Is a magnitude 12 earthquake possible?
The magnitude scale is open-ended, meaning that scientists have not put a limit on how large an earthquake could be, but there is a limit just from the size of the earth. A magnitude 12 earthquake would require a fault larger than the earth itself.
What would happen if a 10.0 earthquake hit?
In short, a magnitude 10 earthquake would devastate entire regions, last for a long time, and potentially generate enormous tsunamis.
Is a magnitude 13 earthquake possible?
The problem of a magnitude 13 is, that it is not possible according to this concept due to the earth's physical limitations. Keep in mind, that with one magnitude higher, a quake has about 32 times more energy. Of course, you can compare the energy for instance to that of an impact event – which is also often done.
What would a 10.0 earthquake feel like?
So a 10.0 magnitude earthquake will be analogous to dropping over 4,00,000 nuclear bombs at a time. This is enough to destroy anything and everything on earth if it is a point source on the surface.
Is a 9.6 earthquake possible?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs.
How far can a 9.0 earthquake be felt?
In a place with complex geology, every rock contact scatters and absorbs seismic energy, so that far away you'd probably feel it but not see damage or casualties. In the U.S. Midcontinent, with layer-cake geology that makes efficient wave guides, a 9.0 event would probably produce appreciable damage 565 miles away.
Is a magnitude 11 earthquake possible?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. That is, the longer the fault, the larger the earthquake.
How long does a 9.0 earthquake last for?
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake can last for five minutes or longer, and the amount of energy released is about 1,000 times greater than that of a 7.0. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the most powerful quakes could leave few if any masonry buildings standing, destroy bridges and toss objects into the air.