Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, or PNSN collects and studies ground motions from about 400 seismometers in Oregon
and Washington to monitor volcanic and tectonic activity, and gives advice and information, and works to mitigate earthquake
hazard.
Damaging earthquakes are well known in the Pacific Northwest
, including several larger than magnitude 7, most notably the M9 Cascadia earthquake
in 1700AD and the M7.2 earthquake in about 900AD on the Seattle Fault
. In 1965, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook the Seattle, area causing substantial damage and seven deaths. This event spurred the installation of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) in 1969 to monitor regional earthquake activity.
Earthquakes are recorded frequently on Mount St. Helens
, Mount Rainier
, and Mount Hood
. After successfully using seismic activity to predict the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption, monitoring was expanded to other Cascade Mountains volcanos. The PNSN, in conjunction with the Cascade Volcano Observatory of the USGS, now monitors seismicity at all of the Cascade volcanos in Washington and Oregon.
The Network operates from the Earth and Space Sciences Department at the University of Washington
in Seattle, and its data archiving is abetted by the Data Management Center of IRIS Consortium
in Seattle. It is the second largest of the regional seismic networks in the ANSS (Advanced National Seismic System) and with more data than the networks in Alaska
, Utah
, Nevada
, Hawai'i and the New Madrid
area.
The network is funded primarily by the US Geological Survey which stations its own staff on the campus although the network is ostensibly managed by UW staff. Additionally the Department of Energy
and the State of Washington provide funding. The network was significantly expanded in 2001 after the damaging Nisqually Quake, but immediately after a medium sized earthquake on January 30th, 2009 the network's emergency notification failed. Paul Bodin is the network manager.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Washington to monitor volcanic and tectonic activity, and gives advice and information, and works to mitigate earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
hazard.
Damaging earthquakes are well known in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, including several larger than magnitude 7, most notably the M9 Cascadia earthquake
Cascadia earthquake
The 1700 Cascadia earthquake was a magnitude 8.7 to 9.2 megathrust earthquake that occurred in the Cascadia subduction zone on January 26, 1700. The earthquake involved the Juan de Fuca Plate underlying the Pacific Ocean, from mid-Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, south along the...
in 1700AD and the M7.2 earthquake in about 900AD on the Seattle Fault
Seattle Fault
The Seattle Fault is a zone of multiple shallow east-west thrust faults that cross the Puget Sound Lowland and through Seattle in the vicinity of Interstate Highway 90...
. In 1965, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook the Seattle, area causing substantial damage and seven deaths. This event spurred the installation of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) in 1969 to monitor regional earthquake activity.
Earthquakes are recorded frequently on Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...
, Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
, and Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
. After successfully using seismic activity to predict the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption, monitoring was expanded to other Cascade Mountains volcanos. The PNSN, in conjunction with the Cascade Volcano Observatory of the USGS, now monitors seismicity at all of the Cascade volcanos in Washington and Oregon.
The Network operates from the Earth and Space Sciences Department at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle, and its data archiving is abetted by the Data Management Center of IRIS Consortium
IRIS Consortium
IRIS is a university research consortium dedicated to exploring the Earth's interior through the collection and distribution of seismographic data. IRIS programs contribute to scholarly research, education, earthquake hazard mitigation, and the verification of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty...
in Seattle. It is the second largest of the regional seismic networks in the ANSS (Advanced National Seismic System) and with more data than the networks in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, Hawai'i and the New Madrid
New Madrid
New Madrid may refer to:*New Madrid County, Missouri, a county in the U.S. state of Missouri*New Madrid, Missouri, a city in New Madrid County*New Madrid Seismic Zone, a major seismic zone in Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas...
area.
The network is funded primarily by the US Geological Survey which stations its own staff on the campus although the network is ostensibly managed by UW staff. Additionally the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
and the State of Washington provide funding. The network was significantly expanded in 2001 after the damaging Nisqually Quake, but immediately after a medium sized earthquake on January 30th, 2009 the network's emergency notification failed. Paul Bodin is the network manager.
External links
- Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (official website)