Seismic moment
Seismic moment is a quantity used by seismologists to measure the size of an earthquake. The scalar seismic moment formula_1 is defined by the equation
formula_2, where
*formula_3 is the shear modulus of the rocks involved in the earthquake (in pascals (Pa), i.e. newtons per square meter)
*formula_4 is the area of the rupture along the geologic fault where the earthquake occurred (in square meters), and
*formula_5 is the average slip (displacement offset between the two sides of the fault) on formula_4 (in meters).

formula_1 thus has dimensions of torque, measured in newton meters. The connection between seismic moment and a torque is natural in the body-force equivalent representation of seismic sources as a double-couple (a pair of force couples with opposite torques): the seismic moment is the torque of each of the two couples. Despite having the same dimensions as energy, seismic moment is not a measure of energy. The relations between seismic moment, potential energy drop and radiated energy are indirect and approximative.

The seismic moment of an earthquake is typically estimated using whatever information is available to constrain its factors. For modern earthquakes, moment is usually estimated from ground motion recordings of earthquakes known as seismograms. For earthquakes that occurred in times before modern instruments were available, moment may be estimated from geologic estimates of the size of the fault rupture and the slip.

Seismic moment is the basis of the moment magnitude scale introduced by Hiroo Kanamori, which is often used to compare the size of different earthquakes and is especially useful for comparing the sizes of large (great) earthquakes.

The seismic moment is not restricted to earthquakes. For a more general seismic source described by a seismic moment tensor formula_8 (a symmetric tensor, but not necessarily a double couple tensor), the seismic moment is

:formula_9
Q83371
seismologist
Concept
Q7944
earthquake
Concept
Q461466
shear modulus
Concept
Q44395
pascal
Concept
Q47089
geologic fault
Concept
Q48103
torque
Concept
Q215571
newton meters
Concept
None
double-couple
UNK
None
relations between seismic moment, potential energy drop and radiated energy
UNK
Q510375
seismogram
Concept
Q201605
moment magnitude scale
Concept
Q943693
Hiroo Kanamori
PER
Q1481983
Seismic moment
Concept
Q1481983
Seismic moment
Concept
+1^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
1
NUMBER
+2^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
2
NUMBER
+3^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
3
NUMBER
+4^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
4
NUMBER
+5^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
5
NUMBER
+4^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
4
NUMBER
+1^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
1
NUMBER
+8^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
8
NUMBER
+9^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
9
NUMBER
studies
measured physical quantity
measured physical quantity