- You may also be looking for the Richter scale of culture.
The Richter magnitude scale is a seismic scale used to measure the intensity of an earthquake.
An earthquake of about 8 or 8.5 on the Richter scale was measured on Penthara IV after pockets of subterranean carbon dioxide were released by drilling holes with a phaser drill. (TNG: "A Matter of Time")
The biosphere on Moab IV was constructed to withstand quakes of 8.7 on the Richter scale. During initial contact, Data informed Aaron Conor that the approaching stellar core fragment had a density of 100 billion kilograms per cubic centimeter, with its passing causing tectonic shifts "well beyond 8.7 on the Richter scale". (TNG: "The Masterpiece Society")