Physical processes affecting magnitude and intraplate quakes

Body waves

Can travel through the Earth in a layers

Surface waves

• Can only move along the surface of the planet like ripples on water

P-waves (body waves)

• primary waves

• Fastest moving and 1st to reach the surface

• Causes liquifaction

• Pushes and poles in the direction it is moving (Back-and-forth)

• Travel is through rock and liquid

S-waves (body waves)

• secondary waves

• 60% of the speed of P-waves

• Move in a sideways motion

• Shakes perpendicular to the direction of travel

• Only moves through solid rock

• More destructive than P waves

Love waves (surface waves)

• on the surface after a large earthquake

• Slowest and Moves side to side

• Does the most damage

• When S waves change type, they turn into love waves

Raleigh Waves (surface waves)

• Travels around the crust rather than through it

• Named after Lord Raleigh

• Moves the ground up and down side to side in an elliptical motion

• Causes most of the felt movement

Where do intraplate quakes occur?

• in the middle of plates, far away from plate margins

• Suggested that former rifts become reactivated