Earthquake Lab

Earthquake Lab
The goal of this portion of the lab is to learn how recording of earthquakes —
seismograms — are used to locate earthquakes, determine their magnitudes, and to
understand the sense of fault motion related to the earthquake. Typical seismogram of a
small earthquake recorded fairly near the source. The P-waves arrive first and are later
swamped by the arrival of the S-waves, The S - P interval is the time between the first
arrivals of the P and S waves; it is used to determine the distance from the epicenter).
This interac- tion produces additional seismic waves (phases) which will be detected by
seismographs. Refer to Fig. 10.14 in your textbook for an explanation of how
seismographs work.
units of time (usually seconds)
P-wave arrival S-wave arrival
S - P interval
maximum amplitude
Name: Lab Section:
A. Locate the Epicenter
1. Measure the S-P interval from the 3 seismograms shown on the following page, and
enter the results in the table below. Then, use the S-P travel time curve (follows the
seismogram) to determine the distance between the station and the epicenter and
enter the data into the table. 2. Next, take a compass and set its radius to the epicentral
distance for each station and draw arcs around each station. Ideally, the three arcs
should intersect at a single point, which is the epicenter — if they do not, you should go
back and check your work. Clearly mark the location of the epicenter.
3. Is there a known fault in the vicinity of the epicenter that is likely to have slipped to
create the earthquake? If so, name the fault.
Station S-P(sec) Distance(km)
Elko
Eureka
Las Vegas
P waves travel between 6 and 13 km/sec. S waves are slower and travel between 3.5
and 7.5 km/sec. In most regions, study of numer- ous earthquakes with well-known
epicenter locations results in an empirical S-P curve, such as the one shown to the
right.
B. Magnitude of the Earthquake
The magnitude of an earthquake provides a convenient measure of its size scaled to a
small number usually less than 9. It is a unitless number, derived from the amplitude of
ground motion associated with S-waves, adjusted for the distance between the
epicenter and the seismo- graph station (the amplitude generally drops off with distance
from epicenter). The table below helps puts earthquake magnitudes into perspective.
Richter Magnitude TNT for Seismic Energy
Yield
Example
-1.5 6 ounces Breaking a rock on a lab table 1.0 30 pounds Large Blast at a Construction Site 1.5 320 pounds 2.0 1
ton Large Quarry or Mine Blast 2.5 4.6 ton s 3.0 29 tons 3.5 73 tons 4.0 1,000 tons Sma ll Nuclear Weapon 4.5 5,100
tons Average Tornado (total energy) 5.0 32,000 tons 5.5 80,000 tons Little Skul l Mtn., NV Quake, 1992 6.0 1 million
tons Double Spring Fla t, NV Quake, 1994 6.5 5 million tons Northridge , CA Quake, 1994 7.0 32 million tons
Hyogo-Ken Nanb u, Japan Quake, 1995; Largest
The rmonuclear Weapon 7.5 160 million ton s Landers, CA Quake, 1992 8.0 1 billion ton s San Fr ancisco, CA
Quake, 1906 8.5 5 billion ton s Anchorage, AK Quake, 1964 9.0 32 billion ton s Chilean Quake, 1960 10.0 1 trillion
ton s San-Andreas type fault circling Earth (NOT
POSSIBLE); OR small asteroid impact 12.0 160 trillion ton s Fa ult Earth in half through center(NOT POSSIBLE);
OR Earth's daily receipt of solar energy modified from John Louie, U. Nevada Reno Seismology Lab
B. Magnitude of the Earthquake
1. Measure the maximum amplitude of the S-waves from the 3 seismograms, and enter
the results in the table below; add the distances from epicenter you obtained in the
previous problem. 2. Then, use the graphical device to the right (called a nomogram) to
determine the Richter magnitude of the earthquake as indicated by each of the three
seismograms. Ideally, they should all converge on a single answer — if they do not, you
should go back and check your work.
Distance from
Station Epicenter (km)
C. Recurrence Time of the Earthquake

The North American Plate and the Pacific plate are moving past each other at about 5
cm/yr, but this slip is distributed along many separate faults. The best estimate for the
section of the San Andreas of interest here is 14 mm/yr. Use the typical slips in the table
to the right to estimate the approximate recurrence interval for an earthquake of this
magnitude.
Magnitude
Max S-wave Amplitude (mm)
Elko
Eureka
Las Vegas
Magnitude
8765
Avg. Slip
4m
1.4 m
40 cm
10 cm
C. Focal Mechanism of the Earthquake
Earthquake waves spread out from a point where the rupture and displacement first begin — this point is
called the hypocenter or the focus of the earthquake (the epicenter is the place on the surface directly
above the focus. There is a distinctive pattern of first motion right around the focus, as shown below.
3D View of a Left-Lateral Strike-Slip Fault
pulls away from adjacent rock, causing dilation
pushes into adjacent rock, causing compression
Enlarged View of Focal “Point”

pushes into adjacent rock, causing compression
pulls away from adjacent rock, causing dilation
View from Above Surface
dilational first motion
compressional first motion
front of first P-wave
auxiliary plane
dilational compressional
first first motion
motion
fault plane in gray
fault
epicenter plane
As shown in the above diagrams, the nature of the first P-wave varies from compressional to dilational as
it radiates out into the four quadrants originating from the focus. Seismograms can detect this sense of
motion and is recorded as either up upward first motion for compression and a downward first motion for
dilation. By studying the map-view pattern of first motion recorded at various stations, you can define the
four quadrants, which in turn indicate the sense of motion along the fault when the earthquake occurred.
1. Study the seismograms on the next page and determine whether the first motion is compressional or
dilational, then transfer that information onto the map; darken compressional stations and draw a thin
vertical line through dilational stations.
2. Based on your interpretations, find the approximate auxiliary plane and shade the compressional
-122 ̊55' -121 ̊15'
quadrants, then shown the relative sense of motion along the fault with some arrows.
4
37 ̊55'
3 Hayw1
2 San Andreas Fault
ard Fault
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D. The Global Pattern of Seismicity and Plate Tectonics
Seismicity occurs where rocks are being deformed under brittle ( breakable, susceptible to failure by
fracturing rather than ductile flow, like silly putty) conditions, so the global distribution of reveals where
deformation is occurring. As you all know by now, most seismicity is concentrated along plate boundaries,
but there is quite a bit more that can be gleaned from a closer inspection of the locations of seismicity. We
have loaded a huge database of earthquake foci or hypocenters onto the Geowall computer to help you
see the patterns of seismicity in 3D . The questions below refer to the sub-scene called South America.
Your lab assistants will show you how to start up the seismicity display. Working with your partner, study
the various scenes and write short answers to the following questions.
2. a) What is the approximate relationship between the location of volcanism on the overriding plate and
the dip and depth of subduction?
b) Are there any differences in the subduction zone beneath the two volcanic gaps? How might these
differences account for the lack of volcanism.
3. Note that all of the seismicity is not confined to the subducting plate. How might you account for the
seismicity that is not in or near the subducting plate?
Caribbean Plate Cocos Plate
7.0
Peru - Chile V
olcan ir c e
T nGap c
h

Volcanic Gap 5.9

1. Study the seismicity along the South American margin. Based on the seismicity, does the subducting
plate appear to be continuous or discontinuous (in both horizontal and vertical, or down-dip, directions)?
Describe your observations that lead to your answer.
Antarctic Plate
South American
Nazca
Plate
Plate
Chile Ridge

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C. Recurrence Time of the Earthquake

Enlarged View of Focal “Point”

2 San Andreas Fault

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C. Recurrence Time of the Earthquake

Enlarged View of Focal “Point”

2 ​S​an Andreas Fault

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2 San Andreas Fault