Question

How does a seismologist use the graph of time versus distance for seismic waves to find the location of an earthquake’s epicenter?

This is for Earth and Environmental Science, it does not have that subject so I am sorry if this is the wrong category.

Answer 1

The location of an earthquake’s epicenter is found by the calculations of difference in arrival time between two waves.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The length or distance between epicenter or the earthquake source and the instrument used to record it (seismograph) is found by the seismologist using the time variation of arrival between two waves: P- wave and S- wave.

• This time lag of the waves are greater as the earthquake source is further.

• This calculation of time difference of wave's arrival is also called as the S-P interval.