ESC2000 Lecture 5: WK5-EARTHQUAKES
Document Summary
Seismology study of earthquakes vibration of the earth produced by rapid release of energy usually due to slippage along a fault. But not many occur near large population centers. August 1886 charleston, sc largest earthquake documented. Epicenter point on earth"s surface above the focus. 3 types of energy waves released during an earthquake: p-wave primary compressional. Ground motion is in the same direction as the wave travels: s-wave secondary shear. Ground motion is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation: surface wave. Developed from data of u/g atomic bomb tests. Length of p-wave is directly related to distance from earthquake. Based on amount of damage to structures: magnitude scales richter scale. The amplitude of largest seismic wave recorded on seismograph. The distance to epicenter as determined by length of p-wave. 1: design of structure, nature of ground on which structure rests. Liquefaction the loss of cohesion between sedimentary particles due to motion caused by an earthquake.
