[Noisebridge-discuss] Hacker's calendar

[Tony Longshanks LeTigre]

On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 7:20 AM, Joshua Juran <jjuran at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I know the perfect song for that.  It's great -- it starts with an
> earthquake...
>


Funny you should say that.

I'm writing something right now for ZiP Issue One on the logarithm used to
calculate earthquake magnitude. There is a lot of general public misinfo /
ignorance on this subject. Many people, and even many media outlets, think
quake magnitude increases by a simple factor of 10 for each full number you
go up the scale, when in fact - correct me if wrong - an increase in one
number represents 32 times more energy, and an increase of two full numbers
equals almost 1,000 times as much energy released (900 and something).
Meaning there is a huge difference between a 4.0 and a 6.0 magnitude
earthquake. A 4.0 you might barely feel, while a 6.0 is big enough to,
excuse the language, Seriously Fuck Shit Up. The 1994 Northridge quake only
had a moment-magnitude of 6.7; Loma Prieta 6.9 - but then there's the
surface wave magnitude.....that's of greatest import to us humans. It's
complicated. But I'm so into it!

Any other earthquake aficionados / seismology geeks in the house? It's one
of my choice topics. If I make any noticeable contribution to hacking I
would like it to be seismology related; i.e., a way to increase our
accuracy in earthquake prediction.

Also, everyone still says Richter Scale but my understanding is it's not
widely used these days and is not accurate for measuring large earthquakes
(above 7.0 or so). Moment magnitude seems to be most widely used these
days, in my experience. Can anyone confirm / deny / elaborate?

I am 75% looking forward to / 25% dreading my first Major Earthquake
Experience. From all the first-hand accounts I've read and heard (hundreds,
maybe thousands), they can be terribly exciting. I just hope I'm not
crossing Valencia when the next Big One hits: in 1906 a big rift opened up
in the middle of that street......



+0ny
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