seismic wave
Earth's traveling tremor
A seismic wave is a wave of energy traveling through the Earth, typically generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or explosions.
Seismologists use these waves to study the planet's interior structure and to measure earthquake intensity.
The waves come in several types—some travel through rock, others along the surface—each moving at different speeds and causing different kinds of ground motion.
Ground vibration detector
- seismometerDetects ground vibrations
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- mantleCovering or wrap
- crustHard outer layer
focus · hypocenter · tectonics · plate boundaries · subduction · fault · refraction · reflection
Point above seismic origin
- magnitudeSize or scale
- Richter scaleEarthquake strength measurement system
- aftershockSmaller quake following larger
- foreshockLesser quake before larger
rupture · liquefaction · tsunami · intensity · mainshock · tectonic · triggered · induced
Maximum oscillation displacement
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- propagationAct of spreading widely
- oscillationRepeated back-and-forth movement
energy · transmission · compression · shear · longitudinal · transverse · medium · velocity
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
- rumbleLow rolling sound
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
pulsation · oscillation · displacement · acceleration · rolling · swaying · duration · felt
geophone
Ground vibration detector
- seismometerDetects ground vibrations
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- mantleCovering or wrap
crust · focus · hypocenter · tectonics · plate boundaries · subduction · fault · refraction · reflection · velocity
epicenter
Point above seismic origin
- magnitudeSize or scale
- Richter scaleEarthquake strength measurement system
- aftershockSmaller quake following larger
foreshock · rupture · liquefaction · tsunami · intensity · mainshock · tectonic · triggered · induced · swarm
amplitude
Maximum oscillation displacement
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- propagationAct of spreading widely
oscillation · energy · transmission · compression · shear · longitudinal · transverse · medium · velocity · period
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
shock · pulsation · oscillation · displacement · acceleration · rolling · swaying · duration · felt · perceptible
accelerometer
Device measuring motion forces
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- networkInterconnected system
- arrayOrdered collection or display
station · recording · signal · noise · filtering · tomography · imaging · inversion · modeling · early warning
- earthquakesearthquake, quake, earthquakes, quakes, epicenter
- geologybedrock, fault lines, faults, rock, basalt
- waveswavelength, ripples, wavefront, surf, waveform
- wavy patternswavy line, undulation, ripple, ripples, serpentine
- earthquake effectsearthquake, aftershock, aftershocks, tremor, tremors
- Geology Diagramsrock cycle, plate tectonics, cross section, geologic map, rock strata
seismic wavesedimentation
Particles settling in liquid
seismic waveelectromagnetic wave
Self-propagating field oscillation
light wave · radio wave · sound wave · acoustic wave · gravitational wave
wave, seismic, seismograph, seismology, seismologist, seismicity, seismically, seismogram, seismic waves