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Microseism

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In seismology , a microseism is defined as a faint earth tremor caused by natural phenomena. Sometimes referred to as a "hum", it should not be confused with the anomalous acoustic phenomenon of the same name . The term is most commonly used to refer to the dominant background seismic and electromagnetic noise signals on Earth, which are caused by water waves in the oceans and lakes. Characteristics of microseism are discussed by Bhatt. Because the ocean wave oscillations are statistically homogenous over several hours, the microseism signal is a long-continuing oscillation of the ground. The most energetic seismic waves that make up the microseismic field are Rayleigh waves , but Love waves can make up a significant fraction of the wave field, and body waves are also easily detected with arrays. Because the conversion from the ocean waves to the seismic waves is very weak, the amplitude of ground motions associated to microseisms does not generally exceed 10 micrometers.

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73-403: As noted early in the history of seismology, microseisms are very well detected and measured by means of a long-period seismograph , This signal can be recorded anywhere on Earth. Dominant microseism signals from the oceans are linked to characteristic ocean swell periods, and thus occur between approximately 4 to 30 seconds. Microseismic noise usually displays two predominant peaks. The weaker

146-458: A feedback circuit. The amount of force necessary to achieve this is then recorded. In most designs the electronics holds a mass motionless relative to the frame. This device is called a "force balance accelerometer". It measures acceleration instead of velocity of ground movement. Basically, the distance between the mass and some part of the frame is measured very precisely, by a linear variable differential transformer . Some instruments use

219-408: A geo-sismometro , possibly the first use of a similar word to seismometer . Naturalist Nicolo Zupo devised an instrument to detect electrical disturbances and earthquakes at the same time (1784). The first moderately successful device for detecting the time of an earthquake was devised by Ascanio Filomarino in 1796, who improved upon Salsano's pendulum instrument, using a pencil to mark, and using

292-431: A linear variable differential capacitor . That measurement is then amplified by electronic amplifiers attached to parts of an electronic negative feedback loop . One of the amplified currents from the negative feedback loop drives a coil very like a loudspeaker . The result is that the mass stays nearly motionless. Most instruments measure directly the ground motion using the distance sensor. The voltage generated in

365-529: A better understanding of the underlying physical processes and their influence on the Earth's dynamic systems. Because they are driven by ocean wave energy, microseism signals around the Earth also show large spatial scale variations that reflect average wave energy over large expanses of the global oceans. Decadal scale studies have shown that microseism energy is growing as global storms, and their associated waves, increase in intensity due to rising temperatures in

438-402: A coil attached to the mass which voltage moves through the magnetic field of a magnet attached to the frame. This design is often used in a geophone , which is used in exploration for oil and gas. Seismic observatories usually have instruments measuring three axes: north-south (y-axis), east–west (x-axis), and vertical (z-axis). If only one axis is measured, it is usually the vertical because it

511-554: A copy of which can be found at the University Library in Bologna, and a further mercury seismoscope was constructed by Niccolò Cacciatore in 1818. James Lind also built a seismological tool of unknown design or efficacy (known as an earthquake machine) in the late 1790s. Pendulum devices were developing at the same time. Neapolitan naturalist Nicola Cirillo set up a network of pendulum earthquake detectors following

584-406: A digital seismograph can be simply input to a computer. It presents the data in a standard digital format (often "SE2" over Ethernet ). The modern broadband seismograph can record a very broad range of frequencies . It consists of a small "proof mass", confined by electrical forces, driven by sophisticated electronics . As the earth moves, the electronics attempt to hold the mass steady through

657-527: A given quake. Luigi Palmieri , influenced by Mallet's 1848 paper, invented a seismometer in 1856 that could record the time of an earthquake. This device used metallic pendulums which closed an electric circuit with vibration, which then powered an electromagnet to stop a clock. Palmieri seismometers were widely distributed and used for a long time. By 1872, a committee in the United Kingdom led by James Bryce expressed their dissatisfaction with

730-433: A hair attached to the mechanism to inhibit the motion of a clock's balance wheel. This meant that the clock would only start once an earthquake took place, allowing determination of the time of incidence. After an earthquake taking place on October 4, 1834, Luigi Pagani observed that the mercury seismoscope held at Bologna University had completely spilled over, and did not provide useful information. He therefore devised

803-414: A low-budget way to get some of the performance of the closed-loop wide-band geologic seismographs. Strain-beam accelerometers constructed as integrated circuits are too insensitive for geologic seismographs (2002), but are widely used in geophones. Some other sensitive designs measure the current generated by the flow of a non-corrosive ionic fluid through an electret sponge or a conductive fluid through

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876-407: A period which is half of the water wave period and are usually called 'secondary microseisms'. A slight, but detectable, incessant excitation of the Earth's free oscillations, or normal modes , with periods in the range 30 to 1000 s, and is often referred to as the "Earth hum". For periods up to 300 s, the vertical displacement corresponds to Rayleigh waves generated like the primary microseisms, with

949-552: A portable device that used lead shot to detect the direction of an earthquake, where the lead fell into four bins arranged in a circle, to determine the quadrant of earthquake incidence. He completed the instrument in 1841. In response to a series of earthquakes near Comrie in Scotland in 1839, a committee was formed in the United Kingdom in order to produce better detection devices for earthquakes. The outcome of this

1022-487: A seismometer was deployed on the planet Mars by the InSight lander, the first time a seismometer was placed onto the surface of another planet. In Ancient Egypt , Amenhotep, son of Hapu invented a precursor of seismometer, a vertical wooden poles connected with wooden gutters on the central axis functioned to fill water into a vessel until full to detect earthquakes. In AD 132 , Zhang Heng of China's Han dynasty

1095-508: A sense coil on the mass by the magnet directly measures the instantaneous velocity of the ground. The current to the drive coil provides a sensitive, accurate measurement of the force between the mass and frame, thus measuring directly the ground's acceleration (using f=ma where f=force, m=mass, a=acceleration). One of the continuing problems with sensitive vertical seismographs is the buoyancy of their masses. The uneven changes in pressure caused by wind blowing on an open window can easily change

1168-499: A vacuum to reduce disturbances from air currents. Zollner described torsionally suspended horizontal pendulums as early as 1869, but developed them for gravimetry rather than seismometry. Early seismometers had an arrangement of levers on jeweled bearings, to scratch smoked glass or paper. Later, mirrors reflected a light beam to a direct-recording plate or roll of photographic paper. Briefly, some designs returned to mechanical movements to save money. In mid-twentieth-century systems,

1241-412: A very small difference in frequency (and thus wavenumbers), this pattern of wave groups may have the same velocity as seismic waves, between 1500 and 3000 m/s, and will excite acoustic-seismic modes that radiate away. As far as seismic and acoustic waves are concerned, the motion of ocean waves in deep water is, to the leading order , equivalent to a pressure applied at the sea surface. This pressure

1314-574: Is a digital strong-motion seismometer, or accelerograph . The data from such an instrument is essential to understand how an earthquake affects man-made structures, through earthquake engineering . The recordings of such instruments are crucial for the assessment of seismic hazard , through engineering seismology . A strong-motion seismometer measures acceleration. This can be mathematically integrated later to give velocity and position. Strong-motion seismometers are not as sensitive to ground motions as teleseismic instruments but they stay on scale during

1387-440: Is an instrument that responds to ground displacement and shaking such as caused by quakes , volcanic eruptions , and explosions . They are usually combined with a timing device and a recording device to form a seismograph . The output of such a device—formerly recorded on paper (see picture) or film, now recorded and processed digitally—is a seismogram . Such data is used to locate and characterize earthquakes , and to study

1460-453: Is called seismometry , a branch of seismology . The concept of measuring the "shaking" of something means that the word "seismograph" might be used in a more general sense. For example, a monitoring station that tracks changes in electromagnetic noise affecting amateur radio waves presents an rf seismograph . And helioseismology studies the "quakes" on the Sun . The first seismometer

1533-441: Is fixed, the bottom. To visualize what happens, it is easier to study the propagation of waves over a sinusoidal bottom topography. This easily generalizes to bottom topography with oscillations around a mean depth. For realistic seafloor topography, that has a broad spatial spectrum, seismic waves are generated with all wavelengths and in all directions. Because the dynamic pressures of ocean waves fall off exponentially with depth,

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1606-481: Is for the larger periods, typically close to 16 s, and can be explained by the effect of surface gravity waves in shallow water. These microseisms have the same period as the water waves that generate them, and are usually called 'primary microseisms'. The stronger peak, for shorter periods, is also due to surface gravity waves in water, but arises from the interaction of waves with nearly equal frequencies but nearly opposite directions (the clapotis ). These tremors have

1679-451: Is less noisy and gives better records of some seismic waves. The foundation of a seismic station is critical. A professional station is sometimes mounted on bedrock . The best mountings may be in deep boreholes, which avoid thermal effects, ground noise and tilting from weather and tides. Other instruments are often mounted in insulated enclosures on small buried piers of unreinforced concrete. Reinforcing rods and aggregates would distort

1752-430: Is nearly equal to the water density times the wave orbital velocity squared. Because of this square, it is not the amplitude of the individual wave trains that matter (red and black lines in the figures) but the amplitude of the sum, the wave groups (blue line in figures). Real ocean waves are composed of an infinite number of wave trains and there is always some energy propagating in the opposite direction. Also, because

1825-443: Is placed under the arm, and a small sheet of metal mounted on the underside of the arm drags in the oil to damp oscillations. The level of oil, position on the arm, and angle and size of sheet is adjusted until the damping is "critical", that is, almost having oscillation. The hinge is very low friction, often torsion wires, so the only friction is the internal friction of the wire. Small seismographs with low proof masses are placed in

1898-550: Is said to have invented the first seismoscope (by the definition above), which was called Houfeng Didong Yi (translated as, "instrument for measuring the seasonal winds and the movements of the Earth"). The description we have, from the History of the Later Han Dynasty , says that it was a large bronze vessel, about 2 meters in diameter; at eight points around the top were dragon's heads holding bronze balls. When there

1971-413: Is slower than phase speed of water waves (see animation). For typical ocean waves with a period around 10 seconds, this group speed is close to 10 m/s. In the case of opposite propagation direction the groups travel at a much larger speed, which is now 2π( f 1 + f 2 )/( k 1 − k 2 ) with k 1 and k 2 the wave numbers of the interacting water waves. For wave trains with

2044-431: Is strongly associated with distant ocean storms. Theoretical modeling shows that non-linear interactions between surface ocean waves can effectively generate P-wave microseisms and can be modulated by site effect. It has also been shown that the generation may be affected by local bathymetry and ocean wave heights. SV-wave microseisms are observed to be excited in the same place as P-wave microseisms, and can be explainable in

2117-520: Is thought to refer to a pendulum, though it is not known exactly how this was linked to a mechanism that would open only one dragon's mouth. The first earthquake recorded by this seismoscope was supposedly "somewhere in the east". Days later, a rider from the east reported this earthquake. By the 13th century, seismographic devices existed in the Maragheh observatory (founded 1259) in Persia, though it

2190-439: Is unclear whether these were constructed independently or based on the first seismoscope. French physicist and priest Jean de Hautefeuille described a seismoscope in 1703, which used a bowl filled with mercury which would spill into one of eight receivers equally spaced around the bowl, though there is no evidence that he actually constructed the device. A mercury seismoscope was constructed in 1784 or 1785 by Atanasio Cavalli ,

2263-456: The Greek σεισμός, seismós , a shaking or quake, from the verb σείω, seíō , to shake; and μέτρον, métron , to measure, and was coined by David Milne-Home in 1841, to describe an instrument designed by Scottish physicist James David Forbes . Seismograph is another Greek term from seismós and γράφω, gráphō , to draw. It is often used to mean seismometer , though it is more applicable to

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2336-445: The inertia to stay still within the frame . The result is that the stylus scratched a pattern corresponding with the Earth's movement. This type of strong-motion seismometer recorded upon a smoked glass (glass with carbon soot ). While not sensitive enough to detect distant earthquakes, this instrument could indicate the direction of the pressure waves and thus help find the epicenter of a local quake. Such instruments were useful in

2409-407: The internal structure of Earth . A simple seismometer, sensitive to up-down motions of the Earth, is like a weight hanging from a spring, both suspended from a frame that moves along with any motion detected. The relative motion between the weight (called the mass) and the frame provides a measurement of the vertical ground motion . A rotating drum is attached to the frame and a pen is attached to

2482-407: The sea states . It can be used to estimate ocean wave properties and their variation, on time scales of individual events (a few hours to a few days) to their seasonal or multi-decadal evolution. Using these signals, however, requires a basic understanding of the microseisms generation processes. The details of the primary mechanism was first given by Klaus Hasselmann , with a simple expression of

2555-423: The 1731 Puglia Earthquake, where the amplitude was detected using a protractor to measure the swinging motion. Benedictine monk Andrea Bina further developed this concept in 1751, having the pendulum create trace marks in sand under the mechanism, providing both magnitude and direction of motion. Neapolitan clockmaker Domenico Salsano produced a similar pendulum which recorded using a paintbrush in 1783, labelling it

2628-509: The Earth's surface, body wave microseisms propagate through the deeper layers of the Earth. Seasonal variations in body-wave noise has been reported, consistent with differences in storm activity between the northern and southern hemisphere. As evidenced by the seismic recordings, body wave microseisms including P-, SV-, and SH-wave types, can be evident at a broad range of periods. Among them, P-wave microseisms are mostly studied, typically P, PP, and PKP phases. The generation of P-wave microseisms

2701-421: The Earth. Seasonality variation in microseisms offers valuable insights into the dynamics of the Earth's surface and subsurface processes. Globally observable microseisms are generated by ocean waves. Seasonal changes in oceanic and atmospheric conditions, such as wave height, storm activity, and wind patterns, contribute to the observed variations in microseism intensity and frequency content. For instance, during

2774-486: The analysis of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . Further analysis was performed in the 1980s, using these early recordings, enabling a more precise determination of the initial fault break location in Marin county and its subsequent progression, mostly to the south. Later, professional suites of instruments for the worldwide standard seismographic network had one set of instruments tuned to oscillate at fifteen seconds, and

2847-561: The current available seismometers, still using the large 1842 Forbes device located in Comrie Parish Church, and requested a seismometer which was compact, easy to install and easy to read. In 1875 they settled on a large example of the Mallet device, consisting of an array of cylindrical pins of various sizes installed at right angles to each other on a sand bed, where larger earthquakes would knock down larger pins. This device

2920-402: The density of the air in a room enough to cause a vertical seismograph to show spurious signals. Therefore, most professional seismographs are sealed in rigid gas-tight enclosures. For example, this is why a common Streckeisen model has a thick glass base that must be glued to its pier without bubbles in the glue. It might seem logical to make the heavy magnet serve as a mass, but that subjects

2993-455: The device to begin recording, and then a recording surface would produce a graphical illustration of the tremors automatically (a seismogram). However, the instrument was not sensitive enough, and the first seismogram produced by the instrument was in 1887, by which time John Milne had already demonstrated his design in Japan . In 1880, the first horizontal pendulum seismometer was developed by

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3066-403: The difference that it involves the interaction of infragravity waves with the ocean bottom topography. The dominant sources of this vertical hum component are likely located along the shelf break, the transition region between continental shelves and the abyssal plains. As a result, from the short period 'secondary microseisms' to the long period 'hum', this seismic noise contains information on

3139-425: The first horizontal pendulum was used in a seismometer, reported by Milne (though it is unclear if he was the original inventor). After these inventions, Robert Mallet published an 1848 paper where he suggested ideas for seismometer design, suggesting that such a device would need to register time, record amplitudes horizontally and vertically, and ascertain direction. His suggested design was funded, and construction

3212-414: The first modern seismometer. This produced the first effective measurement of horizontal motion. Gray would produce the first reliable method for recording vertical motion, which produced the first effective 3-axis recordings. An early special-purpose seismometer consisted of a large, stationary pendulum , with a stylus on the bottom. As the earth started to move, the heavy mass of the pendulum had

3285-455: The garden-gate described above. Vertical instruments use some kind of constant-force suspension, such as the LaCoste suspension. The LaCoste suspension uses a zero-length spring to provide a long period (high sensitivity). Some modern instruments use a "triaxial" or "Galperin" design , in which three identical motion sensors are set at the same angle to the vertical but 120 degrees apart on

3358-527: The geological context, the noise recorded by a seismic station on land can be representative of the sea state close to the station (within a few hundred kilometers, for example in Central California), or a full ocean basin (for example in Hawaii). In order to understand the noise properties, it is thus necessary to understand the propagation of the seismic waves. Rayleigh waves constitute most of

3431-634: The horizontal. Vertical and horizontal motions can be computed from the outputs of the three sensors. Seismometers unavoidably introduce some distortion into the signals they measure, but professionally designed systems have carefully characterized frequency transforms. Modern sensitivities come in three broad ranges: geophones , 50 to 750 V /m; local geologic seismographs, about 1,500 V/m; and teleseismographs, used for world survey, about 20,000 V/m. Instruments come in three main varieties: short period, long period and broadband. The short and long period measure velocity and are very sensitive, however they 'clip'

3504-498: The light was reflected to a pair of differential electronic photosensors called a photomultiplier. The voltage generated in the photomultiplier was used to drive galvanometers which had a small mirror mounted on the axis. The moving reflected light beam would strike the surface of the turning drum, which was covered with photo-sensitive paper. The expense of developing photo-sensitive paper caused many seismic observatories to switch to ink or thermal-sensitive paper. After World War II,

3577-462: The mass is held nearly motionless relative to the frame by an electronic negative feedback loop . The motion of the mass relative to the frame is measured, and the feedback loop applies a magnetic or electrostatic force to keep the mass nearly motionless. The voltage needed to produce this force is the output of the seismometer, which is recorded digitally. In other systems the weight is allowed to move, and its motion produces an electrical charge in

3650-443: The microseism source in the particular case of a constant sloping bottom. It turns out that this constant slope needs to be fairly large (around 5 percent or more) to explain the observed microseism amplitudes, and this is not realistic. Instead, small-scale bottom topographic features do not need to be so steep, and the generation of primary microseisms is more likely a particular case of a wave-wave interaction process in which one wave

3723-476: The next year, one being a common-pendulum seismometer and the other being the first seismometer using a damped horizontal pendulum. The innovative recording system allowed for a continuous record, the first to do so. The first seismogram was recorded on 3 November 1880 on both of Ewing's instruments. Modern seismometers would eventually descend from these designs. Milne has been referred to as the 'Father of modern seismology' and his seismograph design has been called

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3796-426: The northern and southern hemisphere winters, storm activity and wave energy are on average higher in the corresponding winter hemispheres and microseism signals become more pronounced. In contrast, during hemispherical summers, when oceanic and atmospheric conditions are relatively calmer, the microseism signal exhibits its lowest annual intensity. By studying the seasonality variation of microseisms, researchers can gain

3869-400: The oceans and atmosphere attributed to anthropogenic global warming Body wave microseisms are a type of seismic wave that propagates through the Earth's interior, distinct from surface waves. These microseisms are generated by various sources, including atmospheric pressure fluctuations, oceanic interactions, and anthropogenic activities. Unlike surface waves, which predominantly travel along

3942-417: The older instruments in which the measuring and recording of ground motion were combined, than to modern systems, in which these functions are separated. Both types provide a continuous record of ground motion; this record distinguishes them from seismoscopes , which merely indicate that motion has occurred, perhaps with some simple measure of how large it was. The technical discipline concerning such devices

4015-407: The other at ninety seconds, each set measuring in three directions. Amateurs or observatories with limited means tuned their smaller, less sensitive instruments to ten seconds. The basic damped horizontal pendulum seismometer swings like the gate of a fence. A heavy weight is mounted on the point of a long (from 10 cm to several meters) triangle, hinged at its vertical edge. As the ground moves,

4088-442: The pier as the temperature changes. A site is always surveyed for ground noise with a temporary installation before pouring the pier and laying conduit. Originally, European seismographs were placed in a particular area after a destructive earthquake. Today, they are spread to provide appropriate coverage (in the case of weak-motion seismology ) or concentrated in high-risk regions ( strong-motion seismology ). The word derives from

4161-403: The primary microseism source mechanism is restricted to shallower regions of the world ocean (e.g., less than several hundred meters for 14 - 20 s wave energy). The interaction of two trains of surface waves of different frequencies and directions generates wave groups . For waves propagating almost in the same direction, this gives the usual sets of waves that travel at the group speed, which

4234-422: The same theory of P-wave microseisms. In contrast, SH-wave microseisms have been less studied and its generation mechanism remains unresolved. Recent discovery found that its formation may be related to a sedimentary layer. Given the generation mechanism of body wave microseisms, they can be in turn utilized to monitor ocean wave and track tropical cyclones on seismic recordings. Seismograph A seismometer

4307-501: The secondary microseismic field. Both water and solid Earth particles are displaced by the waves as they propagate, and the water layer plays a very important role in defining the celerity, group speed and the transfer of energy from the surface water waves to the Rayleigh waves. The generation of secondary-microseism Love waves involves mode conversion by non-planar bathymetry and, internally, through seismic wavespeed homogeneity within

4380-446: The seismic waves are much faster than the water waves, the source of seismic noise is isotropic: the same amount of energy is radiated in all directions. In practice, the source of seismic energy is strongest when there are a significant amount of wave energy traveling in opposite directions. This occurs when swell from one storm meets waves with the same period from another storm, or close to the coast due coastal reflection. Depending on

4453-400: The seismograph to errors when the Earth's magnetic field moves. This is also why seismograph's moving parts are constructed from a material that interacts minimally with magnetic fields. A seismograph is also sensitive to changes in temperature so many instruments are constructed from low expansion materials such as nonmagnetic invar . The hinges on a seismograph are usually patented, and by

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4526-475: The seismometers developed by Milne, Ewing and Gray were adapted into the widely used Press-Ewing seismometer . Modern instruments use electronic sensors, amplifiers, and recording devices. Most are broadband covering a wide range of frequencies. Some seismometers can measure motions with frequencies from 500 Hz to 0.00118 Hz (1/500 = 0.002 seconds per cycle, to 1/0.00118 = 850 seconds per cycle). The mechanical suspension for horizontal instruments remains

4599-413: The signal or go off-scale for ground motion that is strong enough to be felt by people. A 24-bit analog-to-digital conversion channel is commonplace. Practical devices are linear to roughly one part per million. Delivered seismometers come with two styles of output: analog and digital. Analog seismographs require analog recording equipment, possibly including an analog-to-digital converter. The output of

4672-435: The strongest seismic shaking. Strong motion sensors are used for intensity meter applications. Accelerographs and geophones are often heavy cylindrical magnets with a spring-mounted coil inside. As the case moves, the coil tends to stay stationary, so the magnetic field cuts the wires, inducing current in the output wires. They receive frequencies from several hundred hertz down to 1 Hz. Some have electronic damping,

4745-664: The team of John Milne , James Alfred Ewing and Thomas Gray , who worked as foreign-government advisors in Japan, from 1880 to 1895. Milne, Ewing and Gray, all having been hired by the Meiji Government in the previous five years to assist Japan's modernization efforts, founded the Seismological Society of Japan in response to an Earthquake that took place on February 22, 1880, at Yokohama (Yokohama earthquake). Two instruments were constructed by Ewing over

4818-455: The time the patent has expired, the design has been improved. The most successful public domain designs use thin foil hinges in a clamp. Another issue is that the transfer function of a seismograph must be accurately characterized, so that its frequency response is known. This is often the crucial difference between professional and amateur instruments. Most are characterized on a variable frequency shaking table. Another type of seismometer

4891-516: The weight stays unmoving, swinging the "gate" on the hinge. The advantage of a horizontal pendulum is that it achieves very low frequencies of oscillation in a compact instrument. The "gate" is slightly tilted, so the weight tends to slowly return to a central position. The pendulum is adjusted (before the damping is installed) to oscillate once per three seconds, or once per thirty seconds. The general-purpose instruments of small stations or amateurs usually oscillate once per ten seconds. A pan of oil

4964-483: The weight, thus recording any ground motion in a seismogram . Any movement from the ground moves the frame. The mass tends not to move because of its inertia , and by measuring the movement between the frame and the mass, the motion of the ground can be determined. Early seismometers used optical levers or mechanical linkages to amplify the small motions involved, recording on soot-covered paper or photographic paper. Modern instruments use electronics. In some systems,

5037-546: Was an earthquake, one of the dragons' mouths would open and drop its ball into a bronze toad at the base, making a sound and supposedly showing the direction of the earthquake. On at least one occasion, probably at the time of a large earthquake in Gansu in AD 143, the seismoscope indicated an earthquake even though one was not felt. The available text says that inside the vessel was a central column that could move along eight tracks; this

5110-420: Was an inverted pendulum seismometer constructed by James David Forbes , first presented in a report by David Milne-Home in 1842, which recorded the measurements of seismic activity through the use of a pencil placed on paper above the pendulum. The designs provided did not prove effective, according to Milne's reports. It was Milne who coined the word seismometer in 1841, to describe this instrument. In 1843,

5183-528: Was attempted, but his final design did not fulfill his expectations and suffered from the same problems as the Forbes design, being inaccurate and not self-recording. Karl Kreil constructed a seismometer in Prague between 1848 and 1850, which used a point-suspended rigid cylindrical pendulum covered in paper, drawn upon by a fixed pencil. The cylinder was rotated every 24 hours, providing an approximate time for

5256-423: Was constructed in 'Earthquake House' near Comrie, which can be considered the world's first purpose-built seismological observatory. As of 2013, no earthquake has been large enough to cause any of the cylinders to fall in either the original device or replicas. The first seismographs were invented in the 1870s and 1880s. The first seismograph was produced by Filippo Cecchi in around 1875. A seismoscope would trigger

5329-681: Was made in China during the 2nd century. It was invented by Zhang Heng , a Chinese mathematician and astronomer. The first Western description of the device comes from the French physicist and priest Jean de Hautefeuille in 1703. The modern seismometer was developed in the 19th century. Seismometers were placed on the Moon starting in 1969 as part of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package . In December 2018,

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