The moment magnitude scale is more accurate for large earthquake than can cause damage.
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.
The most commonly referred to scale by the press and the public is the Richter scale for measuring earthquake magnitude. However this was actually replaced in the 1970s by the Moment Magnitude scale which is the magnitude scale favoured and in use by seismologists.
There are two The Richter Scale and the Moment Scale.
The Richter scale. For larger earthquakes (magnitude greater than 7) and for those with an epicentral distance greater than 700 km from the seismometer station, the Moment magnitude scale is used.
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of the 2011 Japan earthquake on moment magnitude scale is 9.0.The use of the Richter magnitude scale has largely been replaced by the moment magnitude scale in most countries.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.
The Richter scale
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.
The scale currently used to express the magnitude of earthquakes is the Richter scale or the moment magnitude scale (Mw). The moment magnitude scale is more commonly used today as it provides a more accurate measurement of an earthquake's size compared to the Richter scale.
Geologists use the moment magnitude scale (Mw) to rate the magnitude of an earthquake today. This scale takes into account the seismic moment, which provides a more precise measurement of an earthquake's size compared to the Richter scale.
The main scales for measuring earthquakes are the Richter scale, the moment magnitude scale, and the Mercalli intensity scale. The Richter scale measures the amplitude of seismic waves, the moment magnitude scale considers the total energy released by an earthquake, and the Mercalli intensity scale measures the intensity of shaking and its effects on people and structures.
The most commonly referred to scale by the press and the public is the Richter scale for measuring earthquake magnitude. However this was actually replaced in the 1970s by the Moment Magnitude scale which is the magnitude scale favoured and in use by seismologists.
A magnitude scale. Formerly the Richter magnitude scale was used, but this has now been replaced by the Moment magnitude scale.
The moment magnitude scale has replaced the Richter Scale.
well nothing. they are the same
This is known as magnitude. It is measured on the moment magnitude scale.
The strongest earthquake that can be measured using the Richter magnitude scale is one with a magnitude of 8.0. For earthquakes larger than this, the moment magnitude scale must be used.
The magnitude of the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, was 6.3 on the Richter scale.