How many detection centers are necessary to pinpoint the location of the epicenter of an earthquake?
Jul 29, 2010
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Earthquake Questions
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6 comments
Butt on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Three at least. A cicle is drawn keeping that recording station as center. Two circles can cut at two places on their circumference, whereas three circles definitly cut at a common place, indicating the origin of earthquake place(epicenter).
judy_r8 on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
at least 3
Heinz M on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Probably 4 (like GPS) in order to also get the depth inside the earth.
tybo034 on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
You need three to triangulate the position.
Gavin V on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Yes – a minimum of 3 will triangulate the epicentre by calculating the variances.
tentofield on July 29, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Seismographs do not pinpoint the epicentre of the earthquake, they pinpoint the centre of it. This is well below the surface. Once the location of the earthquake has been determined, the epicentre is the point on the surface directly above it. All you need for that is a map once the earthquake itself has been fixed.