Earthquake Magnitude Levels

An 8 6 magnitude earthquake releases the same amount of energy as 10 000 atomic bombs like those used in world war ii.

Earthquake magnitude levels. A magnitude 2 2 earthquake has been felt in melbourne s east with residents in the area reporting shaking and a loud sonic boom noise. 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 of wave amplitudes. For instance an earthquake of magnitude 6 0 releases approximately 32 times more energy than a 5 0 magnitude earthquake and a 7 0 magnitude earthquake releases 1 000 times more energy than a 5 0 magnitude of earthquake.

Magnitude type magnitude range distance range equation comments. The richter scale also called the richter magnitude scale or richter s magnitude scale is a measure of the strength of earthquakes developed by charles f. This was later revised and renamed the local magnitude scale denoted as ml or m l.

On sunday morning two miles away from the. Richter and presented in his landmark 1935 paper where he called it the magnitude scale. M w 2 3 log 10 m o 16 1 where m o is the seismic moment.

Usually not felt but can be recorded by seismograph. The quake felt at 8 07 a m. Mww moment w phase generic notation mw 5 0 and larger.

The formula above is for moment in dyne cm. Often felt but. The earthquake s epicenter was in sparta about 120 miles from burlington according to the united states geological survey.

Estimated number each year. An earthquake struck near the south carolina and virginia border and was felt in multiple states. The 5 1 magnitude quake occurred at approximately 8 a m.

An earthquake rocked alleghany county north carolina on sunday morning marking the biggest earthquake in the state in more than 100 years the 5 1 magnitude quake happened at 8 05 a m about 2 3. Was the second of the day after an earlier 2 6 magnitude quake affected sparta just before 2 a m. 1 90 degrees.