The scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or other planet-like bodies is called Seismology. Experts in this field, known as seismologists, use data from tremors to map the Earth’s interior and assess the ...
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A seismograph is an instrument used to detect and record seismic waves (P, S and L waves). It consists of a weighted pen or electronic sensor that remains steady due to inertia while the surrounding frame moves with the shaking ...
Earthquakes are most commonly measured on the Richter scale. This is a logarithmic scale used to determine the magnitude of an earthquake, which is the total amount of energy released at the focus. While the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) is ...
Secondary waves (S-waves), also known as shear waves, cannot pass through liquids. They require a medium with “shear strength” (the ability to resist changing shape) to propagate. Since liquids (like the Earth’s outer core) do not have shear strength, S-waves ...
The country where destructive ocean waves are traditionally and officially called Tsunamis is Japan. Due to its geographic position atop several converging tectonic plates, Japan has a long and tragic history with these events, leading them to develop the world’s ...