There was an earthquake in California yesterday, measuring about 5.4 in magnitude. On a side note, I didn’t know they didn’t use the Richter scale to measure earthquakes anymore, but according to Dr. Morgan Page, Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey in Pasedena, they don’t:
Dr. Morgan Page: Hello everyone! My name is Morgan Page. I am a researcher at the U.S. Geological Survey in Pasadena, CA. It’s been quite an eventful day here in Southern CA. The earthquake which occurred this morning near Chino Hills, is now estimated to be approximately magnitude 5.4.
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Anonymous: How ’substantial’ is 5.8 on the Richter scale?
Dr. Morgan Page: We don’t actually use the Richter scale anymore. It’s somewhat antiquated. A 5.8 is a moderate earthquake. However, as more data has been processed, we now believe the earthquake is closer to a 5.4. This is not a Richter scale magnitude, but a moment magnitude, which is a more precise measure of the energy in an earthquake. Each additional unit on the scale has 30 times the energy, so a 5.4 earthquake has 30 times the energy of a 4.4, and so on.
This earthquake is moderate in size. There may slight damage to some buildings.
I think there might be some slight damage to the leather on Judge Judy’s chair. “Well, she got your PIN…rumble…ZOOM!” I mean, could she have at least given some instructions or something to the people rather than just bolting.
But then, earthquakes are very disquieting things, and they were under some heavy, hot lights. That doesn’t make it any less funny though.
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