Interactive demonstration of locating earthquake epicenters using seismic wave arrival times
How to use: Click anywhere on the map to simulate an earthquake. The system will show how P-waves and S-waves propagate to different seismic stations, and then use the arrival time differences to triangulate the epicenter location.
Actual Epicenter
Seismic Station
Estimated Epicenter
Distance Circles
Simulation Controls
Wave Speed
Animation Speed: 1.0x
Station Information
Options
⚠️ Limitations of Triangulation Method
Minimum Station Requirement: At least 3 seismic stations are needed for 2D epicenter location; 4+ stations needed for depth estimation
Assumes Uniform Earth: Method assumes seismic waves travel at constant speeds through homogeneous material, but Earth's structure is complex and layered
Timing Accuracy: Requires precise time synchronization between stations; small timing errors can lead to significant location errors
Wave Identification: Difficulty in accurately identifying P and S wave arrivals, especially for weak or distant earthquakes
Depth Ambiguity: Poor constraint on earthquake depth without stations directly above the epicenter
Station Geometry: Accuracy depends heavily on station distribution; poor geometry (e.g., all stations on one side) leads to large uncertainties