Seismic magnitude scales the amount of slip, the area of the surface ruptured or slipped, and a factor for the resistance or friction encountered. These factors can be estimated for an existing fault to determine the magnitude of past earthquakes, or what might be anticipated for the future. An earthquake's seismic moment can be estimated in various ways, which are the bases of the M, M, M, M, M, M, and M scales, all subtypes of the generic M scale. See for details. Seismic moment is considered the most objective measure of an earthquake's "size" in regard of total energy. However, it is
Passive seismic have been also applied in another planets. For instance, during Apollo missions, the Passive Seismic Experiment sensors were deployed that detected lunar "moonquakes" and provided information about the internal structure of the Moon. Passive seismic is much less expensive than well drilling. It is also cheaper and more environmentally friendly than active seismic, which requires a strong source of the seismic waves (like an underground explosion) to predict the structure. In some cases it may be the only method for which land access is granted by the land owner. Despite the method having been successfully applied in many parts of