Wikipedia:Notability (earthquakes): Difference between revisions
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{{essay}}
{{shortcut|WP:N(EQ)|WP:NEARTHQUAKE|WP:NOTEARTHQUAKECATALOG}}
Earthquakes, when not cataclysmic, are exciting. Though earthquakes of magnitude 4 ("light": in general felt by many, but little or no damage) and greater occur over 14,000 times a year, in many areas they are uncommon. So even small earthquakes are often an experience that the people affected want to share, especially in areas where earthquakes are rare. But how many of these quakes warrant an article on Wikipedia?
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=== Impact ===
The '''impact''' of an earthquake is not just its {{m|magnitude}} (power, or "size"), nor its intensity of shaking. It can be related to '''geographical scope''' (which is loosely related to magnitude), and here [[WP:EVENTS]] is explicit: "{{tq|Notable events usually have significant impact over a wide region, domain, or widespread societal group.}}" In regards of notability the geographical scope of an earthquake is important only for the extent of damage, or the number of people impacted. An earthquake impacting only a large swath of ocean bottom is not notable, nor one affecting only a few neighbors (even if they are spread out across much of Alaska). For notable earthquakes the geographical scope of "very strong" shaking (MMI ≥ VII) is roughly a hundred kilometers (60 miles) across, with significant damage or disruption of services at the epicenter.
Impact requires '''lasting effects'''. A great intensity of shaking would greatly affect those who experience it, but in itself is ephemeral, merely a passing event. And here [[WP:NEVENTS]] is specific: "{{tq|A minor earthquake or storm with little or no impact on human populations is probably not notable.}}" On the other hand, a small quake that causes a notable structure to collapse, or triggers a landslide that dams a river that floods a large area that leads to the founding of a dynasty (see [[Great flood (China)]]) has a large impact. (Although there might not be enough to say about the quake itself for an article. In such a case the ''impact'' is notable, but the event triggering it is not.) Note that "lasting" might not be determinable immediately following an event, especially regarding scientific significance. Breaching and flooding of the Tokyo subway system due to an earthquake would be an effect that could be confidently expected to be lasting, but the effects of most minor (M ~4) earthquakes are negligible to start, and rapidly fade.
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=== Biggest frog in a small pond ===
{{shortcut|WP:BIGFROG}}
Comparison of an event to another event is problematical: ''any'' frog (event) can be made into the '''biggest frog''' in a pond, by making the pond small enough. Comparison of insignificant events – such as "{{tq|The biggest earthquake in eastern Podunk County since the last barely noticeable earthquake}}" – does not confer notability. Nor is comparison with a notable event – such as "{{tq|the largest earthquake in California since 1906}}" – necessarily significant, in that
=== Small frog in a quiet pond ===
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:b) Inclusion in various earthquake '''catalogs and bulletins''' (or websites that echo the catalogs) is routine, and therefore does not indicate notability. However, ''not'' being listed in the USGS-ANSS "[https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/browse/significant.php Significant earthquakes archive]" or the ISC "[http://isc-mirror.iris.washington.edu/event_bibliography/eventindex.php Event index]" is a strong indication of non-notability.
:c) '''Shaking of intensity VII''' ([[Modified Mercalli scale|MMI]], [[European macroseismic scale|EMS]], or [[China seismic intensity scale|Chinese]] scales; [[Shindo scale|Shindo]] 6
:d) Shaking of intensity VII '''across an area of at least 50 km''' (30 miles) is probably notable, provided there are other impacts of an enduring nature.
:e) '''M 8+''' earthquakes are generally notable on account of a strong and
:f) '''M 7+''' earthquakes are probably notable, but should meet additional criteria.
:g) In the range of about '''6.0 to around 7.5''' magnitudes on the {{m|s|link=y}}, {{m|b|link=y}}, {{m|blg|link=y}}, or {{m|e|link=y}} scales may be more correlative with shaking, and thus impact, than the moment magnitude scale ({{m|w|link=y}}) and its variants.
:h) Earthquakes with '''M < 5 and no reported deaths or damage''' are very unlikely to be notable.
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:m) A significant earthquake occurring in a region not known for such earthquakes, or with a greater magnitude expected, or a recurring earthquake that returns much sooner (or later) than expected, may be '''scientifically notable''' on that basis, but this will have to be explained. Same for other earthquakes of scientific significance, but the significance might not rise to notability.
== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
[[Category:WikiProject Earthquakes]]
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