The University of California, Berkeley,installed the first seismograph in the WesternHemisphere at Mt. Hamilton in 1887. Since then,the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory (BSL) hasplayed a leading role in the operation of state-of-the-art instrumentation and in the advancementof methods for data analysis and interpretation.Notably, the installation of four Wood-Andersonseismographs during the late 1920s allowedseismologists to determine local magnitude (ML)with accuracy. From these early records onward,a unique historical catalog has been maintained,providing crucial input for earthquakeprobability studies.

Today, the rich tradition of geophysicalobservation at the BSL is carried on througha variety of instrumentation efforts in northernand central California and through associatedresearch projects. The role of the BSL hasexpanded over the years to encompass programsthat provide critical information immediately following earthquakes,and that make data accessible to both researchers and the public on an ongoing basis.

BerkeleySeismological

Laboratory

Our Past and Our Purpose

Our Mission:To investigate earthquake processes and Earth structure on both the regional and global scales;

To provide accurate, timely information, with an emphasis on northern and central California earthquakes;To educate students in earthquake science;

and

To raise public awareness of earthquakes and associated hazards.

Geophysical MonitoringBerkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN)The BDSN is a regional network of very broadbandand strong-motion seismic stations spanning northernCalifornia and linked to UC Berkeley through continuoustelemetry. This network is designed to monitor regionalseismic activity as well as to provide high-quality datafor research projects in regionaland global seismology.

Hayward Fault Network (HFN)The HFN is comprised of borehole-installed, wide-dynamic-rangeseismographic stations deployed along the Hayward Fault and throughoutthe system of toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. This project is beingdeveloped cooperatively by the BSL and the United States Geological Survey(USGS). The instrumentation provides valuable data for a wide range ofgeotechnical, structural engineering, and seismological research, includingstudies of earthquake rupture, ground motion variability, and bridge response.

Parkfield High-ResolutionSeismic Network (HRSN)

Bay Area Regional DeformationNetwork (BARD)The BARD Network of permanent, continuously-operating GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receivers monitors crustal deformationin the San Francisco Bay Area and northern California. BARD is ajoint effort of research institutions, governmental agencies, andtechnology developers.

In conjunction with several institutionsaround the world, the BSL is participatingin a pioneering initiative to deploybroadband seismological instrumentationon the ocean floor. In particular, the BSLis collaborating with the Monterey BayAquarium Research Institute on thedeployment of a BDSN station inMonterey Bay.

In 1987 a dense networkof borehole seismometers wasinstalled near Parkfield, California,as part of the USGS EarthquakePrediction Experiment. Recentlyexpanded and upgraded, the High-Resolution Seismic Network provides valuable dataon wave propagation in the fault zone, repeatingearthquakes, and source failure processes.

Other Efforts

In order to study plate boundary processes,the BSL is participating in a cooperativeexperiment to develop an integratedsystem of instrumentation combining GPSreceivers, seismometers, strainmeters,and pore-pressure and heat-flow monitorsin borehole installations. A pilot projectis underway in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Data Archival and Dissemination

Rapid Earthquake Data Integration (REDI)The REDI project is a collaborative program with the USGSdesigned to provide information about northern andcentral California earthquakes – location, magnitude,estimates of ground shaking, source mechanism,and rupture characteristics – to public and private agencies,within minutes of an event. Efforts to coordinate earthquakemonitoring statewide are underway throughthe California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN), foundedby the USGS, the California Division of Mines and Geology, UC Berkeley, and Caltech to create a singleseismic information system for the state of California. The CISN represents California in the AdvancedNational Seismic System (ANSS).

Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC)

Research

Topics include:• Earthquake source studies• High-resolution and controlled source monitoring• Elastic and anelastic wave propagation• Tectonics of California and the Western United States• Three-dimensional structure of the crust and mantle• Mantle discontinuities• Fine-scale structure of the lowermost mantle and core

Scientists at the BSL are developing innovative methodsto study the Earth. Utilizing seismic, geodetic,and electromagnetic data, the research program rangesin scope from the local to the global scale.

The NCEDC is a digital archive of earthquake and related geophysical data for northern and centralCalifornia, operated jointly by the BSL and the USGS. Available datasets include earthquake catalogs,strong- and weak-motion seismograms, and recordingsof creep, tilt, well water level, strain, and electricand magnetic fields. Data from the NCEDC are freelyavailable on the Internet.

Professor Barbara Romanowicz, Director

Berkeley Seismological Laboratory215 McCone Hall, UC BerkeleyBerkeley, CA 94720-4760 U.S.A.

Telephone:Fax:Earthquake Infoline:E-mail:Web:

510·642·3977510·643·5811510·642·2160www@seismo.berkeley.eduhttp://seismo.berkeley.edu/seismo

Education and Public Outreach

Further Information

EducationBy facilitating access to high-quality earthquakeinformation and research tools, the BSL supportsthe work of graduate and undergraduate students.Faculty associated with the BSL teach courseson earthquakes, seismological and geophysicalmethods, wave propagation, and tectonics.Additionally, each semester, a limited numberof undergraduates have the opportunityto work with BSLfaculty, staff,and graduatestudentson ongoingresearch projects.

Public OutreachThe BSL is open for tours by appointment andhosts an annual open house in the spring. BSL staffand students visit local schools to teach studentsabout earthquakes. The BSL also makes availablemany resources oriented towards the generalpublic. These include emergency preparednessinformation and a daily earthquake informationbulletin accessible by telephone. The BSL websiteoffers such resources as earthquake catalogsearches, answers to frequently asked questions,Bay Area fault information, seismicity maps,virtual tours of the Hayward Fault and localgeology, information on recent earthquakes,and displays that incorporate – and sometimesanimate – research findings.

Interactive University ProjectAlong with other research units on campus, the BSL has joined with public school districts in the Bay Areato develop an adaptable Earth science curriculum supported and enhanced by the Internet. As a part of thisproject, the BSL has also created educational activities and provided professional development workshopsfor middle school and high school teachers.

Prospective students should contact the Dept. of Earth & Planetary Science, 307 McCone Hall, for program information.

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