Seismic magnitude scales by tectonic forces. When this stress becomes great enough to rupture the crust, or to overcome the friction that prevents one block of crust from slipping past another, energy is released, some of it in the form of various kinds of seismic waves that cause ground-shaking, or quaking. "Magnitude" is an estimate of the relative "size" or strength of an "earthquake", and thus its potential for causing ground-shaking. It is "approximately related to the released seismic energy." "Intensity" refers to the strength or force of "shaking" at a given location, and can be related to the peak ground velocity. With
Seismic noise Seismic noise In geology and other related disciplines, seismic noise is a generic name for a relatively persistent vibration of the ground, due to a multitude of causes, that is a non-interpretable or unwanted component of signals recorded by seismometers. Physically, seismic noise consists mostly of surface waves. Low frequency waves (below 1 Hz) are generally called microseisms; high frequency waves (above 1 Hz) are called microtremors. Its causes include nearby human activities (such as traffic or heavy machinery), winds and other atmospheric phenomena, and ocean waves. Seismic noise is relevant to any discipline that depends on seismology, such as