EARTHQUAKE

By:
SAURAV SIR
• Earthquake :- An earthquake is viberation or
lamor in the earth crust due to internal or
external causes. The vibration may be
feeble or strong. The science dealing with
the study of earthquakes is called
Sismonlogy which is an inter disciplinary
science depending both on the knowledge
of geology as well as physics. The term "
Seismic" denotes any thing related to an
earthq
• Earthquakes occurs both on land and sea
bed. The submarine earthquakes produce
huge sea waves which are known as
TSUNAMI (Japanese term).
• The instrument used to record the
intensity, direction and time of arrival of
earthquake is called SEISMOGRAPH. The
record made on the paper is known as
Seismogram.
• In a seismic record the lines forming the
process where the shock or waves arrive
at the same lines are called homoseismic
or coseismal or homoseist.
• Similarly a line joining all process of the
same earthquake intensity is known as
isoseismal line or isodiastrophic line of
equal damage.
• Focus and Epicentre :
• Focus :- Focus is a point or place below the
surface of the earth where seismic wave or
earthquake origin and travel in all directions.
This place is called centre of disturbance due
to faulting of rocks. This place may be in a
few meters to hundreds of kilometers.
• Epicentre :- The points or place on the
surface vertically above the focus is called
the epicentre of the earthquake. It is the
place where earthquake or vibration reach
first of all.
• Seismic Waves :- These are also called
waves or energy waves. These waves
generates at the focus and travel in all
direction with their characteristic
velocities.
• These are of three types :-
• (1) P-waves or primary wave or
longitudinal wave or compressional waves
or push and pull wave :-
• These wave are the fastest wave and
are high source wave longitudinal in
character. They have short wavelength
and high frequency and can travel in solid,
liquid & gases.
• (2) The s-waves or secondary waves or
shear waves or transverse waves or
distortional waves :- These waves are
transverse in nature & are like the tight
waves. They have short wavelength and
high frequency they travel only in the solid
medium and their velocity (Vs) depends
on density of their material as described
below :
• (3) The L-waves or long-waves or surface
waves :- These waves travell along the
surface of the earth. They have low
velocity, low frequency and low
wavelength. They produce most
destructive earthquake.
• Cause of Earthquake :- The cause of
earthquake are grouped into 3.
• (i) Non - Tectonic, Causes :-
• (a) Surface causes
• (b) Volcanic Causes
• (ii) Tectonic Causes :-
• (a) Faulting
• (b) Plate movements
• (iii) Reservoir induced earthquake
(Seismisity).
• Details :
• (i) Non-tectonic causes :-
• (a) Surface causes :- Feeble earthquakes are
generated by land slid, avalanches dashing, sea
waves, againts the coast. Movement of heavy
machinary, [Locomoties collapse of sub surface
waves] nuclear explosion.
• (b) Volcanic causes :- Explosion volcanic
eruptions, generally of central type produce feeble
or strong earthquake (for example - KRAKATOA
(1887) in Sumatra), MOUNT PELEE (1851 in West
Indies) etc. produced several earthquakes
 • 2. Tectonic Cause :-
• (a) Elastic rebound theory :- Many theories have
been proposed but the most accountable is "The
elastic Rebound Theory" by H.F. Reid in 1906.
• It states that rocks behaves as elastic material
when stress is applied. In the first stage rocks bends.
As the elastic limit reaches rupture developes and
finally the rock breaks. The place of rupture is called
the fault. [The displacement is associated with a
rebound due to bending by stress. During the
process of a rebound the stored energy is released
at the place of displacement. i.e., the focus in the
form of energy waves or seismic waves p s , land
waves .
• (b) Plate movement :- The plate theory
also explains the origin of the earthquakes
in motion and become sites of
earthquakes. Inner parts of the plate do
not show earthquakes. The plate
boundries are characterised by folding,
faulting thrusting etc. Which generates
earthquakes.
• (3) Reservioir induced earthquakes :-
Earthquake caused by storage of high
amount of water behind a dame has been
recognised in many seismic belts sudden
earthquake has come after filling water in
reservoirs. This shows that earthquake
generate due to reservour.
• Measurement of Seismicity :-
• Intensity of earthquake :- Intensity of an
earthquake is damage and destruction it
can cause. Intensity diminishes (decreasing)
outwards from the EPICENTRE. The places
with equal intensity joined by a line (contour)
on the map is called isoseismic.
• There are two scale of intensity :
• (i) Rossi-forrel
• (ii)Mercalli scale
• Magnitude of earthquake :- It is a measure
energy realised during an earthquake. It is
determine on the basis of amplitude of
seismic waves recorded as seismogram.
• This scale is called Richter scale
• Classification of Earthquakes :-
Earthquakes are classified on the
following basis.
• (1) Causes of origin
• (2) Depth of focus
• (3) Intensity and magnitude of
earthquakes .
• (1) Cause of origin :- They are of two type :
• (i) Tectonic
• (ii) Non-Tectonic
• (2) Depth of focus :-
• (i) Surface eq. :- Depth of focus 10000 m. (10 km.)
• (ii) Shallow focus :- Depth of focus 10-50 km. (85%
of all Earthquakes).
• (iii) Intermediate focus eq. :- Depth of focus 50-300
km (12% of all Earthquakes).
• (iv) Deep focus eq. :- Depth of focus 300 to 700 km
(3% of all Earthquakes.)
• (3) Intensity and magnitude of
Earthquakes :- On this basis earthquakes
are feeble , weak, moderate, strong,
disterious, catastrophic etc.
• Magnitude is measured on Richter
scale of which from (0-9).
• Distribution :- Main earthquake belts of the world
are :-
• (i) The circum pecific belt :- It coincides with
circumpacific ring of fire.
• (ii) Mediteronean - Himalayan belt :- It runs from
Gibralation to east via the Atlas mountains, the
Pyrenies, Balkan, Caucasus. The Himalayas, The
mountain chain of Burma, Indonesia.
• (iii) A number of shallow focus earthquakes occur in
the zone of mid oceanic ridges.
• The present day earthquakes are associated with
form fold mountains and are related to the end of
Himalayas - Alpine orogeny (Mountain fountain)