answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The S-P time method is perhaps the simplest method seismologists use to find an earthquake's epicenter.

+++

No it's not. That finds its Focus. The Epicentre is the point of maximum movement on the land surface above the slip itself.

User Avatar

Wiki User

7y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

They use seismographs around the world to monitor Earth's surface. The further away from the epicentre, the weaker the reading will be and the larger the difference in arrival time between P-waves and S-waves. Using this time difference the seismologists can estimate the distance from the seismic station to the earthquakes epicentre. Therefore, plotting the strength and locations of the readings on a map, will show the place where the strongest tremor was and plotting a circle round the monitoring stations with radii equal to the distance to the epicentre will allow the seismologists to find the point where these circles all intersect which is the epicentre of the earthquake.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Seismic data from several sensors built around synchronized clocks.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

That's the center of an earthquake or origin-they find it by wave strength.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What do geologists use to locate a earthquakes epicenter?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Art & Architecture

Do geologist locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

They Use A Seismograp and look at the squiggles on the paper.


What do scientists use to locate hidden faults?

Earthquakes


What is it called when scientists use 3 or more seismographs to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

triangulating its loction


Is data about an earthquake from two seismographic stations enough information to locate the epicenter?

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?


Why can geologists not yet predict earthquakes?

Earthquakes, like the weather, are the result of many factors that can interact in any number of different ways. These include the varied movements of the crust and the magma beneath it, the variations in the type of rock, and the separation of plates and faults that cannot be directly observed. Some faults will remain stable for hundreds of years, and the exact amount of strain that builds up is very difficult to accurately measure. The rock movements that result in surface quakes can occur at various depths, complicating the forecast of what movements will follow.

Related questions

How do geologist locate the epicenter of earthquakes?

Geologists use circles to find the epicenter of an earthquake.


Can geologists use data from two seismograph stations to locate an earthquakes epicenter?

yes it can


What does the of each circle represent in a epicenter?

I got it from my science book its geologist use seismic waves to locate the earthquakes epicenter (that's what the circle center is epicenter)


What does the center of each circle represent in a epicenter?

I got it from my science book its geologist use seismic waves to locate the earthquakes epicenter (that's what the circle center is epicenter)


What does the center of each circle represent in the epicenter?

I got it from my science book its geologist use seismic waves to locate the earthquakes epicenter (that's what the circle center is epicenter)


Can geologists use data from only two seismic stations to locate an earthquake's epicenter?

No, though they can narrow it down to two possible locations.


What type of data do geologists use to locate earthquakes epicenter?

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.


How do geologist locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

This job would normally be undertaken by a type of geophysicist known as a seismologist rather than a geologist. For information on how seismologists locate seismic waves, see the related question.


What is a seismologist and what types of scientific tools do they use to locate earthquakes?

Seismologist use a seismometer or seismograph to record the P and S-wave arrival times.Please see the related question for detail on how this is used to locate an earthquake epicenter.Geologists use seismic waves to locate an earthquake's epicenter.


Can geologists use data from only two seismographs to locate an earthquake's epicenter?

No. Without a 3rd peice of data from another station, there will always be 2 different possible locations of the epicenter. You must have 3 seismographs to collect the data.


Why do scientists use a computer to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

Scientists use a computer to locate the epicenter because it would be dangerous to go out there and locate it.... and they never know about any after shocks......


What type of data do geologists use to locate an earthquake's epicenter?

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.