Glossary

Richter Scale The Richter magnitude test scale (or more correctly local magnitude ML scale) assigns a single number to quantify the size of an earthquake

Liquifaction is the process by which saturated, unconsolidated soil or sand is converted into a suspension. It is commonly observed in quicksand, quick clay, turbidity currents, and as a result of earthquake shock in unconsolidated sediments

Unsupported Masonry Walls Many of America´s older buildings were built with unreinforced masonry (URM). These buildings are extremely vulnerable to quake-induced failures because of the nature of the material and the manner in which they were constructed. The inability of URM to stand up to seismic stresses stems from the fact that masonry is a brittle materia

Sandblows Sandblows form where strong, continued earthquake shaking causes wet, loose soil to consolidate. As sand-sized particles within about 100 feet (30 meters) of the surface are shaken, they reorient so as to fit more closely together. Pressure from the weight of the soil above squeezes water out from the diminishing pore spaces between the sand particles and forces it upwards.

Links:

The University of Memphis, Center for Earthquake Research and Information.
Recent earthquakes in the central US, from the University of Memphis"

The Virtual Times: The Great New Madrid Earthquake

Earthquakes and the New Madrid Fault

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