Guide Note

Seismology is the study of earthquakes and their effects. It also encompasses other sources of seismic activity of the Earth such as tsunamis, volcanoes and the seismic impacts of manmade explosions. The waves produced by earthquakes provide seismologists with information that helps them understand the structure of the earth.¹

Fast Facts

Term from the Greek words seismos+logos
Translation: "earthquake knowledge"
Types of seismic waves: Pressure, shear, surface
First seismologist: Aristotle²

Beginnings of Modern Seismology

The ancients believed that earthquakes were caused by the anger of the gods. Aristotle was the first to challenge this assumption, postulating that earthquakes were caused by winds passing through porous holes in the earth.² This belief stood for centuries, until an earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal in 1755 prompted the beginning of modern earthquake observation. John Mitchell, an English physicist, noted the physical changes of the Earth and connected them to the times and locations of earthquakes. In 1760, he concluded that earthquakes were caused by shifts in rocks deep below the surface of the earth.

19th Century Research

During the middle to late 19th century, major advances in seismology were made by Robert Mallet, Luigi Palmieri and Karl Gilbert. Mallet's idea was that changes in seismic velocity would imply changes in the earth's properties. He used gunpowder explosions to measure the seismic wave velocity. Palmieri invented a mercury seismometer that recorded the time of the earthquake and the intensity and duration of the earth's movement. In 1872, a major understanding of the role faults play in earthquakes was discovered by Karl Gilbert.

20th Century Knowledge

The 20th century led to a deeper understanding of the properties and composition of the earth's core. In 1906, Richard Dixon Oldham postulated that the earth's core was liquid. This was later proven by Harold Jeffreys in 1926. In 1936, Inge Lehmann determined that the earth's core was actually made up of an inner core and an outer core.

Categories

Science | Education

View Note History

Seismology

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Seismology
USGS: Introduction to Seismology
MichiganTech: UPSeis
University of Bergen: What is Seismology?
University College London: What is Seismology? (77.27KB)
Yahoo! Education: Seismology - Facts
YouTube Video: Seismic Imaging of the Earth's Interior (Time: 52:56)

Seismology News and Articles

Google News: Seismology News
The Epoch Times: Seismologist's Prediction of Sichuan Quake Ignored... (May 14, 2008)
BrightSurf.com: Seismologist's Project Uses Public's Laptops To Monitor ... (April 3, 2008)
The University of Arizona: UA Scientist Named Chairwoman... (March 11, 2008)
Washington University in St. Louis: 3-D Seismic Model Of Vast Water ... (February 7, 2007)
National Science Foundation: New Technique Uses Seismic 'Garbage'... (March 10, 2005)

Seismology History

University Of California At Santa Barbara: A Brief History of Seismology to 1910
USGS: The Early History of Seismometry (to 1900)
The University Of Western Australia: A Brief History of Seismology
AIR: Measuring Earthquake Magnitude

Notable Figures in Seismology

Charles Richter

Wikipedia: Charles Richter
USGS: An Interview With Charles F. Richter
Cartage.org: Charles Francis Richter

Harold Jeffreys

Wikipedia: Harold Jeffreys
USGS: Earthquake Hazards Program: An Interview with Sir Harold Jeffreys
The Vetlesen Prize: Biography, Sir Harold Jeffreys

Richard Dixon Oldham

Wikipedia: Richard Dixon Oldham
CIRES: Richard Dixon Oldham
Science Daily: Researchers Solve Century-Old Earthquake Mystery In India (April 18, 2001)

Beno Gutenberg

Wikipedia: Beno Gutenberg
AGU: Beno Gutenberg
The National Academies Press: Beno Gutenberg

Bruce Bolt

Wikipedia: Bruce Bolt
Berkeley Seismological Laboratory: Bruce Bolt
San Francisco Chronicle: ...Earthquake Expert Toiled For Public's Safety (July 26, 2005)

Inge Lehmann

Wikipedia: Inge Lehmann
AGU: Inge Lehmann
American Museum of Natural History: Inge Lehmann: Discoverer of the Earth's Inner Core
WiP Herstory: Spotlight Scientist: Inge Lehmann

Seismology Fun Stuff

San Diego State University: Seismology Crossword Puzzle
Seismosoc.org: Electronic Seismologist
ROHAN Academic Computing: Using Seismic-Eruption To Explore Earthquakes...
The UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory: Build Your Own Seismograph

Seismology Research and Research Centers

Berkeley Seismological Laboratory: Research Program
USGS: Research in Seismology, Tectonics, and Engineering
California Institute of Technology: Seismological Laboratory [Earthquakes, Research, Academics
IUGG: ...Recent Research In Seismology In South Africa (October 07, 2007) (50.2KB)
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
Nevada Seismological Laboratory

Seismology Education Resources

SCEDC: Seismology/ Geology Glossary
Natural Resources Canada: Glossary Of Seismological Terms
Michigan Tech: UPSeis
IRIS: Educational Resources For Seismology
Carleton College: Exploring Seismology In The Classroom Using The USGS ...
Seismology Research Center: Why Monitor Earthquakes?

Seismology Photos and Videos

Google Images: Seismology Images
Yahoo! Images: Seismology Photos
Google Videos: Seismology Videos
YouTube: Seismology Videos
YouTube Video: Forensic Seismology at the WTC (Time: 9:41)
YouTube Video: Tools for Understanding Seismology in Southern California (Time: 27:36)
YouTube Video: Earthquake Mainshocks and Aftershocks (Time: 57:23)

Seismology Blogs and Forums

Google Blogs: Seismology Blogs
Middle East Seismological Forum (M.E.S.F.)
Seismology At Concordia: Using Seismic Waves To Image Earth's... (April 6, 2008)
ScienceBlogs: Seismology @ Home (March 27, 2008)
SkyscraperPage Forum: Seismic Force Calculation (October 22, 2006)

Seismology Organizations and Societies

Seismology Books and Publications

Google Books: Seismology Books
eBay: Seismology Books
Amazon.com: Seismology Books
Barnes & Noble: Seismology
Overstock.com: Introduction to Seismology
Borders: Applied Seismology: A Comprehensive Guide To Seismic Theory And Application
Best Book Buys: Theoretical Global Seismology

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