Concept in Definition ABC

Seismology is the science that focuses on the study of the waves produced by earthquakes. This knowledge is millenary, since already in ancient times the Chinese invented a rudimentary seismograph to measure the effects of these natural phenomena.

From a linguistic point of view, the word seismology is formed from the Greek term seism, which means movement of the Earth and logy, which means science or knowledge.

Today seismographs measure the motion of the Earth in relation to a stationary position. Registrations can be made in a graph or through computers, both for vertical and horizontal movements.

Link with geology

Seismology as a science is directly related to geology, since this branch of knowledge deals with the structure of tectonic plates, which intervene in earthquakes. On the other hand, geophysical knowledge is decisive to calculate the probability of earthquakes (the danger seismic of a region is communicated through maps, historical records of earthquakes and location of failures).

Anticipate what may happen

Currently it is only possible to know which are the areas of greatest risk seismic movements and it is also feasible to reduce or minimize the impact that produce. The great challenge of seismology is to establish a valid theory that allows making earthquake predictions well in advance.

Like the rest of scientific knowledge, seismology is based on objective and measurable parameters, something that is relatively recent. For centuries and in very diverse cultures, earthquakes were explained through some myth: the anger of mother nature, the punishment of the gods or the fatigue of one of the elephants that support the Earth, as some doctrines affirm Hindus.

Types of waves

The central core of seismology is the behavior of waves. In this sense, there are internal waves, which travel through the interior of the Earth crust and they reach the surface and can move over it (they are subdivided into primary or longitudinal waves and secondary or transverse waves). There are also surface waves, which are transmitted exclusively by the surface and are the most destructive due to their greater amplitude (in turn they are subdivided into Rayleigh waves, which are the same as those that occur on the surface of liquid, and Love waves, whose propagation is manifested at the same time from above and below and from right to left).