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An event-recording system for monitoring small earthquakes

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139

Abstract

To monitor small earthquakes on the ocean bottom or in remote areas on land, a seismic recording system should operate at low power for extended periods of time, should reproduce three components of ground motion with a large dynamic range, and should preferably be small and inexpensive. We describe such a system based on an event detector, which continuously surveys the background noise, sets a threshold, and triggers an inexpensive digital tape recorder when a seismic signal exceeds that threshold. Event recording offers the advantages over conventional continuous recording of more efficient use of storage capacity and easier later interpretation. A key element of the system is a continuously updated semiconductor buffer memory, which assures that first arrivals are included. Average power consumption is about a watt. The system design is easily adaptable to monitoring other types of rare events of unpredictable occurrence.

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