sejsmologia

Sejsmologia is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth. It investigates the causes, frequency, and distribution of seismic events, the mechanics of faulting, and the structure of the Earth as revealed by seismic signals.

Historically, sejsmologia developed from early seismographs in the 19th century to a mature science with the advent of global networks, quantitative magnitude scales, and the theory of plate tectonics in the mid-20th century. It relies on data from seismometers installed worldwide to monitor seismic activity and to record ground motions. Advances in instrumentation and computation have enabled increasingly detailed analyses of earthquake sources and the Earth's interior.

The field uses methods such as locating earthquakes with arrival times of P- and S-waves, determining focal mechanisms, and estimating earthquake sizes with local magnitude and moment magnitude scales. Seismic tomography and reflection/refraction studies reveal the interior velocity structure. Networks, data centers, and computational models enable real-time monitoring and long-term risk assessments.

Applications include informing building design and land-use planning, earthquake early warning, and hazard assessment. Sejsmologia also supports understanding geodynamics, including plate tectonics, crustal structure, and induced seismicity related to human activities such as resource extraction, reservoir operation, and geothermal processes. The discipline remains active in both fundamental research and practical risk reduction for communities in seismic regions.