How can the exact distance to an earthquake be determined if you only have a single seismic station to record it?
A) You dig up your seismograph and take it to a destitute seismologist and offer to trade the instrument for the answer to your question!
B) by measuring the duration of the surface wave train
C) by measuring the difference between the P and S arrival times and using a travel time curve for arrival versus distance
D) by measuring the P- wave arrival time and its intensity and using a formula

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The difference between the arrival times of P-waves (primary waves) and S-waves (secondary waves) at a seismic station can be used to calculate the distance to an earthquake. This method utilizes a travel time curve, which plots the arrival times of these waves against the distance from the earthquake, allowing for the determination of the earthquake's distance from the seismic station.

How Can the Exact Distance to an Earthquake Be Determined