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User:J. Johnson/M/doc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Symbols and codes for various earthquake magnitude scales
IASPEI NMSOP USGS ISC BSSA WP Code Magnitude scale Cat. Comments and references
M ? Unspecified mag. scale M_?
ML Ml ML ML ML ML l Local ("Richter") M_L §4.1 "Local" to Southern Calif.; adapted for other localities
M M . moment M_w dot: implicit w
Mw Mw Mw w moment M_w §4.7 Preferred when available.
M0 0 scalar moment M_0 "M sub zero". Basis of Mw
Ms s surface-wave (generic) M_s §4.4
Ms_20 Ms Ms Ms Ms(20) M20 20 surface-wave 20s M_20 §4.4 surface waves with 20 sec. period. Identical to NEIC Ms

since 1975

Ms_BB Ms -- Ms Ms(BB) mB bb broad-band body-wave M_bb §4.2
mb mb mb Mb mb Mb b short-period body-wave M_b §4.3 subset of Ms
Mz z surface wave (vertical) M_sz
mb_Lg mbLg Lg MN mb(Lg) Mb(Lg) lg Lg wave M_Lg, M_N §4.6 Nuttli. Used in the CEUS catalog for central and eastern U.S.
Mc c coda length M_c
Md d duration M_d
Mk k Russian "Energy Class" M_k


** Forms used by various agencies is incomplete. **

Nomenlature of the IASPEI.International Association of Earth Physics and Interior (2012), the New Manual of Seismological Practice (NMSOP, 2002), the United States Geological Survey National Earthqauke Information Center, the International Seismological Centre, and the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, summarized in table 3 of the IASPEI's Information Sheet 3]. Section numbers refer to the Information Sheet.

The nomenclature implemented here is adapted from IASPEI Information Sheet 3. It differs from IASPEI style in using subscripts, and from BSSA style in not using parentheses. Additional magnitude scales from ISC documentation.

"Cat." are the Categories for tracking use of these various scales.