The focus and the epicenter

What are epicenter, focus ,and hypocenter? It gets confusing

when these terminologies get interchanged whenever you read
a news article about a recent incdent .Because an earthquake
produces seismic waves, it is very important to locate where
the waves originate.The point where the seismic waves
originated is called the focus (plural,foci).It is also known as the
hypocenter.seismologists can locate the depths within the crust
and portions of the upper mantle.
Epicenter -The point on the Earth's surface located directly above the focus of
an earthquake.

Focus -The location where the earthquake begins. The ground ruptures at this
spot, then seismic waves radiate outward in all direction.

A hypocenter (or hypocentre) (from Ancient Greek: [hyp kentron] for 'below the
center') is the point of origin of an earthquake or a subsurface nuclear
explosion. It is a synonym of the focus.Confusingly, the term hypocenter is also
used as a synonym for ground zero, the surface point directly beneath a
nuclear airburst.
An earthquake's hypocenter is the position where the strain energy stored in the rock is
first released, marking the point where the fault begins to rupture. This occurs directly
beneath the epicenter, at a distance known as the focal or hypocentral depth.
The focal depth can be calculated from measurements based on seismic wave
phenomena. As with all wave phenomena in physics, there is uncertainty in such
measurements that grows with the wavelength so the focal depth of the source of these
long-wavelength (low frequency) waves is difficult to determine exactly. Very strong
earthquakes radiate a large fraction of their released energy in seismic waves with very
long wavelengths and therefore a stronger earthquake involves the release of energy
from a larger mass of rock.
Computing the hypocenters of foreshocks, main shock, and aftershocks of earthquakes
allows the three-dimensional plotting of the fault along which movement is occurring.The
expanding wavefront from the earthquake's rupture propagates at a speed of several
kilometers per second, this seismic wave is what is measured at various surface points
in order to geometrically determine an initial guess as to the hypocenter. The wave
reaches each station based upon how far away it was from the hypocenter. A number of
things need to be taken into account, most importantly variations in the waves speed
based upon the materials that it is passing through. With adjustments for velocity

changes, the initial estimate of the hypocenter is made, then a series of linear equations
is set up, one for each station. The equations express the difference between the
observed arrival times and those calculated from the initial estimated hypocenter.

Three Classificaton for Foci Depths or Levels

SHALLOW are between 0 and 70 km deep; intermediate earthquakes, 70 - 300

km deep; and deep earthquakes, 300 - 700 km deep. In general, the term "deep-focus
earthquakes" is applied to earthquakes deeper than 70 km.Apr 7, 2016

INTERMEDIATE OR MODI-FOCI that originate within 60 km (40 miles) of

the Earths outer surface. In fact, the great majority of earthquake foci are
shallow. It should be noted, however, that the geographic distribution of
smaller earthquakes is less completely determined than more severe
quakes, partly because the availability of relevant data is dependent on the
distribution of observatories.

DEEP FOCUS a deep-focus earthquake in seismology is an earthquake

with a hypocenter depth exceeding 300 km. They occur almost exclusively at
oceanic-continental convergent boundaries in association with subducted
oceanic lithosphere. They occur along a dipping tabular zone beneath the
subduction zone known as the WadatiBenioff zone.

What is the epicenter of an earthquake ?

Though the epicenter is central to the area of effect of an earthquake, it is not
necessarily where the strongest shaking is experienced. Historically, the epicenter was
believed to be so, but modern seismic measuring equipment has shown in several
instances that shaking is more severe in areas several miles away. From this, a debate
has emerged over whether earthquakes should be named after the location of their
epicenters or the communities they primarily effect.

The P seismic waves travel as elastic motions at the highest speeds. They
are longitudinal waves that can be transmitted by both solid and liquid materials
in the Earths interior. With P waves, the particles of the medium vibrate in a
manner similar to sound wavesthe transmitting media is alternately compressed
and expanded.the S wave, travels only through solid material. With S waves,
the particle motion is transverse to the direction of travel and involves a
shearing of the transmitting rock.