Zipf's Law states that there is a relation between size and rank of discrete phenomena. This relationship has been noted in other areas, but only recently has been used to describe geological events; in this example, the occurrence of earthquakes in Kansas. Forty earthquakes recorded in Kansas were used to test and evaluate the law as a description model. It was determined that Zipf's Law can describe the size and rank distribution of earthquakes, including those with magnitudes not yet recorded, but it cannot predict when they will occur.
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1 March 2009
Using Zipf's Law to Predict Future Earthquakes in Kansas
Daniel F. Merriam,
John C. Davis
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Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science
Vol. 112 • No. 1/2
March 2009
Vol. 112 • No. 1/2
March 2009
area affected
earthquake magnitude
power law
prediction model