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Assessing the Nation's Earthquakes The Health and Future of Regional Seismograph Networks (1990) / Chapter Skim
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1. Introduction and Background
Pages 5-10

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From page 5...
... Data acquired by these networks have a host of applications, including but not restricted to public safety and emergency management; quantification of hazards and risk associated with both natural and human-induced earthquakes; surveillance of underground nuclear explosions; and wide-ranging basic research encompassing earthquake mechanics and dynamics, seismic wave propagation, seismotectonic processes, earthquake forecasting and prediction, and properties and composition of the crust and of the deeper internal structure of the earth (for a comprehensive overview, see Heaton et al., 19891. Importantly, regional seismic network facilities are also essential for the graduate education and training of this country's professional seismologists, and they provide the most readily available sources for public information and for expert assistance to public policymakers, planners, designers, engineers, and safety officials on the local and regional level.
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From page 6...
... Because the panel supports the goal of improving network seismology in the United States, it has not arbitrarily excluded all consideration of local networks. Nevertheless, the panel's recommendations chiefly address regional seismic networks as defined above.
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From page 7...
... 7 Function: Input to Earthquake Hazard & Risk Analyses, Earthquake Engineering Users: (Engineers, Public Officials ~ over Decision Makers) · Earthquake data base · Seismotectonic framework · Earthquake source identification Seismicity parameters & earthquake occurrence modeling Information for predicting strong ground motion (source mechanics, attenuation)
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From page 9...
... oo Cut _1 U)
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From page 10...
... The sparse station spacing of the USNSN, however, means that many fewer earthquakes will be recorded and that for those that are, the locations will be determined with less accuracy than is possible when using regional network data. Is such detailed information still needed, or are regional seismic networks obsolete?
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Key Terms

  • seismic networks
  • regional networks
  • seismic network
  • emergency response
  • risk analyses

  • local networks
  • safety officials
  • earthquake monitoring
  • earthquake hazard
  • public safety

  • seismic stations
  • earthquake engineering
  • rapid emergency
  • risk associated
  • panel supports

  • seismotectonic framework
  • federally supported
  • current regional
  • western united
  • seismological community

  • underground nuclear
  • public information
  • source mechanics
  • seismicity parameters
  • network instruments

  • improving network
  • unifying national
  • usgs budget
  • source identification
  • revitalizing regional


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