I usually point out that most loss of life and property has been due to the collapse of antiquated and unsafe structures, mostly of brick and other masonry.

Quote by Charles Francis Richter

Topics: Charles Francis Richter Quotes

Incidentally, the usual designation of the magnitude scale to my name does less than justice...

Incidentally, the usual designation of the magnitude scale to my name does less than justice...

From here, it becomes an engineering problem; the engineer considers the ground motion that will...

From here, it becomes an engineering problem; the engineer considers the ground motion that will...

Emphasis was usually put on the horizontal acceleration factor, for the simple reason that ordinary...

Emphasis was usually put on the horizontal acceleration factor, for the simple reason that ordinary...

I was lucky because logarithmic plots are a device of the devil.

I was lucky because logarithmic plots are a device of the devil.

If one introduces the concept of energy of an earthquake then that is a theoretically...

If one introduces the concept of energy of an earthquake then that is a theoretically...

I repeatedly have to correct this belief. In a sense, magnitude involves steps of 10...

I repeatedly have to correct this belief. In a sense, magnitude involves steps of 10...

What emerged, of course, was that the magnitude scale presupposed that all earthquakes were alike...

What emerged, of course, was that the magnitude scale presupposed that all earthquakes were alike...

In every area of the world where there is earthquake risk, there are still many...

In every area of the world where there is earthquake risk, there are still many...

We would have been happy if we could have assigned just three categories, large, medium,...

We would have been happy if we could have assigned just three categories, large, medium,...

If the assumptions used in calculating energy are changed, then this seriously affects the final...

If the assumptions used in calculating energy are changed, then this seriously affects the final...

This is very similar to astronomy where different magnitudes are assigned to the brightness of...

This is very similar to astronomy where different magnitudes are assigned to the brightness of...

Intensity like signal strength will generally fall off with distance from the source, although it...

Intensity like signal strength will generally fall off with distance from the source, although it...

For example, some stars put out large amounts of energy in the infrared part of...

For example, some stars put out large amounts of energy in the infrared part of...

Refining is inevitable in science when you have made measurements of a phenomenon for a...

Refining is inevitable in science when you have made measurements of a phenomenon for a...

There is another common misapprehension that the magnitude scale is itself some kind of instrument...

There is another common misapprehension that the magnitude scale is itself some kind of instrument...

I'm glad to see the press now referring to the open-ended Richter scale.

I'm glad to see the press now referring to the open-ended Richter scale.

As seismologists gained more experience from earthquake records, it became obvious that the problem could...

As seismologists gained more experience from earthquake records, it became obvious that the problem could...

I suggested that we might compare earthquakes in terms of the measured amplitudes recorded at...

I suggested that we might compare earthquakes in terms of the measured amplitudes recorded at...

By moving them vertically, a representative mean curve could be formed, and individual events were...

By moving them vertically, a representative mean curve could be formed, and individual events were...

My amateur interest in astronomy brought out the term 'magnitude,' which is used for the...

My amateur interest in astronomy brought out the term 'magnitude,' which is used for the...