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Seismographic Networks Problems and Outlook for the 1980s: Report (1983) / Chapter Skim
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REGIONAL NETWORKS
Pages 17-26

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
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From page 17...
... The role of regional networks is, in general, to delineate the time and space distribution of earthquakes on a fine enough scale to contribute to our scientific understanding of earthquake occurrence and related tectonic processes and to provide important baseline data for engineering investigations (e.g., earthquake prediction and hazard assessment)
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From page 18...
... station density were installed by the USGS in the late l960s to study in greater detail the San Andreas Fault in California, within a very short time, well-defined spatial patterns of earthquakes were delineated, providing a clearer fine-scale picture of the spatial distribution of earthquakes. Given this initial success, throughout the next decade, regional networks were extended in California and established in other states with ongoing seismicity.
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From page 19...
... The prime reason for this workshop was a perceived need to assess the future of regional networks in terms of federal agency funding constraints in late l98l. The particular trigger was the threatened budget cuts in the fall of l98l that could have decimated this vital data base.
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From page 20...
... A functional definition, that is, a clear statement of network goals and a realistic estimate of its planned lifetime, must always be provided. Funding difficulties are of two types: a lack of stability on a year-to-year basis and the vulnerability of research funding being decreased to keep networks operating in times of fiscal stress when research funding is mixed with basic operational costs of the network.
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From page 21...
... Many operators attribute this situation to a lack of realization at high levels in support agencies that many of the applied and basic research problems addressed by regional networks require long and continuous data bases. Operators see vagaries in funding as a result of this situation.
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From page 22...
... A class of problems involves the lack of standardized methods for data base management. This problem involves a number of elements, including data management, data centers, software portability, and manpower usage.
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From page 23...
... The lack of higherquality data not only affects the basic research capabilities of the networks, but also may compromise their potential for answering mission-oriented questions posed by funding agencies. Within California, for example, it may be argued that present coverage, with hundreds of obsolete short-period stations, could be replaced to economic and scientific advantage by fewer modern instruments.
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From page 24...
... The mission-oriented support agencies should also recognize and carefully evaluate their role and responsibility to support a national network independent of their current needs. We recommend that the network funding agencies admit to a realization that for most operators the main purpose of a regional network is to provide data fundamental to research on seismotectonic processes and earthquake occurrence in the region.
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From page 25...
... With the rapid expansion in seismological efforts and with advances in modern electronics, computation capabilities, numerical modeling, etc., it is cost effective to use experts in these fields to help solve seismological problems, and to disseminate the solutions, as a means of allowing seismologists time to pursue their own research. There exists within the broad seismological community considerable expertise and experience in data collection systems other than those in common network usage.
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From page 26...
... This working group would provide all the review functions recommended for regional networks in this section. It would work closely with the network operators and with agencies that fund the network and provide advice on related matters.
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Key Terms

  • regional network
  • network data
  • seismographic stations
  • network operations
  • support agencies

  • seismological data
  • standardized data
  • seismological community
  • earthquake occurrence
  • design lifetime

  • base management
  • operational costs
  • existing regional
  • regional seismographic
  • network funding

  • common network
  • specific data
  • data consequently
  • background data
  • data include

  • archived data
  • quality data
  • network equipment
  • particular network
  • data fundamental

  • national network
  • seismographic network
  • including data
  • obtain data
  • continuous data


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