Richter magnitude scale from it empirically as a quantity without units, just a number designed to conform to the formula_3 scale. A spectral analysis is required to obtain formula_12, whereas the other magnitudes are derived from a simple measurement of the amplitude of a specifically defined wave. All scales, except formula_5, saturate for large earthquakes, meaning they are based on the amplitudes of waves which have a wavelength shorter than the rupture length of the earthquakes. These short waves (high frequency waves) are too short a yardstick to measure the extent of the event. The resulting effective upper limit of measurement for formula_17
Richter magnitude scale isolated area. Several scales have historically been described as the "Richter scale", especially the "local magnitude" formula_2 and the surface wave formula_3 scale. In addition, the "body wave magnitude", formula_4, and the "moment magnitude", formula_5, abbreviated MMS, have been widely used for decades. A couple of new techniques to measure magnitude are in the development stage by seismologists. All magnitude scales have been designed to give numerically similar results. This goal has been achieved well for formula_2, formula_3, and formula_5. The formula_4 scale gives somewhat different values than the other scales. The reason for so many different ways to measure