When you think about seismology, you might be thinking only about earthquakes. However, while studying earthquakes is certainly the main component of this discipline of science, it is not the only aspect to study. Seismologists and Geophysicists also study the effects of earthquakes and the effects of man-made seismic activity and the movement of elastic waves through the Earth in general. To do this, scientists use a variety of important tools.
The first tool to be used would be a seismometer which is used by all seismologists and they should learn how to use it. In the past, seismometer simply showcased the size and duration of seismic waves. You would have seen these devices before which are most likely news broadcasts showing the seismic activity before, during and after an earthquake. They usually call this a seismograph and there are many stations of these all over the world which records seismic activity always. They also record the activity and not just the show of the activity in today's seismometers which scientists would study the data more easily.
You might be surprised to learn that even 2,000 years ago in China there were actually seismographs, the very first of their kind. This ancient instrument monitored things like ground movement and wind events. This was used until in the late 19th century when Thomas Gray, John Milne and James Alfred Ewing built a more modern version of the device. Even though it did not detect the occurrence of far-away earthquakes, it provided helpful data which was the location of nearby earthquakes. Fault lines and the study of different types of earthquakes are the data that assisted the scientists.
Scientists use a strain-meter which is actually a very interesting device that is used for studying earthquakes and this is actually placed deep into the earth as much as 500 feet below the surface. What it detects is the small movements just under the earth's surface. The changes in the earth are recorded by the strain-meter at lower frequencies than you could with a seismometer. They can show how stress builds up when they have been placed in for long periods of time due to plate tectonics and then it records the release of this stress or changes in stresses after a seismic event.
Theodolites, such as those built by Warren-Knight Instrument Company, are yet another type of tool which is used commonly by the seismologist. There are other professional people who use theodolite, including surveying engineer. For seismologists, the theodolite is used to measure the creep movement or the movement that occurs in the crust of the earth as a reaction to earthquakes.
There are other events that may be studied by seismologists, including volcanoes and man-made seismic movements. An inclinometer or tilt meter can be a helpful tool in these instances, especially in highlighting the build-up of stress and pressure in an active volcano. Some of the human-made seismic events might include explosions, such as those in a mining operation. Hydraulic fracturing also affects the earth, and seismologists also use many tools to study this man-made movement.
The first tool to be used would be a seismometer which is used by all seismologists and they should learn how to use it. In the past, seismometer simply showcased the size and duration of seismic waves. You would have seen these devices before which are most likely news broadcasts showing the seismic activity before, during and after an earthquake. They usually call this a seismograph and there are many stations of these all over the world which records seismic activity always. They also record the activity and not just the show of the activity in today's seismometers which scientists would study the data more easily.
You might be surprised to learn that even 2,000 years ago in China there were actually seismographs, the very first of their kind. This ancient instrument monitored things like ground movement and wind events. This was used until in the late 19th century when Thomas Gray, John Milne and James Alfred Ewing built a more modern version of the device. Even though it did not detect the occurrence of far-away earthquakes, it provided helpful data which was the location of nearby earthquakes. Fault lines and the study of different types of earthquakes are the data that assisted the scientists.
Scientists use a strain-meter which is actually a very interesting device that is used for studying earthquakes and this is actually placed deep into the earth as much as 500 feet below the surface. What it detects is the small movements just under the earth's surface. The changes in the earth are recorded by the strain-meter at lower frequencies than you could with a seismometer. They can show how stress builds up when they have been placed in for long periods of time due to plate tectonics and then it records the release of this stress or changes in stresses after a seismic event.
Theodolites, such as those built by Warren-Knight Instrument Company, are yet another type of tool which is used commonly by the seismologist. There are other professional people who use theodolite, including surveying engineer. For seismologists, the theodolite is used to measure the creep movement or the movement that occurs in the crust of the earth as a reaction to earthquakes.
There are other events that may be studied by seismologists, including volcanoes and man-made seismic movements. An inclinometer or tilt meter can be a helpful tool in these instances, especially in highlighting the build-up of stress and pressure in an active volcano. Some of the human-made seismic events might include explosions, such as those in a mining operation. Hydraulic fracturing also affects the earth, and seismologists also use many tools to study this man-made movement.
About the Author:
Carey Bourdier loves writing about precision scientific instruments. To discover a top quality precision alignment instrument, or to find more information about surveying instruments, check out the WarrenKnight.com website today.
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