Moment Magnitude Scale (Noun)
Meaning
A logarithmic scale of 1 to 10 (a successor to the Richter scale) that enables seismologists to compare the energy released by different earthquakes on the basis of the area of the geological fault that ruptured in the quake.
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- Seismologists use the moment magnitude scale to measuring earthquake size based on the area of rupture and average amount of slip on the fault.
- In 1979, the moment magnitude scale was developed as an improvement to the original Richter scale in order to more accurately calculate the magnitude of earthquakes.
- The moment magnitude scale allows scientists to calculate the precise energy released by earthquakes and express it using a specific numerical value.
- After an earthquake occurs, scientists utilize various data in combination with the moment-magnitude scale to assign a magnitude to the event.
- The moment-magnitude scale has gradually replaced the Richter scale as the preferred tool in assessing earthquake size because of its greater accuracy.