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Earthquake Monitoring Network

The South Australian earthquake monitoring network is used to measure local earth movements (seismic activity) as well as record events from all around the world. There are a number of stations located all around the State that record seismic activity which can be used to determine the location, magnitude, depth and duration of the event.

There is currently a program which will extend the network with seven new seismic stations. Details of this project can be viewed here.

 

Recording Seismic Activity

The network can be subdivided in various ways.

Analogue Site Image
Analogue Recorder
Recorded data is in analogue or digital form. Analogue sites use pen and ink on paper, recording continuously onto a drum. Some of these can be seen at:
Arkaroola
Hawker
The Heights School, Modbury
Adelaide PIRSA 101 Grenfell St
Mt Gambier DWR 11 Helen St

Most digital sites in South Australia record in triggered mode. These run unattended, and at intervals the data are downloaded over the telephone network. The station at Buckleboo (BBOO), owned by Geoscience Australia, runs in continuous digital mode and data can be downloaded from the internet.

Visit the Buckleboo site here.

Digital Recorder Digital Site Image

 

Sensing devices can be subdivided into two types, strong motion or weak motion. The weak motion devices (seismometers) will record tiny earthquakes at great distance, but may go off scale if a large event happens nearby. Since these devices are extremely sensitive, the sensor is usually placed away from roads and homes, and the signal may be sent to a manned site by a low power UHF radio link. Strong motion devices (accelerometers) will usually not record small or distant earthquakes, but rarely go off scale when a large event happens. The results are valuable for engineers.

 

Click here for a map of the monitoring stations around South Australia (.pdf file ~ 110kb).