Locating and Measuring Earthquakes Using Real Seismic Data
Kelly Liu
, University of Missouri - Rolla
Summary
The objective is to locate an earthquake and measure its Richter magnitude using real data recorded by seismographs.
Context
Audience
I am using this activity in Intro-level geology and the undergraduate and gradute geophysics course. checked checked checked
Designed for a geophysics course
Integrates geophysics into a core course in geology
Designed for an introductory geology course
Integrates geophysics into a core course in geology
Designed for an introductory geology course
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
The website has all of the concepts that are needed to do the exercise. I usally assign the exercise after I introduce the concepts of body waves (P and S) and surface waves as well as earthquake magnitude.
How the activity is situated in the course
As a stand-alone exercise.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Locate an earthquake and measure its Richter magnitude.
This is a web-based activity. The exercise itself is straight forward.
This is a web-based activity. The exercise itself is straight forward.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
This is a web-based activities. The exercise itself is straight forward.
Other skills goals for this activity
Description of the activity/assignment
Your objective is to locate an earthquake and measure its Richter magnitude using real data recorded by seismographs.
Has minimal/no quantitative component
- Step one: Point your web browser to Virtual Earthquake to start
- Step two: Read the instructions on that page, select an earthquake, and click on Submit Choice.
- Step three: View the seismograms, measure S-P intervals, convert them, determine the distances from the earthquake to the 3 stations using a chart provided on the page, and compare your results with the real epicenter. If you get an "Ooops" or "you are close". you have to re-measure the S-P intervals and the distances.
- Step four: After the earthquake is located, go on to determine its Richter magnitude.
- Step five: Get yourself certificated as a "Virtual Seismologist". Print out the page which contains the Certificate and the Final Data Summary that shows what you have entered. Turn in this page with your name and ID at the top to receiver credit.
Has minimal/no quantitative component
Determining whether students have met the goals
As long as the student can print out a certificate, he/she will receive 100% credit for the exercise.
More information about assessment tools and techniques.
