Focal Mechanisms Explained: What are those “beach balls”? (Educational)

www.iris.edu/earthquake for more intro animations
Focal mechanisms are released after an earthquake to show what type of Earth movement produced the earthquake. These are typically shown using a so-called "beachball" diagram. They refer to the orientation of the fault plane that slipped and the slip vector, and are also called fault-plane solutions.
Directed by Robert Butler, geophysicist, University of Portland
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narration: Roger Groom, Mount Tabor Middle School, Portland OR
Dr. Geophysics character: Richard Blakely, geophysicist, U.S.G.S.
Music: "Constellation" by Water Strider (www.waterstridermusic.com)
"Diagonal Stride" by Fadin' by 9 (www.fadinby9.com) written & fiddled by Seth Moran, seismologist U.S.G.S.
Reviewed by Anna Courtier, James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA
For more Earth-science animations, visit www.iris.edu/earthquake

[@Jorygun]

I think if I watch this 25 times I may get it. Well done, Butler, Johnson, Groom, and Blakley.

[@pauloaraujo3063]

same

[@kristiyansyarov3076]

Thats actually incredibly well ilustrated, thank you!!!

[@abdelrahmanali4550]

Thanks for the great video. The music got me hyped :D

[@FreedaJaneMadius]

Great information and really helps build preliminary understanding of focal mechanisms, thank you so much! I really enjoyed watching this and it was extremely helpful for laymen!

[@sayantanghosh6714]

Incredible!

[@songluo8692]

Very very good!

[@anikemajumdar4504]

Excellent explanation...sir plz make more animation videos on seismology

[@defabreguesariane4486]

Merci beaucoup! trop cool

[@pmm1044]

Perfect

[@hotmeow5538]

hah, the first time i clear unterstood the watermelon graph, thanks so much

[@user-wn2dg2ve6j]

쑤쑤에용

[@gregwilvert]

The completely unnecessary music competes with your voice!

[@sonyasik]

excellent explanation! just what i needed!

[@nicholasarundel9432]

Very well explained, thank you!

[@laurabinkley3897]

Thank-you for posting this! A very clear and concise explanation of "beach balls"!!

[@hansham205]

This video is awesome, thank you for making it!

[@lolonaut1]

Just perfectly explained. Thats what i needed.

[@acifu86]

I have never understood focal mechanism until i found out this video, thank you!!

[@mmerte7166]

Perfect explanation and great illustrations !

[@felixchan2147]

I got it!!!!!!!!!!!! I finally got it!!!!!!!!!! this thing frustrated me in the lecture so much! now im cleared! thamks!

[@udiyosovzon6620]

Lovely music and explanations!

[@ysgurjar]

Hands down, by far the most effective video. I am just entering into field of hydraulic fracturing and and design and this video has provided me exactly what I was searching for !

[@drstrangeluv25]

Thanks, very straightforward.

[@alfonsomunozmartin3304]

Really Good explained !!

[@WormulonDCP]

An excellent introduction, cheers for the animation.

[@MathOmatiX7]

Amazing Clip !!!! Really helps to understand !!!!

[@muhammadharitsfadillah2773]

Very well explained!!

[@J_46]

At last I understand graphically! Thank you so much!

[@angeluomo]

Fantastic job.

[@mttmllr]

Very nice, thanks IRIS.

[@kaneater1]

Nicely Explained

[@kingkongsdingdong5636]

Great explanation. Thanks man :))

[@lucareato3521]

thank you, excellent video the explanation is simple and the argument is well exposed!

[@anthonyallen360]

I understand this at last thank you!!

[@apoorvmittal1320]

very nice,
finally, this is understandable.

[@indox2691]

Finally i got it. Thx

[@yonatangarkebo2652]

wonderful

[@TheTruthFadeswithTime28]

Thanks so much

[@dimashendrawan5170]

Keep it simple....thank you

[@jamesni8623]

Bluegrass music is nice and soothing.

[@anhphung8449]

perfect, i understood.

[@johnwhitman708]

Well explained - I might suggest lowering the volume of or not playing music, but that's just personal preference.

[@IRISEarthquakeScience]

My fault. I can't change volume in RUclips, but the music was lowered in the online version found here: www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/focal_mechanisms_explained
Thanks for commenting. Jenda (animator)

[@paulahorta9229]

I agree!!!!!!

[@xavierortiz4478]

What is the music that begins at 4:22- does anyone know?

[@lukhanyisondevu7738]

this is brilliant

[@gerrymander64]

잘배워가요 thank you

[@s.a.3993]

Nice explanation, thanks!
Music is weird though (a bit loud and distracting).

[@IRISEarthquakeScience]

As mentioned in previous comments, my fault. I can't change volume in RUclips, but the music was lowered in the online version found here: www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/focal_mechanisms_explained.
Jenda (animator)

[@youmustbenewhereguy]

cool :)

[@GoSweetie]

Yea, cool!

[@JackAldred]

wait what?

[@Camizer]

bah, my college told me that white area is for compresional tension

[@carolinatiepel2747]

Good explanation, but the music is very annoying and very distracting.

[@IRISEarthquakeScience]

My fault. I can't change volume in RUclips, but the music was lowered in the online version found here: www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/focal_mechanisms_explained
Thanks for commenting. Jenda (animator)