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EARTHQUAKES. Shaking Crust. EARTHQUAKES. Vibrations produced by breaking of lithosphere (crust & upper mantle) Elastic limit = amount that rocks can stretch and bend When surpassed rocks break & move Seismic waves (vibrations) sent out in all directions. Fault.
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EARTHQUAKES Shaking Crust
EARTHQUAKES • Vibrations produced by breaking of lithosphere (crust & upper mantle) • Elastic limit = amount that rocks can stretch and bend • When surpassed rocks break & move • Seismic waves (vibrations) sent out in all directions
Fault • Surface along which rocks move
3 Types of Faults • Normal Thrust/Reverse Slip Fault Fault Fault
Focus vs. Epicenter • FOCUS – point below the surface where rocks actually break • EPICENTER – point on surface directly above the focus
Primary Seismic Waves • P wave • Longitudinal wave – particles move parallel to wave direction • Fastest • Least destructive
Secondary Seismic Waves • S wave • Transverse wave – particles move at right angles to wave direction • Slower than P waves • More destructive than P waves
Surface Waves • L wave • Particles move in ellipses compared to wave direction • Slowest • Most destructive
LAG TIME • LAG TIME = difference between first S wave and first P wave arrival at a seismic station • Longer lag time = further from the epicenter
Time-Travel Graph • Compares distance from epicenter to lag time
Seismograph Station-Locating an Epicenter • Triangulation-information from at least 3 seismic stations • Seismograph measures how much the surface of the earth moves • Draw 3 circles • Intersection = Epicenter
Richter Scale- Measures the Magnitude • Measures amount of energy released, magnitude • OBJECTIVE scale • NOT influenced by other factors • Used to compare earthquakes • Increase of “1” = 10 times more energy released
Mercalli Scale • Measures amount of damage done to man-made structures • SUBJECTIVE scale • Influenced by many factors (height of buildings, age, how built, etc. . .) • Used to determine amount of $$$ for aid
San Andreas Fault- edge of the Pacific plate is slipping past the North American plate
San Andreas Earthquake http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/index.php
San Andreas Earthquake http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/index.php