8.9 Earthquake near Japan

**Red_Lizard2** · 03-12-11, 01:08 PM

Its now being called a 9.1 (which apparently would be ~9.5 on the Richter Scale). With the aftershocks, one of the program I was watching, they were saying the aftershocks could last for years.

The Aftershocks could be a huge danger at the moment, have to imagine there are many buildings/houses/etc. that have been weakened already by the earthquakes (making them prone to collapse possibly). Plus if gas line's rupture etc.

**SapiensErus** · 03-12-11, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Red_Lizard2

Its now being called a 9.1 (which apparently would be ~9.5 on the Richter Scale).

But we don't use the Richter scale anymore because it does not succesfully measure energy output at greater than around 7.0 magnitude. We now use the Moment Magnitude scale, which is similar to Richter until you hit 7ish.

So ... RIchter scale = not relevant in big quakes.

**Red_Lizard2** · 03-12-11, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by SoySoldier

But we don't use the Richter scale anymore because it does not succesfully measure energy output at greater than around 7.0 magnitude. We now use the Moment Magnitude scale, which is similar to Richter until you hit 7ish.

So ... RIchter scale = not relevant in big quakes.

I know we don't, the point of bringing it up is we used to, thus about the only way to compare it to other large earthquakes throughout the years

**bust331** · 03-12-11, 01:50 PM

There was an explosion at the Daiichi plant today.

The blast was not caused by damage to the nuclear reactor but by a pumping system that failed as crews tried to bring the reactor's temperature down, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Saturday.

Q&A: What has quake done to Japanese nuclear reactors? - CNN.com

**deathgodusmc** · 03-13-11, 07:13 AM

"This week's earthquake caused the main island of Japan to shift as much as 13 feet to the east, seismologists say."

PhotoBlog - How the quake shifted Japan