GEOL107 Chapter 16: Chapter 16
18 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
A trembling or shaking of the ground caused by the sudden release of energy stored in the rocks beneath earth"s surface. The waves of energy produced by an earthquake. Sudden release of progressively stored strain in rocks, causing movement along a fault. Deep tectonic forces act on a mass of rock over many decades. Eventually energy stored in rock exceeds the breaking strength of the rock and it bends until it breaks suddenly and causes an earthquake. The point within the earth where seismic waves first originate. Rupture begins at the focus and then spreads rapidly along the fault zone. The point of the earth"s surface directly above the focus. Seismic waves that travel through the earth"s interior, spreading outward from the focus in all directions. Compressional (longitudinal) wave in which rock vibrates back and forth parallel to the direction of wave propagation. The first (primary) wave to arrive at a recording station following an earthquake.
