Would you like the USGS to place a seismograph in your home?

So you can help them collect data????? OMG, this is so cool!

The USGS is trying to achieve a denser and more uniform spacing of seismographs in select urban areas to provide better measurements of ground motion during earthquakes. These measurements improve our ability to make rapid post-earthquake assessments of expected damage and contribute to the continuing development of engineering standards for construction.

To accomplish this, we developed a new type of digital seismograph that communicates its data to the USGS via the internet. The seismographs connect to a local network via WiFi and use existing broadband connections to transmit data after an earthquake. The instruments are designed to be installed in private homes, businesses, public buildings and schools with an existing broadband connection to the internet.

Go here for more details, and click through to sign up.

They are mainly looking for people in Hawaii, and the West Coast, plus Utah, so I'm out of the loop. But maybe you are not!

More like this

I happen to live in Oakland, CA, overlooking the Hayward fault, so I signed up. I got a form letter from that they have more volunteers then equipment, so I'm not getting my hopes up that they'll accept my site. But, I'm on the list, now. If something comes out of it, I'll drop a note.

By S. Williams (not verified) on 02 May 2012 #permalink