ERTH 2415 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Strong Ground Motion, Mercalli Intensity Scale, Seismic Wave

• School: Carleton University
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: ERTH 2415
• Professor: Ralph Calistro

Document Summary

Descriptive and subjective scheme based on: eye witness accounts, damage to infrastructure. Twelve divisions of increasing intensity (roman numerals 1- Intensity: measure of the effects of an earthquake on people and infrastructure. Magnitude: total amount of energy released during earthquake. For a given earthquake there are 7 intensity values but only 1 magnitude. Results summarized in isoseismal maps and intensity reports: contour maps of mercalli intensity, based on input from the public. Shakemap: intensity map generated automatically using data from networks of seismograph stations: inputs: Knowledge of regional geology: output: computed intensity that the earthquake should have. Magnitude: higher the magnitude, higher the intensity, more energy released during an earthquake, the higher the potential for destruction. Epicenter location: earthquake will cause greater damage if epicenter located in densely populated area. Distance from the epicenter: general rule: closer to the epicenter, higher the intensity.