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The use of the Richter magnitude scale has largely been replaced by the moment magnitude scale in most countries.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 moment magnitude scale rates an earthquake by estimating the total energy released during an earthquake
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 moment magnitude scale is more accurate for large earthquake than can cause damage.
There are two The Richter Scale and the Moment Scale.
The moment magnitude scale (MW) provides an estimate of the total energy released in an earthquake and is currently the preferred magnitude scale in use by seismologists for measuring large (magnitude greater than 7) earthquakes.
7.0 on the Moment Magnitude Scale.
the moment magnitude scale rates an earthquake by estimating the total energy released during an earthquake
to rate an earthquake
An earthquake's magnitude is a measure of how strong it is
to rate an earthquake
The Moment Magnitude 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 moment magnitude scale is more accurate for large earthquake than can cause damage.
The Seismic Moment Scale is the most accurate measurement of an earthquake's magnitude.
A magnitude scale. Formerly the Richter magnitude scale was used, but this has now been replaced by the Moment magnitude scale.
A magnitude scale. Formerly the Richter magnitude scale was used, but this has now been replaced by the Moment magnitude scale.
The instrument that is used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake is a seismometer.