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A seismograph for horizontal motion. Modern seismographs record earth motion on moving strips of paper. The mass is suspended
by a wire from the column and swings like a pendulum when the ground moves horizontally. A pen attached to the mass records the
motion on a moving strip of paper.
Measuring Earthquakes
A simple seismograph for detecting vertical rock motion. The pen records the ground motion on the seismogram as the spring
stretches and compresses with up and down movement of the spring. Frame and recording drum move with the ground. Inertia of
the weight keeps it and the needle relatively motionless.
Measuring Earthquakes (cont.)
seismogram: the paper record of each
vibration
Determining the Location of an Earthquake
travel-time curve: a plot of seismic-wave
arrival times against distance
Locating an earthquake. The distance from each of three stations (Denver, St. Johns, and Lima) is
determined from seismograms and the travel-time curves shown in figure 16.9. Each distance is used
for the radius of a circle about the station. The location of the earthquake is just offshore of Vancouver,
British Columbia, where the three circles intersect.
Measuring the Size of an Earthquake
intensity: a measure of an earthquake’s effect on
people and buildings
modified Mercalli scale: scale expressing intensities
of earthquakes (judged on amount of damage done)
in Roman numerals ranging from I to XII
magnitude: a measure of the energy released during
the earthquake
Richter scale: a numerical scale of magnitudes
moment magnitude: an earthquake magnitude
calculated from the strength of the rock, surface area
of the fault rupture, and the amount of rock
displacement along the fault
Effects of
ground motion
Earthquakes
fire
landslides
liquefaction (a special type of ground failure)
permanent displacement of the land surface
aftershocks: small earthquakes that follow the
main shock
Map view of two possible solutions for the same pattern of first motion. Each solution has a different fault orientation. If the fault
orientation is known, the correct solution can be chosen. The star marks the epicenter, and rock motion is shown by arrows.
Earthquakes at Divergent Boundaries
divergent boundaries: where plates
move away from each other
the rock motion that is deduced from
first-motion studies shows that the faults
here are normal faults, parallel to the rift
valley
Earthquakes at Transform Boundaries
transform boundaries: where plates
move horizontally past each other
first-motion studies indicate strike-slip
motion on faults parallel to the boundary