Next Section Dinner Meeting is Thurs., May 17th.
Please RSVP!

Dr. elizabeth Cochran, US Geological Survey

Talk:  Installing Seismometers Around Every Corner: What Can They Tell Us?

Abstract

New developments in sensor technology and the ubiquity of networked computers provide an opportunity to record earthquakes at much denser scales.  The Quake-Catcher Network (QCN) makes use of very low-cost micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers installed in homes, schools, and businesses to record earthquakes, with over 2000 participants worldwide. These sensors augment existing seismic networks for rapid earthquake detection, as well as for studies on seismic source- and site-related phenomena. Following the 3 September 2010 Mw7.1 Darfield earthquake, over 180 QCN stations were installed in a dense array to record the on-going aftershock sequence in and around the city of Christchurch. Using this network of very low-cost sensors, we recorded hundreds of aftershocks from M2.6 – M6.3. We are using the data to automatically detect earthquakes and rapidly determine their location and magnitude. The results suggest that these sensors can be used to reliably detect and characterize an earthquake as soon as 10 seconds after an earthquake has begun.  We also compare the records from the QCN sensors to nearby traditional network stations and find that the observed ground motions are similar, suggesting that the low-cost sensor provide reliable seismograms. We will be installing 6,000 sensors in the seismically active regions of the US, including Southern California, over the next two years to improve sensor coverage before the next moderate to large earthquake.

Biography

Dr. Elizabeth Cochran is a research geophysicist with the US Geological Survey in Pasadena, California. As an observational seismologist, her research ranges from studying the detailed behavior of fault slip to developing new techniques to densely observe earthquakes. Dr. Cochran conducts detailed studies of aftershock behavior, fault zone properties, and deep seismic slip (tremor). She is also currently investigating new techniques to densely monitor strong ground motions in urban areas by harnessing community involvement in data collection. The Quake-Catcher Network is a collaborative research effort that uses low-cost MEMS sensors connected to personal computers or other devices in homes, offices, and schools.

Beckham Grill Restaurant, 77 W. Walnut, Pasadena, CA
6 p.m. Social Hour
7 p.m. Dinner and Program

The dinner meeting is open to both AIAA and non-AIAA members.
Cost :  $25 for AIAA members (and one guest at member price), $30 for non-members, $10 for students, and FREE to members attending for the first time. Please pay cash at the door.

New:  Limited number of spots are available for those wishing to attend the meeting without purchasing the dinner. The price is $10.

For RSVPs please email:  aiaaSGV@gmail.com
Include your name, names of your guests, & membership status in your RSVP.


Sample of Previous Meeting Talks:
March 2012:  This Way to Mars: How Technologies Borrowed from Robotic Missions Could Deliver Astronauts to Deep Space
January 2012:  Mars Science Laboratory
November 2011:  Rainbow and Gusto: Stealth and the Design of the Lockheed Blackbird
September 2011: The Future of NASA's Human Spaceflight Program
May 2011: Miniaturization Technologies for Space Exploration & Their Crossover Applications
March 2011: Simulating Impact Performance of Structures
January 2011: California’s Sustainable Water Future
May 2010: Living on a Restless Planet: Using Space Technology to Study Earthquakes, Aquifers, Volcanoes, and More
March 2010: The Mars Rovers