The Gutenberg-Richter Law

The Gutenberg-Richter Law describes how earthquake sizes and frequencies are related. It states that small earthquakes happen much more often than large ones, and the number of earthquakes decreases exponentially as their magnitude increases. Specifically, for every unit increase in magnitude, the number of earthquakes roughly decreases by a factor of ten. This pattern helps seismologists estimate the likelihood of different-sized earthquakes in a region, aiding in risk assessment and preparedness. In essence, it provides a statistical relationship that links the size of an earthquake to how frequently it occurs.