IRIS 1999 Wayne D. Pennington

Geophysics in the 8th Grade:

Earthquake Waves Right in

Their Own Backyard

Michigan Technological University

Volunteer-Run Temporary Seismograph Stations

Simple SoftwareRun for 2-3 MonthsUse Volunteers; train them firstCheap, easy….

We hope!

Mexican earthquake, magnitude 6.8

UPSeis:

Upper Peninsula Seismic Experiments In Schools

The UPSeis Program

One of several established programsIn-classroom experience for K-12University personnel visit schools

Volunteer efforts SEG Foundation purchased equipment

Working Closely With

MichSeis Michigan

Seismology

Can non-permanent stations record Earthquakes?

Yes, we do it all the timeJust wait long enough, for a...

Really big one Nearby one Both of the aboveSeismogram

from MichSeis Web site

How do schools get started?

Teacher or principal... Learns about UPSeis Calls us

We visit school and install In classroom, away from feet Explain to each class

Step-by-Step: 1

Place Seismograph in classroomLeave it there for 2-3 monthsRecord earthquakes

Step-by-Step: 2

Record Eq’sLocations:

www.iris.edu

Step-by-Step: 3

Return and “interpret” seismograms

The Interpretation Process

Distribute seismograms earthquake lists travel-time curves string globes

PS

LR

Analyze the Events

Identify earthquake from times on listLocate earthquake on globe (lat,lon)Find distance to hometown (string)Use travel-time curves to identify

arrivals of seismic wavesAdvanced classes: find magnitude

What do the students learn?

About EarthquakesAbout Geophysics in generalThat real people can do real scienceHow to read a globe!!!Charts and equations

How is this now possible? 1

New, low-cost ($1500) Broad-band Seismographs Research quality Easy to install and maintain

How is this now possible? 2

Low-cost computers serve as Data-Acquisition units A-D boards are still expensive, getting cheaper

Low sample rates

The Seismometer We Use

The S102 from EAI Uses an RF

distance detector

EAI = Electronic Acoustics, Inc.

What other equipment is used?

Macintosh Computer (any with a full-length NuBus slot) National Instruments A-D board

Plan to expand program with other: Computers A-D boards

Equipment Plan

That’s All!

AtoD

But we don’t have a seismic “pier”

That’s OK! We use the floor. Preferably ground floor, but we’ve used upper floors

Big earthquakes are big enough to record anywhere!

What about people walking?

Doesn’t make a differenceExperiments in class prove it,

and are fun!

What’s Next?

Improve Software User-friendly Machine-independent Utilize cheaper A-D boards Fool-proof

Why Am I Telling You?

You can get involvedNext year, we hope

to have a better program in place any company can sponsor workers

to use equipment in schoolsand help our young people be excited about science!

And Whom Do I Thank?SEG Foundation

Equipment purchase Software re-write

Principals and Teachers Especially Mr. Jim Luoma, Houghton

Original Software author Dr. Larry Ruff, University of Michigan