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Scientists can calculate the distance that an earthquake occurs from a seismometer station by looking at the record of the seismic waves and measuring the difference in time between the arrival of P and S-waves.

This gives them a distance but not a direction. So they plot this distance on a map by drawing a circle round the seismometer station. The radius of this circle is equal to the distance to the epicentre.

If this is done for one other seismometer station that has recorded the earthquake then the circles will intersect in two places. If you add in a 3rd station and so a third circle they will all intersect in one place - the epicentre of the earthquake.

In reality this process is automated by computer and lots of readings from lots of stations are used.

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Do geologist locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

They Use A Seismograp and look at the squiggles on the paper.


What is it called when scientists use 3 or more seismographs to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

triangulating its loction


How do you to use triangulation to locate an earthquakes epicenter?

To locate an earthquake's epicenter using triangulation, you need data from at least three seismic stations. Each station records the arrival times of seismic waves, allowing you to calculate the distance from each station to the epicenter based on the difference in arrival times of P-waves and S-waves. By plotting these distances on a map, the point where the three circles intersect indicates the epicenter's location. This method relies on the principle that the farther the epicenter, the longer the time it takes for seismic waves to reach the stations.


What do geologists use to locate a earthquakes epicenter?

The S-P time method is perhaps the simplest method seismologists use to find an earthquake's epicenter. +++ No it's not. That finds its Focus. The Epicentre is the point of maximum movement on the land surface above the slip itself.


How do people sense seismic waves?

They use the Richter scale to measure the speed of the earthquakes. Levels of earthquakes 2.0 ---> can't be felt 4.0 ---> do not cause damage 5.0---> can cause damage 6.0 ---> considered strong 7.0---> is a major earthquake +++ That is not correct. You have confused speed with intensity. The Richter scale, which is logarithmic, measures the intensity ("strength" if you like). The speed is measured in ordinary linear units like metre/second or km/hr, calculated from observing the earthquake's waves' progress past seismographs around the world.

Related Questions

How do geologist locate the epicenter of earthquakes?

Geologists use circles to find the epicenter of an earthquake.


How do you use triangulation to find an epicenter of an earthquake?

To find the epicenter of an earthquake using triangulation, seismologists analyze the arrival times of seismic waves at three or more seismic stations. By comparing the differences in arrival times, they can determine the distances from each station to the epicenter. By drawing circles with the stations as the center and their respective distances as the radius, the intersection of these circles represents the estimated epicenter of the earthquake.


What does the radius of each circle represent when geologists use circles to find the epicenter of an earthquake?

it represents the after shock of a earthquake.- BEST ANSWER


Geologists use circles to find the epicenter of an earthquake what does the center of each circle re?

Focus Center


What is the process that is used to find an earthquake's epicenter?

Triangulation. First, they calculate the time between the first and second - primary and secondary - seismic waves created in an earthquake and use this information to determine how far the seismometer is from the epicenter of the earthquake. A circle is drawn around the seismometer so that it is in the center and the radius is equal to the calculated distance. Using this information from three different seismometers, two more circles are drawn and the intersecting point of the three circles is where the epicenter of the earthquake is located.


Scientists use -------waves to find an earthquake epicenter?

Scientists use seismic waves to find an earthquake epicenter. By analyzing the arrival times of primary (P) and secondary (S) seismic waves at different seismic stations, scientists can triangulate the epicenter of the earthquake.


What waves do scientists use to find an earthquake's epicenter?

seismic waves


How do you find the distance of an earthquake epicenter?

To find the distance to an earthquake epicenter, seismologists use data from seismic waves recorded on seismographs at multiple locations. By measuring the time difference between the arrival of P-waves (primary waves) and S-waves (secondary waves), they can calculate the distance to the epicenter using the known speeds of these waves. This information is then plotted on a map, and the intersection of circles drawn from different seismograph locations indicates the epicenter's location.


How do geologist locate the epicenter of an earthquake?

This job would normally be undertaken by a type of geophysicist known as a seismologist rather than a geologist. For information on how seismologists locate seismic waves, see the related question.


What is in the 3 circles that geologists use from different seismographs intersect?

Geologists use the intersection of three circles from different seismograph readings to determine the location of an earthquake's epicenter. Each circle is drawn with a radius equal to the distance from a seismograph to the earthquake's epicenter, based on the time it takes for seismic waves to travel. The point where all three circles intersect indicates the precise location of the earthquake. This method is known as triangulation and is essential for accurate seismic monitoring.


How Would you locate the epicenter of an earthquake once you have determined the distance from the epicenter of the quake to each of three seismographic station?

To locate the epicenter of an earthquake, you would use the distances obtained from three seismographic stations and plot them on a map. Each station's distance from the epicenter is represented as a circle with a radius equal to that distance. The point where all three circles intersect is the location of the epicenter. This method is known as triangulation and allows for precise determination of the earthquake's origin.


What type of data do geologist use to locate an earthquake's epicenter?

Seismologists use the data from triangulated seismographs to locate an earthquake's epicenter. The difference in time between the arrival of p and s waves at a seismometer tells the distance to the epicenter of an earthquake. To get the exact location, scientists must collect data from at least three seismometers. The point where all three circles is the epicenter of the earthquake. +++ The Epicentre is generally obvious: it is the point of maximum disturbance on the surface. The centre of the actual slip is the Focus, and this has to be calculated from seismograph data by triangulating from wave velocities.