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

Read more about this topic:  Moment Magnitude Scale

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