Help scientists study how Seattle’s hilly terrain affects earthquake shaking

[istoneUW]

University of Washington researchers are conducting an experiment to see how Seattle’s terrain affects earthquake shaking, and they need your help finding station hosts in West Seattle.

When an earthquake happens, the strength of shaking you feel depends on many factors, including the dirt right under your feet. For example, soft, water-logged soils typically shake harder than solid, stiff bedrock. With a good understanding of these local site and soil conditions, scientists can predict how strongly the ground will shake during an earthquake. Recent studies of earthquake records have shown that terrain, like cliffs, ridges, and hills, can amplify shaking in special situations. Now, as part of a UW study, researchers would like to see how Seattle’s terrain could affect shaking from local earthquakes.

To do this research, we will rely on the ambient seismic noise that is always gently shaking our city’s cliffs and hills. Seismometers placed on a hillside will record ambient vibrations caused by ocean waves, weather systems, and even car traffic. Together, these sources create what’s known as ambient seismic noise. By comparing recordings of this noise between seismometers at the top and bottom of a hill, we can also understand how the hill will amplify ground shaking in a real earthquake.

For our experiment, we are looking for hosts in West Seattle living near the bluffs along Alki. Ideally, hosts would live on or between Sunset Ave. SW and Alki Ave. SW. We also need a few sites in the neighborhood away from the sea bluff (see the map in the sign-up link). The experiment itself will last just 1 day, and only requires access to your yard, where we will plop-down a coffee-can sized seismometer for a few hours. The experiment will take place some time between early October and late November.

If you are interested in hosting a seismometer for this study, please fill out the form below.

Link to sign-up form is HERE!

If you would like some more information about our research, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network published a blog post about the experiment as well. You may also send any questions to the project lead, Ian Stone, at ipstone@uw.edu

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