GEOL 1330 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Seismometer, Hypocenter, Elastic Energy
20 Jul 2016
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Document Summary
Original position of the rocks on opposite sides of the fault. The movement of the tectonic plates causes the rocks to bend and store elastic energy. Once the strength of the rock is exceeded, slippage along the fault produces an earthquake. The rock returns to their original shape, but in a new location. During an earthquake the initial slippage begins at the hypocenter. The rupture surface propagates (travels) along the fault surface, at a rate of 2 to 3 kilometers per second. The rupture surface continues to grow until it reaches a section of the fault where the rocks have not been successfully Fault stays locked storing up elastic energy, then suddenly slips, releasing the stored energy. First wave to be recorded in the seismogram, fastest velocity. Second wave to be recorded in the seismogram, slow velocity. Period is the time that elaspes between passing crests (or troughs)
