Chapter #3/ Slides #3 Flashcards
Define Seismicity
Earthquake Activity
Define Seismic waves
Vibrations generated by earthquakes
Define Seismology
Scientific study of eathquakes
Seismologists
Scientists who study earthquakes
Define Faults
Fractures in rocks
A sloping fault plane is classified within two names
Hanging wall and Footwall
Define hanging wall
The rock above the fault plate
Define foot wall
the rock below the fault plate
Define normal fault
The hanging wall moves down the fault plane relative to the foot wall
Define reverse fault
The hanging wall moves up the fault plane, relative to the footwall
Define a thrust fault
A reverse fault but with a gentle slope
Define strike-slip fault
Movement occurs parallel to the strike line
Define Elastic Deformation
When rocks can recover their shape after stress is removed
Define Elastic Rebound
When bent rock on both sides of a fault suddenly straighten out
Define Elastic-rebound theory
Seismic waves generated due to elastic rebound
Define Stick-slip behavior
The cycle of stress build-up and eventual slippage along a fault
Focus/Hypocenter
The location inside Earth where seismic waves begin
Epicenter
The point on earths surface directly above the focus (where earthquake begins)
Foreshocks
A cluster of small earthquakes preceding a mainshock
Mainshock
the largest earthquake of a sequence
Aftershocks
A cluster of small earthquakes following a main shock
What are foreshocks?
a) seismic waves originating from an epicenter
b) small earthquakes preceding a mainshock
c) the four largest earthquakes in a sequence
d) energy released due to vertical slip along a strike-slip fault
b) small earthquakes preceding a mainshock
What are body waves and list both
Travel through Earth’s interior. P-waves and S-waves
Surface waves, name both
Travel on Earth’s surface, slower than body waves
L-waves: Horizontal shearing motion, like a snake
R-waves: Vertical motion of rolling undulations
Attenuation
Waves weaken with increasing distance from the focus. As energy spreads it cover more area.
Amplification
Waves slow down as they enter weaker rock. Slowing velocity causes wavelength to shrink but amplitude to grow
Reflection
Wave energy bounces away from boundary
Refraction
Wave energy crosses boundary and changes angle