epicenter

3 definitions • 2 examples

the point on the earth's surface directly above an earthquake or atomic explosion

the point on the earth's surface directly above the origin of an earthquake:

The Great Nicobar islands lie at the closest point to the epicenter of the earthquake.

An epicenter is also the place that has the highest level of an activity:

The U.S. cannot simply assume that it will remain the epicenter of scientific research and technological innovation.