Information about earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the

Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. Earthquakes are measured using observations from seismometers. The moment magnitude is the most common scale on which earthquakes larger than approximately 5 are reported for the entire globe. The more numerous earthquakes smaller than magnitude 5 reported by national seismological observatories are measured mostly on the local magnitude scale, also referred to as the Richter scale. These two scales are numerically similar over their range of validity. Magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes are mostly almost imperceptible or weak and magnitude 7 and over potentially cause serious damage over larger areas, depending on their depth. The largest earthquakes in historic times have been of magnitude slightly over 9, although there is no limit to the possible magnitude. The most recent large earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011 (as of October 2012), and it was the largest Japanese earthquake since records began. Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale. The shallower an earthquake, the more damage to structures it causes, all else being equal. The Earths Structure The Earths interior is composed of three major layers, similar to an egg. The Earths shell is called the crust, which is made up of more than a dozen major tectonic plates. The whites are called the mantle, which is composed of solid rock. The yolk is called the core, and is composed of liquid iron and other materials. Inter-plate earthquakes Although the mantle is solid rock, it slowly flows in a convection current (1) because of heat dissipating from the core. This causes the plates on the mantle to move several centimeters a year. When plates move, they collide with each other or grind past each other at plate boundaries, creating stress (strain energy). When sufficient strain energy is stored, the plates try to return to their original position, causing an earthquake. This is called an interplate earthquake. Interplate earthquakes can reach magnitudes of over 8, and cause tsunamis and other extensive damage over wide areas. The Pacific Plate is subducting under the Okhotsk Plate at the bottom of the sea east of Sendai. The Miyagi-oki Earthquake occurs when the Okhotsk Plate, which is dragged down by the Pacific Plate, rebounds to its original position.

Convection is a phenomenon that occurs when part of a fluid is warmed. The warmed fluid expands, becomes less dense, and rises upwards. Cold and denser parts of the fluid sink and fill the space previously occupied by the warmed fluid. Intra-plate Earthquakes Strain energy caused by plate movement is also stored within the plates. When weak parts of the bedrock cannot resist the energy, they slip, causing intra-plate earthquakes. The discontinuities caused by intra-plate earthquakes are called faults. Faults that have caused earthquakes within the last 1.8 million years are called active faults. Active faults are like injuries that havent completely healed yet. Theyre weaker than other parts of the ground and frequently cause earthquakes. Intra-plate earthquakes do not cause tsunamis, and their magnitudes rarely exceed 7. However, they occur at relatively shallow depths, within 20km from the ground. Therefore, intra-plate earthquakes can also cause large damage. There are 6 known active faults in the Sendai area, the Nagamachi-Rifu Fault Zone, the Dainenjiyama Fault, the Shishiochizaka Fault, the Tsubonuma Fault, the Ayashi Fault, and the Sakunami-Yashikidaira Fault. Management Customer Satisfaction Our policy is your 100% satisfaction guaranteed. EARTHQUAKE MANAGEMENT must be notified within 30 days from receipt of shipment of any damages or shortages incurred. We will make every effort to remedy any problems that may arise. Due to mandated health codes, food and water items are non-returnable. If necessary, we will substitute an item of equal or greater value when that item is unavailable from our suppliers. Special Orders Let us know if there are items you would like that are not in our catalog. Give us a call, we will do our best to source and deliver these items to you.