Moment Magnitude Scale - Radiated Seismic Energy

Radiated Seismic Energy

Potential energy is stored in the crust in the form of built-up stress. During an earthquake, this stored energy is transformed and results in

  • cracks and deformation in rocks
  • heat
  • radiated seismic energy .

The seismic moment is a measure of the total amount of energy that is transformed during an earthquake. Only a small fraction of the seismic moment is converted into radiated seismic energy, which is what seismographs register. Using the estimate

Choy and Boatwright defined in 1995 the energy magnitude

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