USE OF THE AS1 AND EQ1 SEISMOGRAPHS IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH

The AS1 and EQ1 are inexpensive vertical seismographs that will detect worldwide earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. The seismographs are easy to install and the software Amaseis is user friendly enabling the use of the seismograph on all levels. Excellent seismograms of distant and local earthquakes may be recorded and used as teaching and research materials. The seismograms of the larger events may be used together with the IRIS Teachable Moments website www.IRIS.edu/hq/retm to obtain information about the earthquake.

Classroom exercises may be written by using the seismograms of the recorded earthquakes. The program Amaseis is free to download from SUNY Binghamton. This program by Alan Jones enables one to determine the distance, magnitude, and Fourier Transform of the earthquake. The Fourier Transform together with a chart can be used to determine cut-off frequency, and the source parameters of stress drop, moment, moment magnitude, and source radius. The use of a travel-time curve and knowing the distance to the quake enables one to identify the various phases such as P, PP, PPP, PcP, S, and L_R waves. Several examples of recorded earthquakes recorded by the AS1 and EQ1 will be displayed to show the effectiveness of the instruments and usefulness of the seismograms for creating exercises. The seismographs are also useful for teaching students how seismographs work. Undergraduates or high school students can install the seismographs in a short time. This experience helps students understand how seismographs work.