# iTemblor Earthquake Simulator — Shake A Quake

> Simulates earthquake intensity using phone acceleration and the MMI scale. (iPhone/iPad app by Jess Taylor.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itemblor-earthquake-simulator/id297751959 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jess Taylor](https://appshunter.io/developer/417821730)
- Category: Education, Entertainment
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.6 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2008-11-24
- Data updated: 2026-08-23
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itemblor-earthquake-simulator/id297751959/reviews.md

## What is iTemblor Earthquake Simulator?

Use iTemblor to explore the relationship between acceleration you impart on your phone and earthquake shaking intensity, based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale.

While the familiar Richter earthquake magnitude relationship (and others) scale with recorded ground movement, the MMI scale is a qualitative or observational scale of earthquake shaking intensity developed for comparing earthquake effects in locations where there are no seismographs.

The Seismoscope View -  The seismoscope is one of the oldest earthquake measurement devices, dating back to ancient China, and records the intensity and direction of shaking in the horizontal plane. In the spirit of the seismoscope, it’s most accurate to use this view by placing your phone on a flat surface (or hold it roughly horizontal) and to shake it horizontally. The movements you impart, plotted in 2D, are measured as acceleration in time which is then converted into MMI values using an empirical relationship between ground acceleration and MMI shaking intensity (Richter, 1958, Western United States).

The Time Series View -  The time series view is a traditional seismogram view that plots the accelerations you impart to your phone in 3 dimensions (x, y and z axes). You will see two traces for each axis, orange and green. The orange represents the raw acceleration data with the effects of gravity removed. The green represents the same data after the application of a low pass filter. The low pass filter is used to dampen your input to stay approximately within the frequency bandwidth of large earthquakes. The continuous time series is approximately 10 seconds long and is plotted in units of % gravity (G)

The Data - iTemblor records the accelerations you impart onto your device and subtracts the effect of gravity. Then, a low pass filter is applied to constrain the recordings to stay within the bandwidth of large earthquakes (less than 10 hertz). The seismoscope view displays the fully filtered signal (equivalent to the green trace in the time series view). The time series view displays two traces. Both have gravity removed. The green trace has been low pass filtered (as described) and the orange trace has not.

iTemblor is designed to provide fun and interesting correlations between the accelerations you impart on your iPhone through shaking and earthquake intensity. Efforts have been made to create generalized and realistic representations using published empirical data.

Earthquakes are very complex and variable processes, therefore, iTemblor results should be viewed as approximate at best and be used for educational and entertainment purposes only.

## Key features

- MMI scale simulation
- Seismoscope view (2D)
- Time Series view (3D seismogram)
- Gravity removal
- Low-pass filtering
- Educational and entertainment focus

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itemblor-earthquake-simulator/id297751959/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great app for any earthquake geek

*2009-02-28*

Ok, I admit I'm a bit of an earthquake geek. This app taught me more than I had imagined about the science and physics of earthquakes. It's a thought-provoking demo, too, when you put down the iphone e.g. on a table and you can see exactly how powerful a 7.6 earthquake is. When I had a follow-up question, the guys from Pervasent, Inc. were also pretty cool about getting back to me.

## Frequently asked questions about iTemblor Earthquake Simulator

### How does iTemblor simulate earthquake intensity?

iTemblor uses the acceleration you impart on your phone and relates it to the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. This scale is observational and compares earthquake effects in different locations.

### What are the different views in iTemblor?

The app offers a Seismoscope View for 2D horizontal shaking analysis and a Time Series View for 3D acceleration plotting across x, y, and z axes.

### Does iTemblor require an internet connection to work?

The provided data does not specify offline capabilities. However, the app's core functionality relies on device sensors, suggesting it may function offline for simulations.

### What is the accuracy of iTemblor's simulations?

The developers state that earthquakes are complex and variable, so results should be viewed as approximate. The app is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.

### What devices is iTemblor compatible with?

iTemblor is supported on iPhone and iPod devices. It was last updated on September 18, 2025, with version 2.2.0.

### Is iTemblor suitable for young children?

The app has an age rating of 4+, making it generally suitable for younger users. Its educational focus on science concepts can be beneficial.

### How often is iTemblor updated?

The app was last updated on September 18, 2025, indicating active development. Specific update frequency is not detailed, but recent updates suggest ongoing support.

### Does iTemblor have ads?

No, iTemblor does not contain advertisements. It is a free application without any in-app purchases or ad support.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.2.0 — 2025-09-18

Maintenance release for iOS26

### 2.1.4 — 2024-11-21

Maintenance update for iOS18

### 2.1.3 — 2022-11-06

Maintenance Build for iOS16

### 2.1.2 — 2021-12-01

- Minor bug fixes
- Updated for iOS15

### 2.1.1 — 2021-06-10

Fixed a bug related to the seismoscope layout. All is good now!

## Apps similar to iTemblor Earthquake Simulator

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [iSeismometer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iseismometer/id304190739) | 3.6 (170) | Free | Education |
| [NASA](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516) | 4.8 (63,711) | Free | Education |
| [earthquakePR](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earthquakepr/id1619636637) | 5.0 (6) | Free | Education |
| [Star Walk 2 Plus: Live Sky Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-walk-2-plus-live-sky-map/id1112481571) | 4.6 (94,916) | Free | Education |
| [ISS Live Now](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-live-now/id1138994692) | 4.6 (6,453) | Free | Education |
| [Spot the Station](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spot-the-station/id6449235044) | 4.8 (9,377) | Free | Education |

## More apps by Jess Taylor

- [Epicenter - Earthquake Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epicenter-earthquake-map/id972755325)
- [Polis Inventory](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polis-inventory/id1527341314)
- [Athenian Odyssey: Athens Guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athenian-odyssey-athens-guide/id6661034718)
- [Hannibal Barca](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hannibal-barca/id6662561666)
- [The Athenian Long Walls](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-athenian-long-walls/id6741823832)

All apps by Jess Taylor: https://appshunter.io/developer/417821730

## Related topics

[itemblor earthquake simulator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/itemblor-earthquake-simulator) · [earthquake simulator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/earthquake-simulator)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-23.*