the severity of earthquakes, the Modified Mercalli intensity scale is used in the US and the Macroseismic scale is used in Europe.
What scale measures earthqukes?
The moment magnitude scale, the Richter scale (which can only be used for low and moderate magnitude earthquakes less than 6.9) and the modified mercalli intensity scale are used to measure earthquakes.
Earthquake intensity is charted on a Richter scale on a scale of 1 to?
The "Richter scale" (properly: local magnitude scale) is only accurate up to about magnitude 6 and tends to underestimate anything higher than that. The related surface magnitude scale saturates at about magnitude 8.The USGS now uses the moment magnitude scale for medium to large quakes (anything above magnitude 3.5 or so; it doesn't scale well below that). It has no theoretical upper limit, but the largest scientifically documented earthquake so far had a moment magnitude of about 9.5.
What scale is used to measure earthquake intensity?
The moment magnitude scale is used to measure the magnitude of large earthquakes. The Richter scale is still used to make an initial estimate of the magnitude of larger earthquakes and to measure small and moderate ones (those with a magnitude below 7).
What are the two way scientists measure earthquakes?
Moment Magnitude Scale. Large earthquakes are not measured very well by the Richter scale, especially if the seimometers used are very far away from anearthquakeepicenter. The moment magnitude scale is now most commonly usedfor medium to large earthquakes.
What was the biggest earthquake?
The most recent large earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011 (as of March 2011), and it was the largest earthquake since records began. No, it wasn't. The largest earthquake ever recorded was the Chilean earthquake on May 20th, 1960. It measured 9.5 magnitude on the Richter's scale.
What scale is used to measure the energy released by an earthquake?
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the amount of energy released by large earthquakes (those greater than magnitude 8.0). For smaller earthquakes (those with magnitudes less than 7.0 and with epicentres less than 650 km from a seismometer station may be used) the method devised by Richter (the Richter magnitude scale) may be used to estimate the magnitude. The surface wave magnitude scale may be used for earthquakes with magnitudes up to 8.0 (devised by Richter and Gutenberg to extend the utility of the Richter scale.) Richter magnitudes are generally easier to derive than moment magnitudes being based on direct seismometer measurements, whereas the moment magnitude is a more4 fundamental measurement of magnitude being based on the rock mass strength around the fault, the amplitude of fault movement and the cross sectional area of that portion of the fault that moved. However this is more difficult to measure. As such it is common for initial reports to be in Richter magnitudes and more detailed letter magnitudes to be reported as moment magnitudes.
