DE EN FR IT

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Earthquake causes and processes

What is an earthquake?

What causes earthquakes?

What causes earthquakes in Europe?

What are induced earthquakes?

What is an earthquake swarm?

What are faults and facture surfaces?

At what depths do earthquakes normally occur?

Why do you sometimes hear a loud sonic bang during an earthquake?

What does the term “return period” mean?

What is microseismicity?

What is macroseismicity?

What are P, S, Love and Rayleigh waves?

What do the terms frequency, natural frequency and resonance mean?

Earthquakes in Switzerland

How many earthquakes occur in Switzerland?

What is earthquake risk and how great is it in Switzerland?

What is "earthquake hazard" and how great is the danger facing Switzerland?

How strong are earthquakes in Switzerland?

Where do earthquakes occur in Switzerland?

What causes earthquakes in Switzerland?

What is the difference between earthquake hazard and earthquake risk?

Why are some earthquakes in Switzerland recorded as occurring at negative depth, e.g. '-1.4 km'?

Earthquake terms

What are the hypocenter and epicenter?

What does magnitude mean?

Which types of magnitude do we distinguish?

What does a negative magnitude mean?

What does the intensity on the European Macroseismic Scale 1998 (EMS-98) mean?

What do peak ground velocity and peak ground acceleration mean (PGV and PGA)?

Earthquake monitoring and analysis

How are earthquakes measured in Switzerland?

What is a seismometer and how does it work?

What is a seismogram?

What are scenarios?

What are rapid impact assessments?

What are ShakeMaps?

What magnitude does an earthquake have to have to be felt?

Can earthquakes be predicted?

What is UTC time?

What are the period, wavelength and amplitude?

What does the work of the SED's seismologists involve?

Earthquake effects

Are buildings in Switzerland constructed to withstand earthquakes?

Are buildings in Switzerland insured against earthquakes as a rule?

Do tsunamis occur in Switzerland and how are they caused?

What would happen in the event of a magnitude 6 earthquake in Switzerland?

What intensity or magnitude does an earthquake have to have to cause damage?

How can I protect myself against earthquakes?