Earthquakes

Abstract

Reviews the contributions to our knowledge of the Earth's structure made by earthquake studies. Magnitude scales, the determination of fault plane solutions, the recognition of plate tectonics, and the phenomena of shear-wave splitting and dilatancy are discussed. The author then covers the connection between earthquakes and mountain building/subsidence, and the use of earthquake chronlogies in earthquake prediction. The article concludes with brief comment on the effects of earthquakes on the course of history. -S.J.Stone