Earthquakes

Volcanology &
Seismology
Note : All information stated in this

presentation are for instructional purposes
H.B. Ruelo
only, and should not be used for other 2nd Ruelo
Nonoy (H.B.) Sem SY 2014-2015 1
purposes.
EARTHQUAKE - (tremor, temblor)
trembling or shaking movement
of the ground
Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 2

Earthquake Types
• Tectonic
• Volcanic
• Man-made

Earthquakes often occur when tectonic plate
collide
What happens when plates collide? It depends

how the plates are moving when they meet :
1. when two plates collide head-on, they push each other up
and form mountains. That's how the Himalayas and other great
mountain ranges (including the Rockies, long ago) were
created.
2. when one plate dives below another plate, it creates a

subduction zone as the diving plate is crushed and melted.
3. when two plates slide past each other, they create a

transform fault, like the Philippine Fault Zone

Definitions
Earthquake - the vibration of the ground due to the sudden release of
energy accumulated in a deformed rock
Focus (hypocenter) - spot underground where the rock begins to

break- point at which slip initiates
Epicenter- the point on the land surface directly above the focus
Aftershock- tremors that occur as rocks adjust to their new position
Seismology- the study of earthquakes

Seismic Waves
Earthquake’s energy is transmitted through the earth as
seismic waves
Two types of seismic waves radiate from the focus

Body waves- transmit energy through earth’s interior
Primary (P) wave- rocks vibrate parallel to direction of wave (v=4-7km/sec)
Compression and expansion (slinky example)
Secondary (S) wave- rocks move perpendicular to wave direction (v=2-5
km/sec)
Rock shearing (rope-like or ‘wave’ in a stadium) S-wave cannot travel
through liquid
Surface waves- transmit energy along earth’s surface
Love (L) wave- Rock moves from side to side like snake
Raleigh ® wave- Rolling pattern like ocean wave
Seismic waves that travel the fastest are called primary waves, or P
waves. P waves arrive at a given point before any other type of
seismic wave. P waves travel through solids, liquids and gases.
P waves are push-pull waves. As P waves travel, they push rock

particles into the particles ahead of them, thus compressing the
particles. The rock particles then bounce back. They hit the particles
behind them that are being pushed forward. The particles move back
and forth in the direction the waves are moving.

Secondary Waves
Seismic waves that do not travel through the Earth as fast as P
waves do are secondary waves, or S waves. S waves arrive at a
given point after P waves do. S waves travel through solids but
not through liquids and gases
Surface Waves
The slowest-moving seismic waves are called surface waves, or
L waves. L waves arrive at a given point after primary and
secondary waves do. L waves originate at the epicenter. Surface
waves travel along the surface of the earth, rather than down
into the earth. Although they are the slowest of all the
earthquake waves, L waves usually cause more damage than P
or S waves.

Locating & Measuring Earthquake
Seismometer- instruments that detect seismic waves

Seismograph- device that measures the magnitude of earthquake
seismogram is visual record of arrival time and magnitude of shaking
associated with seismic wave
Mercalli Intensity scale
Measured by the amount of damage caused in human terms- I (low) to XII
(high)
Richter Scale- (logarithmic scale)
Magnitude- based on amplitude of the waves
Earthquake total energy- uses moment magnitude scale

Locating Epicenter &
Focus Depth (EQ classification)
Use Arrival time at a recording station (time lag between P
& S waves) to locate the epicenter of an earth quake
Need three stations to determine the epicenter
Maximum Depth of Focus

Shallow focus EQ < 70 km (45 mi) most earthquakes
Intermediate focus EQ- 70-300 km (45- 180 mi)
Deep focus EQ- > 300 km (> 180 mi)

Richter Scale
Richter scale is based on a logarithmic scale, meaning that
each subsequent number is ten times more in amplitude of
vibration- this translates to about 30 times more energy
than the previous number.
Example: an EQ of 5.0 is 10 times greater than an EQ of 4.0

on the Richter scale and is 30 times more in energy.
An EQ of 5.0 is 100 times greater in amplitude than an EQ
with 3.0 reading on the Richter scale

Earthquakes below 4.0 on the Richter scale usually do
not cause damage, and earthquakes below 2.0 usually
can’t be felt.
Earthquakes over 5.0 on the scale can cause damage.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake is considered strong

and
a magnitude 7.0 is a major earthquake.

Earthquake Locations
Most EQs occur in the Circum-Pacific region
80% of shallow focus EQ; 100% of deep focus EQ
Most EQs occur along plate boundaries

Oceanic trenches, Benioff zones, Mediterranean-
Himalayan mountains
Most EQs in Philippines occur in subduction zones

(defined by Benniof Zone)

What are the destructive effects of earthquakes?
Ground shaking – amplitude, duration, and damage increases

in poorly consolidated rocks
Effects of Earthquakes
Ground Displacement / Ground rupture
Lateral and vertical
Landslides / Subsidence
Liquefaction
Conversion of formally stable fine grain materials to a fluid mass
Seiches
The back & forth movement of water in a semi-closed/closed body of water-
could cause flooding
Tsunamis-
more from submarine landslide
Fire

Earthquakes: Facts and Fiction
• Fiction: Earthquakes usually happen in the morning.

Fact: Earthquakes happen in both the day and the night. There is no
pattern.
• Fiction: There is such a thing as "earthquake weather."
Fact: There is no connection between earthquakes and weather.
Remember, earthquakes happen deep in the earth, far away from the
weather!
• Fiction: Earthquakes are on the increase.
Fact: It may seem like we’re having more earthquakes because there
are more reporting stations, but the truth is we’re not.
• Fiction: We can prevent earthquakes from happening.
Fact: No. You can protect yourself by doing things to secure
buildings, like your home, but earthquakes can’t be prevented -- or
predicted.
Thank you

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Volcanology &

Note : All information stated in this

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 2

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 3

What happens when plates collide? It depends

2. when one plate dives below another plate, it creates a

3. when two plates slide past each other, they create a

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 4

Focus (hypocenter) - spot underground where the rock begins to

Aftershock- tremors that occur as rocks adjust to their new position

Seismology- the study of earthquakes

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 5

Two types of seismic waves radiate from the focus

P waves are push-pull waves. As P waves travel, they push rock

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 8

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 9

Seismometer- instruments that detect seismic waves

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 12

Maximum Depth of Focus

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 19

Example: an EQ of 5.0 is 10 times greater than an EQ of 4.0

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 20

Earthquakes over 5.0 on the scale can cause damage.

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake is considered strong

a magnitude 7.0 is a major earthquake.

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 21

Most EQs occur along plate boundaries

Most EQs in Philippines occur in subduction zones

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 22

Ground shaking – amplitude, duration, and damage increases

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 24

• Fiction: Earthquakes usually happen in the morning.

Nonoy (H.B.) Ruelo 28

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