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Maximum magnitude

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22: 269: 165:. For example, large-scale studies have been conducted for Stable Continental Regions (SCR's), which are defined "as regions of continental crust that have not experienced any major tectonism, magmatism, basement metamorphism or anorogenic intrusion since the early Cretaceous, and no rifting or major extension or transtension since the Paleogene." 138: 168:
Finally there is the common question of what is the maximum magnitude for the whole world. Unfortunately, it cannot really be answered, since this earthquake has most likely not happened in the historical record, and we cannot search beyond the earth for analogs. Answers can again be inferred using
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interiors. The circles represent actual earthquake data. Note that the dataset is complete for small magnitudes, but becomes erratic for the larger. At about M5, there are no records, simply because the historical record is usually too short. In some cases paleoseismology can fill some of the gap,
149:) over the region, combined with the expected number (earthquake frequency) of earthquakes, from the smallest to the largest. The integration must close at the maximum magnitude. The figure shows a typical 'earthquake frequency' plot for a given region. 160:
The last part of the curve, perhaps the most important part, can be filled in by inference. This would come from studying similar geology throughout the world (using analogs to extend time), or by a study of
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the finite size of the world's plates (plate tectonics), and the possible limits of the various magnitude scales. The specific value, however, is not directly relevant to most people, since, except for
130:) is also one of the more contentious. The choice of the value can greatly influence the final outcome of the results, yet this is most likely a size of 310: 39: 105: 190: 86: 215: 58: 43: 303: 241: 65: 173:, the local shaking effects come to a maximum at about M8, and greater earthquakes simply extend the rupture distance. 72: 334: 296: 54: 32: 127: 329: 79: 162: 280: 194: 119: 323: 191:"USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - Earthquake catalog for Stable Continental Regions" 219: 21: 276: 131: 153: 146: 268: 170: 137: 136: 145:
The seismic hazard calculation involves a double integration (
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that has not yet occurred in the region under study.
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 304: 118:An important parameter in the calculation of 8: 311: 297: 157:but this is rare for continental regions. 106:Learn how and when to remove this message 216:"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page" 182: 7: 265: 263: 44:adding citations to reliable sources 14: 218:. 4 November 2005. Archived from 267: 20: 31:needs additional citations for 1: 283:. You can help Knowledge by 152:This is a typical plot for 351: 262: 141:Frequency-magnitude plot 142: 128:Moment magnitude scale 140: 246:Eqseis.geosc.psu.edu 40:improve this article 55:"Maximum magnitude" 222:on 4 November 2005 143: 292: 291: 242:"Earthquake Size" 124:maximum magnitude 116: 115: 108: 90: 342: 335:Seismology stubs 313: 306: 299: 271: 264: 257: 256: 254: 252: 238: 232: 231: 229: 227: 212: 206: 205: 203: 202: 193:. Archived from 187: 111: 104: 100: 97: 91: 89: 48: 24: 16: 350: 349: 345: 344: 343: 341: 340: 339: 320: 319: 318: 317: 261: 260: 250: 248: 240: 239: 235: 225: 223: 214: 213: 209: 200: 198: 189: 188: 184: 179: 163:fault mechanics 112: 101: 95: 92: 49: 47: 37: 25: 12: 11: 5: 348: 346: 338: 337: 332: 322: 321: 316: 315: 308: 301: 293: 290: 289: 272: 259: 258: 233: 207: 181: 180: 178: 175: 126:(expressed as 120:seismic hazard 114: 113: 28: 26: 19: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 347: 336: 333: 331: 328: 327: 325: 314: 309: 307: 302: 300: 295: 294: 288: 286: 282: 279:article is a 278: 273: 270: 266: 247: 243: 237: 234: 221: 217: 211: 208: 197:on 2005-12-10 196: 192: 186: 183: 176: 174: 172: 166: 164: 158: 155: 150: 148: 139: 135: 133: 129: 125: 121: 110: 107: 99: 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: 67: 64: 60: 57: –  56: 52: 51:Find sources: 45: 41: 35: 34: 29:This article 27: 23: 18: 17: 285:expanding it 274: 249:. Retrieved 245: 236: 224:. Retrieved 220:the original 210: 199:. Retrieved 195:the original 185: 167: 159: 151: 144: 123: 117: 102: 96:January 2019 93: 83: 76: 69: 62: 50: 38:Please help 33:verification 30: 154:continental 330:Seismology 324:Categories 277:seismology 201:2017-09-04 177:References 132:earthquake 66:newspapers 251:1 January 226:1 January 171:tsunamis 147:integral 80:scholar 82:  75:  68:  61:  53:  275:This 87:JSTOR 73:books 281:stub 253:2019 228:2019 59:news 42:by 326:: 244:. 122:, 312:e 305:t 298:v 287:. 255:. 230:. 204:. 109:) 103:( 98:) 94:( 84:· 77:· 70:· 63:· 36:.

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verification
improve this article
adding citations to reliable sources
"Maximum magnitude"
news
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JSTOR
Learn how and when to remove this message
seismic hazard
Moment magnitude scale
earthquake

integral
continental
fault mechanics
tsunamis
"USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - Earthquake catalog for Stable Continental Regions"
the original
"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page"
the original
"Earthquake Size"
Stub icon
seismology
stub
expanding it
v
t

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