[selectodude]

It’s actually a function of energy released. The earthquake can get bigger if the fault slip is larger. A magnitude 12 quake is technically possible but requires an entire hemisphere to slip 500 meters. There’s a really interesting paper that takes the moment magnitude scale to its logical extremes.

PDF warning: https://www.fujipress.jp/main/wp-content/themes/Fujipress/pd...

[saalweachter]

I seem to recall something about the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs producing a magnitude 11.

I wonder what the collision that produced the moon rated?

[Nevermark]

Well, as long as they are only doing those in papers!

With regard to hurricanes, we are an active participant in creating the level of need for new terminology.

[ewhanley]

Fair enough - something like rock strength and rupture length. Good paper. Thank you