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Re: I Have Often Wondered |
To follow up on what Roger is saying, remember that the magnitude scale is logarithmic. Each whole point in magnitude is about 32 times in energy released. 2 whole points is exactly 1000, so actually 1 point is the square root of 1000 (31.622776.....) The point being, it takes 1 million 1.4 quakes to equal the same amount of energy as a mag 5.4 quake. Or, 1000 3.4 quakes to equal one 5.4. It is clear from the record that there are not that many smaller earthquakes between the larger ones. That's why enough energy can still build up to make the larger quake even though smaller ones still occur. It doesn't matter how the fault is locking up - big rocks vs small rocks or what-have-you. Just think about the energy release. That energy is being stored somehow, it doesn't matter how. It still takes 1000 M3.4's to equal 1 M5.4. Brian Follow Ups: ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Don in Hollister 23:06:54 - 3/5/2006 (34503) (1) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Skywise 02:03:11 - 3/6/2006 (34504) (3) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - glen 20:40:56 - 3/6/2006 (34543) (1) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Skywise 21:41:43 - 3/6/2006 (34545) (1) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - glen 22:49:54 - 3/6/2006 (34552) (1) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Skywise 00:14:22 - 3/7/2006 (34556) (0) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - chris in suburbia 06:04:18 - 3/6/2006 (34506) (1) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Skywise 15:30:44 - 3/6/2006 (34514) (0) ● Re: I Have Often Wondered - Don in Hollister 03:09:14 - 3/6/2006 (34505) (1) ● Re: You Have Often Wondered - marc / berkeley 09:23:02 - 3/6/2006 (34509) (1) ● Re: You Have Often Wondered - Skywise 15:32:48 - 3/6/2006 (34515) (1) ● Re: You Have Often Wondered - Barbara 22:36:00 - 3/6/2006 (34550) (1) ● Re: You Have Often Wondered - Barbara 23:00:05 - 3/6/2006 (34554) (1) ● Re: You Have Often Wondered - Skywise 00:23:23 - 3/7/2006 (34558) (0) |
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