New York State Geological Survey Seismograms 20644

New York State Geological Survey Seismograms

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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

The State Museum's Geological Survey operates portable seismographs at various locations in upstate New York (Adirondack Community College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, and other locations). The seismograms in this series record major worldwide seismographic events and earth movements in New York and the northeast. Each seismogram records a six-month period.

Creator:

New York State Geological Survey

Title:

New York State Geological Survey seismograms

Quantity:

51 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:

[circa 1980 - ongoing]

Series Number:

20644

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically, then by seismograph location.

Scope and Content Note

The seismograms are charts generated by the seismographs, produced on roll paper, showing seismic events by recording P waves and S waves (two types of energy waves) which are generated by movements in the earth and transmitted throughout the world. The charts are folded into 3 x 1-1/2 ft. packets. Each packet includes charts from about a 6-month period, with the worldwide and regional charts interfiled in the packets.

Starting in the early 1980s, the State Museum's Geological Survey operated portable seismographs at various locations in upstate New York (Adirondack Community College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Fulton-Montgomery Community College and other locations) to record seismographic information. The seismographs are part of the Northeast Seismic Network, a series of seismographic reporting stations across the region. Since 1990, the Survey has continuously operated 2 seismographs in the Cultural Education Center in Albany. The seismographs use a single sensor but are set to different sensitivities so that one instrument (the long period seismograph) records major worldwide seismographic events while the other (the short period seismograph) records earth movements in New York and the northeast.

That latter seismograph is set to such a level of sensitivity that it not only detects earthquakes occurring in the region but also shows quarry blasts in the area and even daily traffic patterns (i.e., times of heavy vs. light traffic) on streets adjacent to the CEC. When an earthquake occurs, seismologists require several sets of charts from different locations in order to precisely place the epicenter of the event and to best judge the strength of the earthquake. There are currently three major seismology stations located in New York - the Geological Survey's station at the Cultural Education Center in Albany,along with stations in Buffalo and New York City.