One Size Does Not Fit All

Abstract

Seismic networks are complicated collections of hardware, software, people, and personalities. The Alaska Seismic Network (ASN) is actually a combination of the resources from the state of Alaska, the USGS, and the NOAA Tsunami Warning Center. We collectively operate and maintain nearly 550 stations for monitoring earthquakes and volcanoes in Alaska. Both the Alaska Earthquake Information Center and the Alaska Volcano Observatory are cooperative agencies involving the state of Alaska, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, and the USGS through two MOU's. We all have our own responsibilities, but we all agree on the concept that our seismic stations should be considered multiple-use observatories. We have a long understanding, and implementation, of cooperative sharing of data in real time between agencies. In this opinion piece, I will use a description of the ASN developmerits over the past few years to reach the conclusion that seismic networks are NOT all the same, that it is good to share both data and technology, and that a “one size fits all” philosophy for requiring common software at all regional networks is inappropriate. Seismic networks are complicated collections of hardware, software, people, and personalities. When I accepted the position of State Seismologist for Alaska five years ago, I was presented with the interesting and challenging task of modernizing this regional seismic network for detection and location of tectonic earthquakes. This modernization was to have two parts: (1) upgrade the network to a hybrid system consisting of a mix of current analog short-period single-component stations, and high-dynamicrange, digital, 3-component broadband stations; and (2) introduce real-time processing with a relational database system into the seismology laboratory at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. This was no easy task. However, it was and still is both interesting and challenging. The approach we adopted, which is still …