Explain earthquake characteristics and measurement, describe earthquake fault mechanics, and discuss the status of earthquake forecasting. Differentiate among the Mercalli, moment magnitude (M), and...

Explain earthquake characteristics and measurement, describe earthquake fault mechanics, and discuss the status of earthquake forecasting.

Differentiate among the Mercalli, moment magnitude (M), and amplitude magnitude (Richter) scales. How are these used to describe an earthquake? Reference some recent quakes in your discussion.