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Seismological Curiosities

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An earthquake, is a natural event that is expressed as a jolt or oscillating movement of the ground, produced by a tectonic fault in the interior of the Earth or by volcanic alteration with magma eruption towards the surface of the Earth.

In any case, an earthquake brings as a consequence the release of the accumulated energy, being transmitted in the form of elastic waves, which cause vibrations and oscillations when reaching the earth's surface; These waves are of the type:

.- P (primary, longitudinal and compression with movement of the medium in which it moves, in the same direction of the wave).
.- R (liquefaction rotational, with movement of circular rotation of the medium in which it moves, around the direction of the wave).
.- S (secondary, with movement of the medium in which it moves in the direction transverse to the propagation of the wave).

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Curious Data of the Earthquakes

1.- The earthquakes are unpredictable, currently we can not get accurate information to make an accurate prediction. However, the earthquakes can be predicted, because the technology already exists to detect where the earthquake could happen, but we can not be said when it will happen.

2.- Apparently, animals can predict seismic activity, by showing strange behaviors prior to an earthquake. It is suspected that animals can detect pre activity, due to the change in surface, gases and chemical variations; in fact, the toads, crabs and birds leave the place they inhabit prior to the occurrence of an earthquake.

3.- More than 500,000 earthquakes occur each year, at an average of 1,400 telluric movements per day; of which about 100,000 per year (274 per day) can be felt and the rest are of such low intensity that they do not feel; less than 100 earthquakes a year have enough intensity to cause damage.

4.- On the Moon, on Mars and on almost all planets, earthquakes also occur.

5.- Sometimes lights are seen in the sky, before and during the occurrence of an earthquake.

6.- The Pacific Ring of Fire, neighbor to China, Russia and Japan, is the most active seismological region on Earth.

7.- An earthquake could last from 5 seconds to several minutes. One of the longest earthquakes occurred on 1964 in Alaska, lasting more than 4 minutes.

8.- The largest recorded earthquake in the world occurred in the city of Valdivia (Chile) on 1960; city sank 4 m below sea level, and caused the eruption of Puyehue volcano.

9.- The earthquake can be superficial (from 0 to 70 km deep), intermediate (from 70 to 300 km deep) or deep (from 300 to 700 km).

10.- The intensity of an earthquake is measured based on the Richter scale, as follows:
10.1.- Up to 2.9 degrees, we do not feel it.
10.2.- Up to 3.9 degrees, we hardly feel it, but it does not cause damage.
10.3.- Up to 4.9 degrees, we feel it, but it cause insignificant damages.
10.4.- Up to 5.9 degrees, it cause serious damage in badly built buildings, in an area of ​​up to 50 km.
10.5.- Up to 6.9 degrees, it is a strong earthquakes that can destroy areas of up to 100 km.
10.6.- Up to 7.9 degrees, it is a strong earthquake, which can destroy a city with a radius of action up to 200 km.
10.7.- Up to 8.9 degrees: it is a very strong earthquake that can cause severe damage in a radius of 300 km and destroy several cities in its radial path.
10.8.- Up to 9.9 degrees: it is a powerful earthquake that causes terror and death in a radius of 600 km.
10.9.- Greater than 10 degrees: it is an earthquake has never occurred with such intensity and it is believed that if it occurs it will devastate everything in a radius greater than 1,000 km.

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