The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory conducts essential research on earthquakes and solid earth processes while collecting and delivering high quality geophysical data.
The Seismology Working Group promotes and informs the development of open source seismic wave propagation codes in support of seismic source and structure studies, as well as cross-cutting investigations in natural hazards, resource assessments, and planetary geophysics. Seismology codes support both research and learning using a broad range of computing architectures. We aim to anticipate trends in computing and data in order to advance scientific discovery. We welcome feedback from the entire seismological community.
Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics (CIG) is a community-driven organization that advances Earth science by developing and disseminating software for geophysics and related fields.
The January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake of magnitude 7.2 in JMA scale (Mw = 6.9), which struck Kobe, Japan and its surrounding area was the most severe earthquake to affect that region this century. The earthquake resulted in more than 6,000 deaths and over 30,000 injuries. Fires following the earthquake incinerated the equivalent of 70 U.S. city blocks. They together destroyed over 150,000 buildings and left about 300,000 people homeless. The economic loss as a result of this earthquake is estimated to reach $200 billion.
The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) is a 150+ station, globally distributed, state-of-the-art digital seismic network that provides free, realtime, open access data through the IRIS DMC. The map above shows the distribution of the current station network with respect to network operations.
The Global Seismographic Network is a cooperative partnership between IRIS and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), coordinated with the international community, to install and operate a global, multi-use scientific facility as a societal resource for Earth observations, monitoring, research, and education. The stations of the GSN attempt to obtain the best possible recording capability, balanced with global geographic coverage. GSN instrumentation measures and records with high fidelity all seismic vibrations possible from high-frequency, strong ground motions near an earthquake to the slowest global Earth oscillations excited by great earthquakes. Seismology has been the primary focus in the creation of the GSN, but the infrastructure is inherently multi-use and can be extended to other disciplines. Several GSN stations currently incorporate microbarographs, GPS, Geomag, and Meteorological packages.
Greg Houseman. Geodynamics and Seismology
IRIS is a consortium of over 120 US universities dedicated to the operation of science facilities for the acquisition, management, and distribution of seismological data.
IRIS is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Delaware with its primary headquarters office located in Washington, DC. IRIS is governed according to By-laws.
IRIS provides seismic equipment and access to seismic and other data sets for researchers worldwide.
The International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth’s Interior (IASPEI). It is one of the eight Associations that comprise the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).
IASPEI promotes the study of earthquakes and other seismic sources, the propagation of seismic waves, and the Earth's internal structure, properties, and processes. Scientists participating in IASPEI initiate and co-ordinate research and scientific exchanges that demand co-operation among countries. Work on specific topics is carried out through commissions, committees, task and working groups formed to meet specific needs of new, exciting problems as they emerge.
When an earthquake happens deep underground a crack will start to open on a pre-existing line of weakness in the Earth's brittle crust. This crack will then grow larger and larger, relieving built-up stress as it goes.