Item

Abstract

The European Macroseismic Scale (EMS), published by the European Seismological Community is the basis for evaluation of seismic intensity in European countries and is also used in a number of countries outside Europe. Issued in 1998 as an update of the test version from 1992 (ESM-92), the scale is referred to as EMS-98. The European Macroseismic Scale is the first intensity scale designed to encourage co-operation between engineers and seismologists, rather than being for use by seismologists alone. It comes with a detailed manual, which includes guidelines, illustrations, and application examples. More details on background information on establishing the EMS-98 can be found in the Introduction to the full versions of the scale. The EMS-98 exists as different versions (full, core, short) and was translated in different languages. The original (English) document of the EMS-98 was published as Volume 15 of the Cahiers du Centre Européen de Géodynamique et de Séismologie du Conseil de l’Europe (full document). The core part includes pages 14-20 of the full documents. The short form of the European Macroseismic Scale, abstracted from the Core Part, is intended to give a very simplified and generalized view of the EM Scale. It can, e. g., be used for educational purposes. The short form is not suitable for intensity assignments.