Richterkvarðanum

Richterkvarðanum, commonly known as the Richter scale, is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. Developed by Charles F. Richter in 1935, it quantifies the energy released at the earthquake's source. The scale is based on the amplitude of the largest seismic wave recorded by a seismograph. Each whole number increase on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in the amplitude of the seismic wave and approximately 31.5 times more energy released. For example, an earthquake of magnitude 6 releases about 31.5 times more energy than one of magnitude 5.

The Richter scale is not a direct measure of earthquake intensity or the damage caused. Intensity scales, such as the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale, describe the effects of an earthquake at a specific location. While the Richter scale was groundbreaking, it has limitations, particularly for very large earthquakes, where other magnitude scales like the Moment Magnitude scale (Mw) are now preferred by seismologists. These newer scales provide a more accurate measure of the total energy released, especially for major seismic events. Despite the advent of more advanced scales, the Richter scale remains widely recognized by the public and is often cited in news reports.

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