hypocenter
/ˈhaɪpəˌsɛntər/
noun
- The point inside the Earth where an earthquake rupture begins, directly below the epicenter on the surface.
- Seismologists calculated that the hypocenter of the quake was about 10 kilometers deep.
- The earthquake's hypocenter was located near a major fault line under the ocean floor.
- Knowing the hypocenter helps scientists understand how seismic waves travel through the Earth.
- The point on the ground directly below the center of a nuclear explosion, also called ground zero.
- At the hypocenter of the nuclear test, the heat was intense enough to melt sand into glass.
- The bomb's hypocenter was marked by a memorial at the site of the blast.
- Survivors near the hypocenter described a blinding flash followed by a shockwave.
Synonyms