National Richter Scale Day

National Richter Scale Day is an American holiday commemorating the creation of the Richter Scale. This scale allowed people to measure the intensity of earthquakes and determine their destructive potential. It is celebrated annually on April 26.

History

The history of National Richter Scale Day is not well documented, but it is celebrated on Charles Richter’s birthday.

Charles Richter was born in Ohio but spent much of his life in Los Angeles. He graduated from several universities, where he studied physics extensively. His passion for science drove him to put his knowledge into practice.

While studying at the California Institute of Technology, Richter came across an article by Japanese seismologist Kiyoo Wadachi. The article, which discussed earthquakes in relation to their depth, fascinated Richter. This interest led him to develop a scale to estimate the power of natural catastrophes. He based his calculations on the energy released by an earthquake, divided into 10 intervals, and transformed it into a point system. The difference between each score was a factor of 10, meaning that a magnitude of 2 releases 10 times more energy than a magnitude of 1, and so on.

Interesting Facts

• Charles Richter led the development of the scale together with his German colleague Beno Gutenberg.
• Today, the Richter Scale is the universally recognized method for measuring the power of earthquakes. Its counterparts have never gained wide usage.
• Destruction usually begins at a magnitude of 5. At a magnitude of 1, an earthquake is not typically felt.

How to Celebrate

Learn more about the Richter Scale. Research the most destructive earthquakes of the last century and their magnitudes.

Share information about the holiday on social media. Ask users if they have ever experienced an earthquake. What were their impressions?

When is National Richter Scale Day in 2025?

National Richter Scale Day is observed on April 26 each year.

Observations