An earthquake is measured by a seismometer to determine its magnitude on the Richter scale. The Richter is based on a base 10 logarithm. The scale defines magnitude by a logirithm of the ratio of the amplitude of seismic waves.
Mercalli intensity is based off of observed damage to earth's structures. Richter magnitude uses calculations during the actual time of the earthquake.
M8 on Richter scale is short-hand for a magnitude 8.0earthquake.According to the USGS Earthquake Center an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or higher occurs on average only once per year worldwide (based on observations since 1900).
The Richter magnitude scale (ML) scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. It is a logarithmic scale based upon the horizontal amplitude of the largest displacement from zero on a seismometer. Each whole unit (i.e., 1.0) corresponds to an approximate energy increase of 32 time (e.g., a 6.0 M earthquake has 32 time the energy release of a 5.0 M).
- The magnitude of an earthquake can be measured on a scale called Richter scale.- A Richter scale assigns a number each earthquake. This is also known as the Richter magnitude scale.
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.
The Richter scale
The Richter Scale—more appropriately called the magnitude scale—is one means of expressing the magnitude of an earthquake (i.e., the amount of energy released).
The Richter scale assigns a magnitude number to an earthquake based on the maximum amplitude of the seismic waves as recorded on a seismometer and the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre of the earthquake.
The Richter scale assigns a magnitude number to an earthquake based on the maximum amplitude of the seismic waves as recorded on a seismometer and the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre of the earthquake.
The Richter Scale is the established scale for earthquakes based on size and power.When you see that an earthquake is a magnitude 5.2 it means that it is a 5.2 on the Richter scale.For every increase of one on the Richter scale, an earthquake's power is magnified tenfold. So, a magnitude 4 is ten times stronger than a magnitude 3 earthquake.Anything over a magnitude 5 is a really big earthquake.
Mercalli intensity is based off of observed damage to earth's structures. Richter magnitude uses calculations during the actual time of the earthquake.
M8 on Richter scale is short-hand for a magnitude 8.0earthquake.According to the USGS Earthquake Center an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or higher occurs on average only once per year worldwide (based on observations since 1900).
The Richter magnitude scale (ML) scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. It is a logarithmic scale based upon the horizontal amplitude of the largest displacement from zero on a seismometer. Each whole unit (i.e., 1.0) corresponds to an approximate energy increase of 32 time (e.g., a 6.0 M earthquake has 32 time the energy release of a 5.0 M).
the moment magnitude scale is used to measure earthquake magnitude-taking into account the size of the fault rupture, the rocks stiffness,and the amount of the movement of the fault- using values that can be estimated from the size of several types of seismic waves. while a Richter scale is a numerical scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake, using values based on the size of the earthquakes largest seismic waves.
- The magnitude of an earthquake can be measured on a scale called Richter scale.- A Richter scale assigns a number each earthquake. This is also known as the Richter magnitude scale.
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.
Based on the section "energy equivalent" in the Wikipedia article on "Richter scale", it would seem that this is approximately 600 TJ (terajoule).