Earth Sciences 2240F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Mercalli Intensity Scale, Richter Magnitude Scale, Seismometer
9 Apr 2015
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Document Summary
Boundaries of plates are active regions for earthquakes that can be either: normal faults, reverse and thrust faults, and strike-slip or tansform faults. The focus (or hypocenter) is the point exactly where the rupture will start and the epicenter is the surface directly above the focus. The failure on the fault plane will be greatest right at the focus and will become weaker as it moves farther away from the focus. The greater the release of energy, the further the blocks move, the larger the fault, and the larger the earthquake. First indication of an earthquake would be a jold" and sound (a rumble) of an energy wave called a. P-waves depend on the density of the material they pass through (more dense the farther they go). The thunder sound comes from the front of the p-wave passing and rocks break. They do not go through liquid as liquid cannot be cut or sheared through so it stops there.
