THE EARTHQUAKES PORTAL
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's top 700 km that creates seismic waves. These waves are detected with seismometers and amplified electronically so they can be displayed as a function of time by a seismograph as a seismogram. The size of an earthquake is given by its open ended logarithmic scale of magnitude, often referred to as the Richter scale. Shocks smaller than magnitude 2.5 are usually not felt and those with magnitude 7 cause serious damage over large areas. Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale, ranging from 1 far from the epicenter to a maximum near it, which can reach 12 in the strongest earthquakes.. At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes displacement of the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located offshore, the seabed sometimes is uplifted enough to cause a tsunami. The shaking in earthquakes can also trigger landslides and occasionally volcanic activity. (read more...) Seismology (from the Greek seismos(σεισμός) = earthquake and λόγος,logos = knowledge ) is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, and artificial processes (explosions). A related field that uses geology to infer information regarding past earthquakes is paleoseismology. Selected articleThe 1992 Nicaragua earthquake occurred off the coast of Nicaragua on September 2, 1992. Some damage was also reported in Costa Rica. At least 116 people were killed and several more were injured. The quake was located in an active zone of stress and deformation. It created tsunamis disproportionately large for its surface-wave magnitude, or Ms. Selected pictureError: Portal:Earthquakes/Selected picture/7 does not exist. News
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TopicsGovernment study centers Seismic waves Seismology and scales Notable earthquakes Related WikiProjectsWikiProject Earthquakes is the central point of coordination for Wikipedia's coverage of earthquakes, seismology, tsunamis, and related subjects. Please feel free to join and help! Things you can do
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