29. Magnitude and Intensity Scales
Understanding the concepts of Magnitude and Intensity is essential for assessing and communicating the impacts of earthquakes. While Magnitude measures the energy released from the earthquake, Intensity focuses on the effects experienced at specific locations. These two measurements, despite their differences, are crucial for engineering, risk assessment, and improving the resilience of structures against seismic activities.
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What we have learnt
- Magnitude of an earthquake quantifies the energy released at its source, while intensity measures the shaking effects at various locations.
- Different scales exist for measuring magnitude (Richter, Body-Wave, Surface-Wave, Moment Magnitude) and intensity (Modified Mercalli, European Macroseismic Scale, MSK).
- Understanding both magnitude and intensity is critical for seismic engineering, disaster risk assessment, and formulating building codes.
Key Concepts
- -- Magnitude
- A logarithmic measure of the energy released by an earthquake, independent of the observer's location.
- -- Intensity
- The observed effects of an earthquake at a specific location, which can vary based on distance and local conditions.
- -- Richter Scale
- A scale developed to measure the amplitude of seismic waves in order to gauge the local magnitude of earthquakes.
- -- Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale
- A qualitative scale that assesses the intensity of shaking and damage caused by an earthquake, ranging from I (not felt) to XII (total destruction).
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