European Macroseismic Scale

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The European Macroseismic Scale (EMS) is the basis for estimating the seismic intensity of earthquakes in European countries and is also used on other continents. It was released in 1998 as a further development of an earlier trial version from 1992 (EMS-92) and is also known as EMS-98 . The EMS is the first earthquake scale that was developed with a view to collaboration between engineers and seismologists. It includes a detailed manual with instructions, illustrations and application examples.

The history of the EMS began in 1988 when the European Seismological Commission ( European Seismological Commission ESC) decided that Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale to revise (MSK-64) and update that was almost a quarter of a century in use in Europe. After intensive research and development and a four-year test run, a resolution was passed at the 25th General Assembly of the ESC recommending the use of the new intensity scale to the member countries of the ESC.

In contrast to magnitude scales , such as the well-known Richter scale , an intensity scale describes the effects of an earthquake on the landscape, streets or buildings that can be perceived without instruments ( macro-seismics ). Depending on the local conditions, a single earthquake classified according to such a scale can have different strengths in different places. Examples of other intensity scales in addition to the Medvedev-Sponheuer-Kárník scale are the JMA scale , the Mercallis scale or the Rossi-Forel scale .

European Macroseismic Scale (EMS)
Degree of strength Short name observation
I. not noticeable Not noticeable even under favorable conditions.
II hardly noticeable Individual resting people perceive the vibrations, especially on higher floors of buildings.
III weak Weak vibrations are perceived by people who are inside buildings. People who are at rest feel swaying or shaking slightly.
IV clear Noticeable by many people inside buildings, outside only by a few. Some sleepers wake up. The strength of the tremors isn't scary. Windows, doors and crockery rattle, hanging objects begin to vibrate.
V strong Visible by most people inside buildings, outside of some. Some people flee buildings, many sleepers wake up. Buildings tremble completely, hanging objects swing clearly, porcelain and glass collide audibly. The vibrations are strong, top-heavy objects fall over. Doors and windows open and close.
VI slight damage to buildings Perceived by most people inside buildings, outside by most. Many people in buildings are frightened and flee outside. Small objects fall down. Slight damage to normal buildings, such as cracks and cracks in plastering.
VII Building damage Most people in buildings are frightened and flee outside. Furniture shifts and lots of items fall off shelves and open cupboards. Many normal buildings are damaged, for example by cracks in walls and sometimes collapsing chimneys.
VIII severe damage to buildings Furniture can fall over. Many normal buildings are damaged: chimneys collapse, large wall cracks, some buildings partially collapse.
IX destructive High structures such as monuments or columns fall over or are bent. Many normal buildings partially collapse, some buildings are completely destroyed.
X very destructive Many normal buildings collapse.
XI devastating Most normal buildings collapse.
XII completely devastating Almost all structures above and below ground are destroyed or badly damaged.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ General information on earthquakes: Macroseismic assessment. ( Memento from July 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Lower Austrian Civil Protection Association.