GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -It used a formula based on the amplitude of the largest wave recorded on a specific type of seismometer and the distance between the earthquake and the seismometer.

Detailed explanation-2: -Moment Magnitude Scale. Geologists today often use the moment magnitude scale, a rating system that estimates the total energy released by an earthquake. An earthquake’s magnitude tells geologists how much energy was released by the earthquake.

Detailed explanation-3: -In particular, for very large earthquakes, moment magnitude gives the most reliable estimate of earthquake size. Moment is a physical quantity proportional to the slip on the fault multiplied by the area of the fault surface that slips; it is related to the total energy released in the earthquake.

Detailed explanation-4: -The moment magnitude scale was designed to produce a more accurate accounting of the total energy released by an earthquake, and it calculates the earthquake’s magnitude more accurately than other measures-such as the Richter scale (ML), the body-wave scale (mb), and the surface-wave scale (MS).

Detailed explanation-5: -The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale that measures the largest jolt of energy released by an earthquake. The moment magnitude scale is a logarithmic scale that measures the total amount of energy released by an earthquake.