’Citizen Scientists’ Sought for Earth Shaking Science Project

Southern California residents called on to install mini-sensors that record earthquake data beneficial to science, emergency response and seismic safety. WANTED: Members of the public willing to help scientists capture key seismic data to improve scientific understanding of earthquakes, provide detailed information on how they shape Southern California and aid earthquake emergency response efforts. This call for help comes from members of the "Quake Catcher Network," a collaborative project sponsored by the National Science Foundation in which earthquake scientists around Southern California enlist volunteers to deploy small, easy-to-install seismic sensors in their homes, offices and other locations that have a computer with Internet connectivity. The project is conducted by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, University of Delaware and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Current networks of seismic sensors have given scientists a picture of earthquake activity in the region, but with the potential of adding up to 1,000 additional Quake Catcher Network sensors through volunteers in Southern California-especially in key areas surrounding potentially damaging faults where seismic hazard is high -the picture will become more vivid and high-resolution. "This project is allowing anyone with an Internet-connected computer help us explore the unexplored," said Debi Kilb, an associate project scientist at Scripps.