"By moving them vertically, a representative mean curve could be formed, and individual events were then characterized by individual logarithmic differences from the standard curve"

Charles Francis Richter's quote is describing the development of the Richter magnitude scale, which is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. By moving the information points vertically, Richter was able to produce a representative mean curve that could be utilized as a requirement for comparison. Individual earthquakes were then characterized by the logarithmic distinctions in between the magnitude of the earthquake and the basic curve. This permitted Richter to develop a scale that might precisely measure the magnitude of earthquakes, and it is still used today. The Richter magnitude scale is an important tool for seismologists, as it permits them to accurately measure the magnitude of earthquakes and much better understand the effects of seismic activity.