Currently, USGS reports an earthquake’s magnitude using the Moment Magnitude Scale. According to Michigan Tech, the magnitude scale is as follows: For years, a method called the Richter scale ...

These scales account for the distance between the earthquake and the recording seismometer so that the calculated magnitude should be about the same no matter where it is measured. Another scale is ...

Scientists used the Richter Scale for many years to measure earthquakes but now largely follow the “moment magnitude scale,” which USGS says is a more accurate measure of size. June 4 ...