Pocono News Section

NEPA's Only Seismic Monitoring System Shows Quake Impact

NEPA's Only Seismic Monitoring System Shows Quake Impact - Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 6:00PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday, Oct 1, 2009 @ 06:00pm EDT

LAPLUME, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Students and teachers at Keystone College are keeping an extra eye on the earthquake damage overseas. That's because the college has the region's only seismic monitoring system.

Dr. Ian Sagnior poured over data from the two recent earthquakes in Indonesia and American Somoa inside an office Thursday afternoon. Believe it or not, the energy from those quakes was registered by a seismograph at the school.

Officials say the instrument not only registered big quakes but can also detect smaller ones that could hit here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

"By having this here, we're able to pick up earthquakes that no other seismometer would be able to pick up," Dr. Saginor said. Saginor is a professor of geology.

The college set up the monitoring system over the summer. It's now being used as a teaching tool.

"Just to see the data being presented right at us, right in our backyard, even though it's thousands of miles away, it's very interesting to see it," student Jason Zarnowski said.

"It makes the world seem smaller when you realize that what's happening over there can happen over here and you can see it right in front of you," graduate Samantha Watkins said.

The seismograph collects data in real time. It's the only one like it in our area. It's extremely sensitive. It detects movement in the ground around it and also nearby trains that pass by.

Professors say most people don't detect small earthquakes under our feet, that's why having the machine is so important.

"You feel ownership of that data when you're collecting it yourself and I've found that the faculty and students... it really peaks thier curiosity," Dr. Robert Cook, Vice President of Academic Affairs, said.

The technology is open to anyone in the community. To learn more, log onto http://www. ldeo. columbia. edu/LCSN/