THE EARTHQUAKE

The primary cause of earthquakes is the movement of masses of earth along fault lines.
Fault lines can occur anywhere. Nevertheless, they are normally created from pressure generated by
the movement of continental plates on the mantle of the earth. These plates were first theorized by a
German meteorologist and astronomer named Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880-1930). (Photograph
below courtesy of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven,
Germany.) At the time he was ridiculed for his ideas, but later they were substantiated by further
research. Even so, the theory of plate tectonics only became widely accepted within the last half of
the 1900s.
There is constant pressure on continental plates to move. Yet the friction of
land masses being pushed together only allows movement to occur in fits and
starts. So when movement finally comes as a result of all thiscontinental pushing,
we often feel it, and we call it an earthquake. Some of the geological activities
caused by plate tectonics include volcanoes, mountain creation, island creation and
a phenomena known as subduction.
Subduction occurs when one plate (usually an ocean plate) gets pushed
beneath another plate (usually a land mass). Imagine one huge mass of rock, being pushed beneath
another huge mass of rock. As might be imagined, it is within subduction zones that the most
numerous and most severeearthquakes happen. One of the most prominent subduction zones runs
along the Pacific Coast of the United States. This is why California is notorious for its earthquakes.
Intra-plate earthquakes can also occur far away from plate boundaries. They may be caused
by the shifting of old faults and plate adjustments from crust movements occurring slowly over very
long periods. Though these quakes may be as severe as quakes in subduction zones, they tend to be
far less frequent.
Faults that occur close the surface of a plate usually generate the most significant quakes.
Earthquakes seldom cause the earth to actually crack open along a fault line. Nevertheless,
earthquakes can cause landslides, avalanches and the demise of land formations that are already
prone to collapse.
Earthquakes may also be felt a long distance from the fault plane where they occur. This is
due to a wave action that ripples out from the epicenter of a quake. There are two types of waves.
Body waves are generated and move rapidly underground, yet it can break out onto the surface
where it becomes a surface wave. The surface wave, not unnaturally, is what causes most of the
damage in an earthquake. The body wave travels faster than the surface wave and will often be felt
a second or more before the arrival of the destructive surface wave.
As waves radiate outward from their source, they weaken. Yet the character of the wave can
be changed by the types of soil and rock that it travels through, sandy soils increase the damage
potential of a quake.
After the main quake, aftershocks are common. They are a result of a realignment of the
crust around a major fault movement. Aftershocks usually occur within a few days of the main
quake, becoming less and less serious over time. Generally, there will be at least one earthquake of
one degree of magnitude smaller than the main shock and up to 10 aftershocks that are two degrees
smaller. There will likely also be a large number of shocks even smaller. These aftershocks can
pose a great danger to rescue and cleanup crews.
Penyebab utama dari gempa bumi adalah pergerakan massa bumi di sepanjang jalur patahan. Fault
lines can occur anywhere. garis Fault bisa terjadi di mana saja. Nevertheless, they are normally
created from pressure generated by the movement of continental plates on the mantle of the earth.
Meskipun demikian, mereka biasanya dibuat dari tekanan yang dihasilkan oleh pergerakan lempeng
benua pada mantel bumi. These plates were first theorized by a German meteorologist and
astronomer named Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880-1930). Lempeng ini pertama kali diteorikan oleh
seorang ahli meteorologi dan astronom Jerman bernama Alfred Lothar Wegener (1880-1930).
(Photograph below courtesy of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research,
Bremerhaven, Germany.) At the time he was ridiculed for his ideas, but later they were
substantiated by further research. (Foto bawah courtesy dari Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar dan
Kelautan Penelitian, Bremerhaven, Jerman.) Pada saat dia diejek untuk ide-ide, tapi kemudian
mereka dibuktikan dengan penelitian lebih lanjut. Even so, the theory of plate tectonics only
became widely accepted within the last half of the 1900s. Meskipun demikian, teori lempeng
tektonik hanya menjadi diterima secara luas dalam paruh terakhir 1900-an.

There is constant pressure on continental plates to move. Ada tekanan konstan

pada lempeng benua bergerak. Yet the friction of land masses being pushed
together only allows movement to occur in fits and starts. Namun gesekan massa
tanah didorong bersama hanya memungkinkan gerakan terjadi di cocok dan mulai.
So when movement finally comes as a result of all this continental pushing, we
often feel it, and we call it an earthquake. Jadi ketika gerakan akhirnya datang
sebagai hasil dari semua ini mendorong benua, kita sering merasakannya, dan kita
menyebutnya gempa bumi. Some of the geological activities caused by plate
tectonics include volcanoes, mountain creation, island creation and a phenomena known as
subduction. Beberapa kegiatan geologi yang disebabkan oleh lempeng tektonik termasuk gunung
berapi, pembentukan gunung, pulau penciptaan dan fenomena yang dikenal sebagai subduksi.

Subduction occurs when one plate (usually an ocean plate) gets pushed beneath another plate
(usually a land mass). Subduksi terjadi ketika satu piring (biasanya sebuah piring laut) akan
mendorong di bawah piring lain (biasanya suatu massa tanah). Imagine one huge mass of rock,
being pushed beneath another huge mass of rock. Bayangkan satu massa besar batuan, didorong
massa besar lain di bawah batu. As might be imagined, it is within subduction zones that the most
numerous and most severe earthquakes happen. Seperti bisa dibayangkan, itu adalah dalam zona
subduksi bahwa gempa bumi yang paling banyak dan paling parah terjadi. One of the most
prominent subduction zones runs along the Pacific Coast of the United States. Salah satu zona
subduksi yang paling menonjol berjalan di sepanjang Pantai Pasifik Amerika Serikat. This is why
California is notorious for its earthquakes. Inilah sebabnya mengapa California terkenal karena
gempa bumi tersebut.

Intra-plate earthquakes can also occur far away from plate boundaries. Intra-plate gempa juga dapat
terjadi jauh dari batas lempeng. They may be caused by the shifting of old faults and plate
adjustments from crust movements occurring slowly over very long periods. Mereka mungkin
disebabkan oleh pergeseran kesalahan tua dan penyesuaian pelat dari gerakan kerak terjadi perlahan
selama periode yang sangat lama. Though these quakes may be as severe as quakes in subduction
zones, they tend to be far less frequent. Meskipun gempa ini mungkin separah gempa di zona
subduksi, mereka cenderung menjadi jauh lebih sering.

Faults that occur close the surface of a plate usually generate the most significant quakes. Kesalahan
yang terjadi dekat permukaan piring biasanya menghasilkan gempa yang paling signifikan.
Earthquakes seldom cause the earth to actually crack open along a fault line. Gempa bumi jarang
menyebabkan bumi untuk benar-benar membuka sepanjang garis patahan. Nevertheless,
earthquakes can cause landslides, avalanches and the demise of land formations that are already
prone to collapse. Namun demikian, gempa bumi dapat menyebabkan tanah longsor, longsoran dan
matinya formasi tanah yang sudah rawan runtuh.

Earthquakes may also be felt a long distance from the fault plane where they occur. Gempa bumi
juga dapat merasakan jarak jauh dari pesawat kesalahan di mana mereka terjadi. This is due to a
wave action that ripples out from the epicenter of a quake. Hal ini disebabkan tindakan riak
gelombang yang keluar dari pusat gempa. There are two types of waves. Ada dua jenis gelombang.
Body waves are generated and move rapidly underground, yet it can break out onto the surface
where it becomes a surface wave. gelombang Tubuh dihasilkan dan bergerak cepat bawah tanah,
namun bisa keluar ke permukaan di mana ia menjadi gelombang permukaan. The surface wave, not
unnaturally, is what causes most of the damage in an earthquake. Gelombang permukaan, tidak
wajar, inilah yang menyebabkan sebagian besar kerusakan dalam gempa. The body wave travels
faster than the surface wave and will often be felt a second or more before the arrival of the
destructive surface wave. Gelombang badan bergerak lebih cepat daripada gelombang permukaan
dan seringkali akan merasa kedua atau lebih sebelum kedatangan gelombang permukaan merusak.

As waves radiate outward from their source, they weaken. Sebagai gelombang memancar keluar
dari sumber mereka, mereka melemah. Yet the character of the wave can be changed by the types of
soil and rock that it travels through, sandy soils increase the damage potential of a quake. Namun
karakter gelombang dapat diubah oleh jenis tanah dan batuan yang bergerak melalui, tanah berpasir
meningkatkan potensi kerusakan gempa.

After the main quake, aftershocks are common. Setelah gempa utama, gempa susulan sering terjadi.
They are a result of a realignment of the crust around a major fault movement. Mereka adalah hasil
dari penataan kembali kerak sekitar gerakan kesalahan besar. Aftershocks usually occur within a
few days of the main quake, becoming less and less serious over time. Gempa susulan biasanya
terjadi dalam beberapa hari gempa utama, menjadi kurang dan kurang serius dari waktu ke waktu.
Generally, there will be at least one earthquake of one degree of magnitude smaller than the main
shock and up to 10 aftershocks that are two degrees smaller. Umumnya, akan ada setidaknya satu
gempa dari satu derajat besarnya lebih kecil dari gempa utama dan sampai 10 gempa susulan yang
dua derajat lebih kecil. There will likely also be a large number of shocks even smaller. Ada juga
kemungkinan akan menjadi sejumlah besar guncangan lebih kecil. These aftershocks can pose a
great danger to rescue and cleanup crews. Gempa susulan ini bisa menimbulkan bahaya besar untuk
awak penyelamatan dan pembersihan.