styrkleikakvarða

Styrkleikakvarði is an Icelandic term that translates to "strength scale" or "intensity scale." It is a system used to describe the severity of various natural phenomena, most commonly earthquakes. While not a universally standardized international scale, it serves as a local reference point within Iceland for assessing the impact of seismic events.

The styrkleikakvarði typically considers factors such as the observed effects on people, buildings, and the natural environment. This includes details like the felt shaking, damage to structures, and any changes in the landscape. It is a descriptive scale, meaning it relies on eyewitness accounts and physical evidence rather than purely instrumental measurements, although instrumental data can inform the assessment.

Unlike the magnitude scales (like the Richter scale or moment magnitude scale) which measure the energy released at the earthquake's source, the styrkleikakvarði focuses on the intensity of shaking experienced at different locations on the surface. Therefore, a single earthquake can be assigned different styrkleikakvarði values depending on how strongly it was felt and the damage it caused in various areas. This makes it a useful tool for understanding the localized impact and potential hazard posed by earthquakes in Iceland.