Download or view Richter.frink in plain text format
// Program to convert Richter Scale numbers to energy.
//
// Both of these functions can take either a dimensionless number, which
// indicates a number on the Richter Scale, or a unit with dimensions of
// energy. If a dimensionless number is passed in, this returns an energy.
// If an energy is passed in, this returns a dimensionless number which is
// the number on the Richter scale.
//
// The first approximation is due to Richter and Gutenberg, but this
// approximation uses a very narrow frequency band, which is not the band
// in which earthquakes primarily radiate their energy.
RichterGutenberg[n] :=
{
if (n conforms 1) // Passed in dimensionless. (Richter number)
return 10^(4.8 + 1.5n) J // Convert to energy.
if (n conforms joule) // Passed in energy. Convert to Richter.
return -3.2 + 0.28953 ln[n/J]
return "Error: Expected dimensionless number or unit with dimensions of energy."
}
// The Choy-Boatwright approximation (1995) assumes higher-frequency components
// and is thus more realistic. This returns the amount of energy radiated
// as seismic energy.
ChoyBoatwright[n] :=
{
if (n conforms 1) // Passed in dimensionless. (Richter number)
return 22387 e^(3.45388 n) J // Convert to energy.
if (n conforms joule) // Passed in energy. Convert to Richter.
return -2.9 + 0.28953 ln[n/J]
return "Error: Expected dimensionless number or unit with dimensions of energy."
}
Download or view Richter.frink in plain text format
This is a program written in the programming language Frink.
For more information, view the Frink
Documentation or see More Sample Frink Programs.
Alan Eliasen was born 20217 days, 23 hours, 21 minutes ago.