How is the magnitude of an earthquake measured - The magnitude of the earthquake that is 1000 times more intense than a standard earthquake=3.0. Step-by-step explanation: The magnitude "M" of an earthquake is defined as: (1) where I is the intensity of the earthquake (measured by the amplitude of the seismograph wave) and S is the intensity of a “standard” earthquake, which is barely ...

 
The largest ancient quake that has been estimated based on geological evidence was also in Chile, approximately 3,800 years ago, and likely also measured about 9.5 in magnitude, according to 2022 .... Kansas vs indiana basketball tickets

The earthquake events are measured either according to the magnitude or intensity of the shock. The magnitude scale is known as the Richter scale. The magnitude relates to the energy released during the quake. The magnitude is expressed in absolute numbers ranging between 0 and 10. The intensity scale is named after Mercalli, an Italian ... The intensity levels I I of two earthquakes measured on a seismograph can be compared by the formula \log \frac {I_1} {I_2}=M_1-M_2 log I 2I 1 = M 1 −M 2 where M M is the magnitude given by the Richter Scale. In August 2009 2009, an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 6.1 hit Honshu, Japan. In March 2011 2011, that same region experienced yet another ...Jan 30, 2019 · Magnitude of an earthquake is defined as , where I is the intensity of the earthquake measured on seismograph and S is the intensity of the standard earthquake. Since, it is given that, The intensity of an earthquake measured is 10 times more than that of the standard earthquake. i.e. I = 10S. So, we get, Magnitude of an earthquake is , Developed in 1935 by Charles Richter, this scale uses a seismometer to measure the magnitude of the largest jolt of energy released by an earthquake. Moment magnitude scale. Measures the total energy released by an earthquake. Moment magnitude is calculated from the area of the fault that is ruptured and the distance the ground moved along the ...There are a number of ways to measure the magnitude of an earthquake. Most scales are based on the amplitude of seismic waves recorded on seismometers. These scales account for the distance between the earthquake and the recording seismometer so that the calculated magnitude should be about the same no matter where it is measured.11.3 Measuring Earthquakes. There are two main ways to measure earthquakes. The first of these is an estimate of the energy released, and the value is referred to as magnitude. This is the number that is typically used by the press when a big earthquake happens. It is often referred to as “Richter magnitude,” but that is a misnomer, and it ...The formula for the Richter magnitude, M, of an earthquake is M = log ⁡ A A 0 M=\log \frac{A}{A_{0}} M = lo g A 0 A , where A is the amplitude of the ground motion and A 0 is the amplitude of a standard earthquake. In 1985, an earthquake with magnitude 6.9 on the Richter scale was recorded in the Nahanni region of the Northwest Territories.Earthquake is a natural event resulting in the Earth’s shaking. The main cause of an Earthquake is the release of energy from the Earth’s crust in the form of Seismic Waves that travel in all directions. These vibrations that arise from Earthquakes are measured on instruments known as seismographs. A hypocenter is a place below the …Math Algebra Use the Richter scale R = log (I/I0 ) For measuring the magnitude R of an earthquake. Find the intensity I of an earthquake measuring R on the Richter scale (let I0 = 1). (Round your answers to the nearest whole number.) (a) R = 7.5. Use the Richter scale R = log (I/I0 ) For measuring the magnitude R of an earthquake.Earthquake magnitude is the measure of the size of the seismic waves that are produced by an earthquake.Earthquakes are measured using instruments called seismometers, that detect the vibrations caused by seismic waves as they travel through the crust. Seismic waves can be both natural (from earthquakes) or caused by human activity (explosions). ... The scale is logarithmic, meaning that an earthquake of magnitude 6 is ten times …There are two ways by which we can measure the strength of an earthquake: magnitude and intensity. Magnitude is proportional to the energy released by an earthquake at the focus. It is calculated from earthquakes recorded by an instrument called seismograph. It is represented by Arabic Numbers (e.g. 4.8, 9.0).The amplitude is measured from the seismogram, as is the time difference between the arrival of the P- and S-waves. A line connecting the two values on the graph gives the magnitude of the earthquakes. Magnitude: TNT Equivalent : Example: 1.0: 30 lb : Construction site blast : 2.0: 1 ton : Large quarry or mine blast : 3.0: 29 ton : 4.0: 1 kiloton :The Richter scale. measures the magnitude of an earthquake (how powerful it is). ... The largest earthquake ever recorded was in Chile in 1960, it measured 9.5 on the Richter scale.How are earthquakes measured? How is the magnitude of an earthquake determined? Moment magnitude, Richter scale - what are the different magnitude scales, and why are there so many? What is the difference between earthquake magnitude and earthquake intensity? What is the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale? How do you determine the …A better measure of the size of an earthquake is the amount of energy released by the earthquake, which is related to the Richter Scale by the following equation: Log E = 11.8 + 1.5 M (where Log refers to the logarithm to the base 10, E is the energy released in ergs and M the Richter magnitude). Know More ›. Feb 9, 2023 · At such a magnitude, the earth’s crust should fall apart and we will all die. Since 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey has used the moment magnitude to estimate strong earthquakes. Let’s make it simple. If you don’t see the word “points” and see a fraction part, this is the measured strength of the earthquake, its magnitude. There are two ways by which we can measure the strength of an earthquake: magnitude and intensity. ... earthquake is determined using the PHIVOLCS Earthquake ...How are Earthquakes Measured? The Richter scale range measures earthquakes from a magnitude of 1 (smallest) to a magnitude of 10 (largest). The intensity of an earthquake can be measured in ...Humans use logarithms in many ways in everyday life, from the music one hears on the radio to keeping the water in a swimming pool clean. They are important in measuring the magnitude of earthquakes, radioactive decay and population growth.Approximately 1,500 earthquakes are recorded in Japan every year. The magnitude of each earthquake varies, and larger earthquakes between 4 and 7 on the Richter scale regularly occur.There are two ways by which we can measure the strength of an earthquake: magnitude and intensity. Magnitude is proportional to the energy released by an earthquake at the focus. It is calculated from earthquakes recorded by an instrument called seismograph. It is represented by Arabic Numbers (e.g. 4.8, 9.0).Several scales have been defined, but the most commonly used are local magnitude (ML), commonly referred to as ‘ Richter magnitude ‘. 3-3.9-magnitude – Minor earthquake that may be felt. 4-4 ...The strength of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that if the earthquake's strength increases by 1 on the Richter scale, it is 10 times more ...Prior to the development of the magnitude scale, the only measure of an earthquake's strength or "size" was a subjective assessment of the intensity of shaking observed near the epicenter of the earthquake, categorized by various seismic intensity scales such as the Rossi-Forel scale. ("Size" is used in the sense of the quantity of energy ...Fast Fact: Measuring Earthquakes. Earthquakes are measured by special machines called seismometers. Scientists use the numbers from 1 to 10 to say how strong an earthquake is. This number system is called a scale, or a magnitude scale. Magnitude means how big or strong something is. Higher numbers mean stronger earthquakes.The Richter magnitude M is given by the model M=I/Idown0) where I is the intensity of the earthquake in 100 km from the epicenter and I down0 is the smallest seismic activity that can be measured. A recent earthquake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale.Magnitude, in astronomy, is a unit of measurement of the brightness of stars. Learn more and get a basic definition of magnitude at HowStuffWorks. Advertisement Magnitude, in astronomy, a unit of measurement of the brightness of stars. The ...Moment magnitude, a quantitative measure of an earthquake’s magnitude (or relative size), developed in the 1970s by Hiroo Kanamori and Thomas C. Hanks. Size calculations are tied to an earthquake’s seismic moment rather than to the amplitudes of waves recorded by seismographs.Earthquake - Magnitude, Seismology, Epicenter: Earthquake magnitude is a measure of the “size,” or amplitude, of the seismic waves generated by an earthquake source and recorded by seismographs. (The types and nature of these waves are described in the section Seismic waves.) Because the size of earthquakes varies enormously, it is necessary for purposes of comparison to compress the range ... Since 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey has used the moment magnitude to estimate strong earthquakes. Let’s make it simple. If you don’t see the word “points” and see a fraction part, this is the measured strength of the earthquake, its magnitude. But it is more difficult to say if it is according to Richter or Kanamori.The strength of earthquakes is measured on a scale known as the local magnitude scale. An earlier version was known as the Richter scale. ... a magnitude 1 quake would be a micro-earthquake that ...20.12.2022 ... Measuring an earthquake's magnitude. Scientists largely use the moment magnitude scale to categorize earthquakes' strength and size in a way ...There is one magnitude for an individual quake, but the intensity varies significantly. Earthquake shaking is typically measured as an acceleration; higher magnitude earthquakes cause more violent shaking, which in turn typically cause higher intensity. People often think that magnitude of the earthquake is the only factor that determines damage.Earthquake size, as measured by the Richter Scale is a well known, but not well understood, concept. The idea of a logarithmic earthquake magnitude scale was first developed by Charles Richter in the 1930's for measuring the size of earthquakes occurring in southern California using relatively high-frequency data from nearby seismograph stations.The magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan in 2011 killed 16,000 people and damaged or destroyed more than 400,000 buildings; the magnitude 7.0 quake in Haiti in 2010 resulted in a staggering 316,000 deaths; the 2008 quake of magnitude 7.9 in China’s Sichuan province injured almost 400,000 people and left 4.8 million homeless.Earthquakes are measured using seismographs, which monitor the seismic waves that travel through the Earth after an earthquake strikes. ... Major earthquake: – Magnitude: 7.0 - 7.9 – Damage ...Today, an earthquake's size is typically reported simply by its magnitude, which is a measure of the size of the earthquake's source, where the ground began …How is earthquake magnitude measured? Magnitude is a measure of the amplitude (height) of the seismic waves an earthquake’s source produces as recorded by seismographs. Seismologist Charles F. Richter created an earthquake magnitude scale using the logarithm of the largest seismic wave’s amplitude to base 10.In 1935 Charles Richter defined the magnitude of an earthquake to be where I is the intensity of the earthquake (measured by the amplitude of a seismograph reading taken 100 km from the epicenter of the earthquake) and S is the intensity of a ''standard earthquake'' (whose amplitude is 1 micron =10 -4 cm).The moment magnitude scale ( MMS; denoted explicitly with Mw or Mw, and generally implied with use of a single M for magnitude [1]) is a measure of an earthquake 's …Magnitude calculations are based on a logarithmic scale, so a ten-fold drop in amplitude decreases the magnitude by 1.If an amplitude of 20 millimetres as measured on a seismic signal corresponds to a magnitude 2 earthquake, then:10 times less (2 millimetres) corresponds to a magnitude of 1;100 times less (0.2 millimetres) corresponds to ...Magnitude is determined using mathematical formulae and information from seismograms. One such magnitude scale is the Richter scale. This magnitude scale is ...It is a logarithmic scale that measures the energy released by an earthquake, with a magnitude of one being the lowest and a magnitude of 9 or higher being the highest. Earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 or higher are considered to be major events, while those with a magnitude of 7.0 or higher are known as great earthquakes.Developed in 1935 by Charles Richter, this scale uses a seismometer to measure the magnitude of the largest jolt of energy released by an earthquake. Moment magnitude scale. Measures the total energy released by an earthquake. Moment magnitude is calculated from the area of the fault that is ruptured and the distance the ground moved along the ...02.02.2022 ... The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs. ○ On the Richter Scale, ...Earthquake size, as measured by the Richter Scale is a well known, but not well understood, concept. The idea of a logarithmic earthquake magnitude scale was first developed by Charles Richter in the 1930's for measuring the size of earthquakes occurring in southern California using relatively high-frequency data from nearby seismograph …The Richter magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs (adjustments are included to compensate for the variation in the distance between the various seismographs and the epicenter of the earthquake). The original formula is: [6] Magnitude is a measure of the amplitude (height) of the seismic waves an earthquake’s source produces as recordeThe magnitude of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale as a logarithm of the intensity of the shock wave. For magnitude R and intensity I, the formula is R = log(I). The 1933 earthquake in Long Beach measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. The Palm Springs earthquake in August 28, 2001 measured 3.4 on the scale.The magnitude of an earthquake is measured on a logarithmic scale called the Richter scale. The magnitude M is given by M = log ⁡ 10 x M=\log _{10} x M = lo g 10 x, where x represents the amplitude of the of the seismic wave causing ground motion.How many times as great is the amplitude caused by an earthquake with a Richter scale rating of 10 as …Seismic waves and factors related to the shifting ground determine an earthquake’s magnitude, as measured through 10 on the scale most commonly used to describe quakes.06.06.2016 ... It is frequently described using the Richter scale. To calculate magnitude, the amplitude of waves on a seismogram is measured, correcting for ...Magnitude calculations are based on a logarithmic scale, so a ten-fold drop in amplitude decreases the magnitude by 1.If an amplitude of 20 millimetres as measured on a seismic signal corresponds to a magnitude 2 earthquake, then:10 times less (2 millimetres) corresponds to a magnitude of 1;100 times less (0.2 millimetres) corresponds to …The Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake (how powerful it is). It is measured using a machine called a seismometer which produces a seismograph ...Magnitude is expressed in whole numbers and decimal fractions. For example, a magnitude 5.3 is a moderate earthquake, and a 6.3 is a strong earthquake. Because of the logarithmic basis of the scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude as measured on a seismogram.Scientists estimate that over 10,000 earthquakes occur in California each year. Most of these go unnoticed since they are minor. For example, only several hundred have a magnitude greater than 3.0 and of these,only 15 to 30 have a magnitude...G is the proportionality constant 6.67x10-11 (N-m2/kg2) in Newton's law of gravity. When there is an earthquake, the forces caused by the shaking can be measured as a percentage of gravity, or percent g. For example: The shaking at a particular location is measured as an acceleration of 11 feet per second, or 11*12*2.54 cm/sec/sec = 335 …23.02.2023 ... The Richter Scale is measured in magnitude, with each whole number representing a tenfold increase in shaking amplitude. For example, an ...Jan 1, 2016 · One of the major advances in the development of magnitude scales was the concept of ‘seismic moment’ (Kanamori, 1978).The Seismic Moment is considered to be the most accurate and comparable measure of an earthquake and can be considered as a measure of the irreversible inelastic deformation in the fault rupture area (Kanamori, 1977). Solve for I1 by multiplying both sides of the equation by I2 . The larger earthquake had a magnitude 1.4 more on the Richter scale than the smaller earthquake. Let's check our answer: Suppose the larger …Seismic waves and factors related to the shifting ground determine an earthquake’s magnitude, as measured through 10 on the scale most commonly used …In 1979, as geologists developed more accurate techniques for measuring energy release, a new scale replaced the Richter: the moment magnitude, or MW scale, ...9.2 Measuring Earthquakes. The shaking from an earthquake travels away from the rupture in the form of seismic waves. Seismic waves are measured to determine the location of the earthquake, and to estimate the amount of energy released by the earthquake (its magnitude ).How Are Earthquakes Measured? Two different viewpoints underpin the most important measurements related to earthquakes: magnitude and intensity. To scientists, an earthquake is an event inside the earth. To the rest of us, it is an extraordinary movement of the ground. Magnitude measures the former, while intensity measures the latter.Approximately 1,500 earthquakes are recorded in Japan every year. The magnitude of each earthquake varies, and larger earthquakes between 4 and 7 on the Richter scale regularly occur.An earthquake measured by a seismometer. Credit: DarTar. But a problem arose. When comparing the different values to the reference point, the difference in the proportions between strong and weak earthquakes was so vast that it was impracticable to place them on the same linear scale. ... Thus, in the 1970s, the Moment Magnitude (M …An earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher is considered major. The largest earthquakes in history have been of about magnitude 9. Major earthquakes release far more energy than any man-made explosion ...Plug magnitude values of 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 into the equation above. The energy released by an M5 earthquake is about 2.8 x 10 12 joules. An M6 earthquake releases 7.8 x 10 13 joules, and an M7 radiates 2.1 x 10 15 joules. If you don't have a sense for what these numbers mean, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima released about 7.4 x 10 12 joules.Earthquake - Magnitude, Intensity, Effects: The violence of seismic shaking varies considerably over a single affected area. Because the entire range of observed effects is not capable of simple quantitative definition, the strength of the shaking is commonly estimated by reference to intensity scales that describe the effects in qualitative terms. Intensity scales date from the late 19th and ...Magnitude calculations are based on a logarithmic scale, so a ten-fold drop in amplitude decreases the magnitude by 1.If an amplitude of 20 millimetres as measured on a seismic signal corresponds to a magnitude 2 earthquake, then:10 times less (2 millimetres) corresponds to a magnitude of 1;100 times less (0.2 millimetres) corresponds to …208) The intensity levels \(I\) of two earthquakes measured on a seismograph can be compared by the formula \(\log \left ( \frac{I_1}{I_2} \right )=M_1-M_2\) where \(M\) is the magnitude given by the Richter Scale. In August 2009, an earthquake of magnitude \(6.1\) hit Honshu, Japan. In March 2011, that same region experienced yet …The intensity of the earthquake and the magnitude are related by the formula M= log ( To) where lo is the intensity of an arbitrary chosen earthquake. The earthquake that hit Kobe, (위) Japan measured 5.7 on the Richterscale. The earthquake that hit Baguio City, Philippines measured 7.8.Jan 31, 2019 · An earthquake of intensity 8 is 100 times more powerful than earthquake of intensity 6, because it has base of 10 in it's Logarithm. →→Magnitude of an earthquake to be , where I is the intensity of the earthquake (measured by the amplitude of the seismograph wave) and S is the intensity of a “standard” earthquake. The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs. What are the 3 scales to measure earthquakes? Because of the limitations of all three magnitude scales (ML, Mb, and Ms), a new, more uniformly applicable extension of the magnitude scale, known as moment …Nov 5, 2021 · The Richter magnitude scale was developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology as a mathematical device to compare the size of earthquakes. The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs. Seismic waves and factors related to the shifting ground determine an earthquake’s magnitude, as measured through 10 on the scale most commonly used to describe quakes.Jan 1, 2016 · One of the major advances in the development of magnitude scales was the concept of ‘seismic moment’ (Kanamori, 1978).The Seismic Moment is considered to be the most accurate and comparable measure of an earthquake and can be considered as a measure of the irreversible inelastic deformation in the fault rupture area (Kanamori, 1977). The intensity levels I I of two earthquakes measured on a seismograph can be compared by the formula \log \frac {I_1} {I_2}=M_1-M_2 log I 2I 1 = M 1 −M 2 where M M is the magnitude given by the Richter Scale. In August 2009 2009, an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 6.1 hit Honshu, Japan. In March 2011 2011, that same region experienced yet another ...11.3 Measuring Earthquakes. There are two main ways to measure earthquakes. The first of these is an estimate of the energy released, and the value is referred to as magnitude. This is the number that is typically used by the press when a big earthquake happens. It is often referred to as “Richter magnitude,” but that is a misnomer, and it ...Seismic waves and factors related to the shifting ground determine an earthquake’s magnitude, as measured through 10 on the scale most commonly used to describe quakes.Moment magnitude, a quantitative measure of an earthquake’s magnitude (or relative size), developed in the 1970s by Hiroo Kanamori and Thomas C. Hanks. Size calculations are tied to an earthquake’s seismic moment rather than to the amplitudes of waves recorded by seismographs.The magnitude is a measure of an earthquake in terms of the released energy. At the present time, the most popular scale is the Richter scale, developed by a U.S. seismologist Charles Richter in 1935. Richter defined the magnitude of a local earthquake as the logarithm to base ten of the maximum seismic wave amplitude (in microns) recorded on a ...

Earthquake is a natural event resulting in the Earth’s shaking. The main cause of an Earthquake is the release of energy from the Earth’s crust in the form of Seismic Waves that travel in all directions. These vibrations that arise from Earthquakes are measured on instruments known as seismographs. A hypocenter is a place below the …. Ku mu basketball game

how is the magnitude of an earthquake measured

30.07.2023 ... How are Earthquakes Measured? There are various ways of measuring various aspects of earthquakes – with the magnitude being one of the most ...Feb 4, 2019 · The magnitude of the earthquake that is 1000 times more intense than a standard earthquake=3.0. Step-by-step explanation: The magnitude "M" of an earthquake is defined as: (1) where I is the intensity of the earthquake (measured by the amplitude of the seismograph wave) and S is the intensity of a “standard” earthquake, which is barely ... Earthquakes of magnitude 6 and above can cause severe damage to life and property. The strongest earthquake measured in the world so far was in Chile, on May 22 ...Apr 17, 2022 · Although the curve of Earthquake Waves is recorded at Seismograph, the intensity and magnitude of the Earthquakes are measured by two different scales namely Richter Scale and Mercalli Scale.   RICHTER SCALE This scale, developed by Charles Richter, measures the magnitude of the energy released during the Earthquake. This scale is open-ended i.e. there is not any end of the scale but, it ... A better measure of the size of an earthquake is the amount of energy released by the earthquake, which is related to the Richter Scale by the following equation: Log E = 11.8 + 1.5 M (where Log refers to the logarithm to the base 10, E is the energy released in ergs and M the Richter magnitude).The magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan in 2011 killed 16,000 people and damaged or destroyed more than 400,000 buildings; the magnitude 7.0 quake in Haiti in 2010 resulted in a staggering 316,000 deaths; the 2008 quake of magnitude 7.9 in China’s Sichuan province injured almost 400,000 people and left 4.8 million homeless.A better measure of the size of an earthquake is the amount of energy released by the earthquake, which is related to the Richter Scale by the following equation: Log E = 11.8 + 1.5 M (where Log refers to the logarithm to the base 10, E is the energy released in ergs and M the Richter magnitude). Know More ›.A magnitude based on the amplitude of Rayleigh surface waves measured at a period near 20 sec. Waveforms are shaped to the WWSSN LP response. Reported by NEIC, but rarely used as authoritative, since at these magnitudes there is almost always an Mw available.208) The intensity levels \(I\) of two earthquakes measured on a seismograph can be compared by the formula \(\log \left ( \frac{I_1}{I_2} \right )=M_1-M_2\) where \(M\) is the magnitude given by the Richter Scale. In August 2009, an earthquake of magnitude \(6.1\) hit Honshu, Japan. In March 2011, that same region experienced yet …Math Algebra Use the Richter scale R = log (I/I0 ) For measuring the magnitude R of an earthquake. Find the intensity I of an earthquake measuring R on the Richter scale (let I0 = 1). (Round your answers to the nearest whole number.) (a) R = 7.5. Use the Richter scale R = log (I/I0 ) For measuring the magnitude R of an earthquake.And since scientists figured out how to measure earthquake magnitude in the early 1900s, some truly massive quakes have shaken our planet. ... A magnitude 8.4 earthquake struck 4 miles (6 km) from ...Intensities a measure of the amount of ground shaking at a given location. Intensity not magnitude measures how about the earthquake is a location. Most common measurement of intensity is a modified Mercalli scale. Mercalli scale. Modified Mercalli is a good qualitative description of intensity in terms of damage levels.Earthquakes can be measured in two ways. One method is based on magnitude—the amount of energy released at the earthquake source. The other is based on intensity—how much the ground shakes at a specific location. Although several scales have been developed over the years, the two commonly used today in the United States are the moment ...A better measure of the size of an earthquake is the amount of energy released by the earthquake, which is related to the Richter Scale by the following equation: Log E = 11.8 + 1.5 M (where Log refers to the logarithm to the base 10, E is the energy released in ergs and M the Richter magnitude). Know More ›.Feb 9, 2023 · At such a magnitude, the earth’s crust should fall apart and we will all die. Since 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey has used the moment magnitude to estimate strong earthquakes. Let’s make it simple. If you don’t see the word “points” and see a fraction part, this is the measured strength of the earthquake, its magnitude. Moment magnitude scale. The moment magnitude scale ( MMS; denoted explicitly with Mw or Mw, and generally implied with use of a single M for magnitude [1]) is a measure of an earthquake 's magnitude ("size" or strength) based on its seismic moment. It was defined in a 1979 paper by Thomas C. Hanks and Hiroo Kanamori. Magnitude is expressed in whole numbers and decimal fractions. For example, a magnitude 5.3 is a moderate earthquake, and a 6.3 is a strong earthquake. Because of the logarithmic basis of the scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude as measured on a seismogram..

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