L. Braile, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Purdue University         braile@purdue.edu

 

 

 

 

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News (L. Braile; updated February 23, 2003):

 

1.        IRIS Seismographs in Schools Program:  see document below for more information.

 

IRIS Seismographs in Schools Program

 

SeismographsInSchools.pdf

 

Text Box: Oil for
Damping

 

 

Figure 1.  Photograph of the AS-1 Seismometer.  When the ground moves up and down (for example, from earthquake vibration), a relative motion between the magnet (attached to the base and suspended by the spring and boom) and a coil of wire produces an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier (to enhance the small signal), a digitizer (an A/D or analog to digital converter), and the computer for storage and display of the data.


 

 

2.        IRIS-sponsored earthquake workshops in 2003 (contact L Braile, braile@purdue.edu for additional information):

 

EARTHQUAKES – A One Day Workshop for Teachers, Wednesday, March 26, 2003, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, associated with the national NSTA convention (see December, 2002-January, 2003 issue of NSTA Reports or the document below for further information; contact L Braile, braile@purdue.edu to register).

 

EARTHQUAKES – A One Day Workshop for Teachers, Saturday, October 11, 2003, Long Beach, California, associated with the annual CSTA convention (see CSTA meeting announcement for information on registering).

 

EARTHQUAKES – A One Day Workshop for College Faculty, Sunday, November 1, 2003, Seattle, Washington, associated with the national GSA meeting (see meeting issue of GSA Today for information and to register).

 

 

E  

     EARTHQUAKES –

A    A One Day Workshop for Teachers

 

Wednesday, March 26, 2003, Philadelphia, PA,

              in association with the NSTA Convention

Learn about earthquakes, seismology and plate tectonics!  Participate in hands-on activities that can be used in your classroom!  Obtain FREE materials, maps, curriculum guides, and books for teaching about earthquakes!  Receive partial travel support for the NSTA meeting!

 

The workshop is intended for teachers (primarily of grades 5-12) who wish to learn more about earthquakes, seismology, plate tectonics, and Earth science and implement instructional units to be included in their teaching. Topics to be covered include: causes of earthquakes, earthquakes and plate tectonics, propagation of seismic waves, seismographs, earthquake locations, statistics and seismology data, Earth's interior structure, earthquake hazards. Lessons and activities, which are associated with these topics and which will be demonstrated and practiced during the workshop, emphasize hands-on and inquiry-based learning.  Partial travel support is intended to cover costs of extra day at NSTA and is limited to $150.

 

To apply for participation in the workshop, send a brief letter (email or regular mail) indicating your interest and describing your science teaching duties. Also, include a copy of your resume. Letters of application must be received by February 21, 2003. We will attempt to respond to early applications before the February 21 deadline so that participants can make travel plans.  If the workshop is not full by February 28, we may be able to accept late applications. Be sure to include phone numbers, FAX number and e-mail address in your letter. Send letters of application to Earthquake Workshop, Prof. L.W. Braile, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, 1397 Civil Engineering Building, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1397, or email to braile@purdue.eduFor further information visit www.iris.washington.edu/EandO/, call 1-765-494-5979 or email braile@purdue.edu.

 

Selected comments from prior workshops conducted at NSTA meetings include:

 

"Wonderful instructor motivation and enthusiasm! Great ideas, great free materials"

"Doing, Doing, Doing = Learning. What a great workshop!"

"Great information/content, activities, cooperative learning, and opportunity to actually try out the activities."

 

This workshop is sponsored by the NSF and the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS).

 

We hope to see you at the IRIS Earthquake Workshop for Teachers in Philadelphia!


 

 

3.        Information on Midwest earthquakes – see documents below (to print in color, use the .pdf file):

 

Midwest Earthquakes

 

MidwestEarthquakes.pdf

 

4.        Access to “mini-posters” – two inexpensive, color mini-posters showing earthquake activity have been prepared.  To make a copy of the mini-posters, download the .doc (a WINDOWS MS Word file) or the .pdf files (whichever works best for you).  Print the poster on your color printer using the best print setting.  Make an 11”x17” color copy (enlarged to fill the 11x17 page) at your local photocopy store.  The mini-posters show earthquakes in the New Madrid area and in the California and Nevada area.  The mini-posters are shown below:

 

New Madrid: nmmap.doc or nmmap.pdf

 

California and Nevada: camap.doc or camap.pdf

 


 

New Madrid earthquakes, 1974 – 2000; Prof. Lawrence W. Braile, Purdue University, March 2001.  This map shows earthquake epicenters recorded by the New Madrid seismic network from June 29, 1974 to August 30, 2000.  The map was produced using the SeisVolE computer program written by Prof. Alan Jones of the State University of New York, Binghamton (http://www.geol.binghamton.edu/faculty/jones).  The New Madrid seismic network is operated by St. Louis University and the University of Memphis in cooperation with the US Geological Survey.  The earthquake data were obtained from the University of Memphis web site (http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/).  Epicenters are shown by colored dots.  The dot size is proportional to magnitude of the earthquake.  Depth of the earthquake is indicated by the color (see Key at upper left).  The base map represents topography of the area using a shaded relief image.  The map is made available by IRIS.   IRIS is the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, http://www.iris.edu.

 

 


 

California and Nevada earthquakes, 1960 – 2001; Prof. Lawrence W. Braile, Purdue University, March 2001.  This map shows earthquake epicenters recorded by the US Geological Survey and by regional seismograph networks from January 1, 1960 to March 26, 2001.  The map was produced using the SeisVolE computer program written by Prof. Alan Jones of the State University of New York, Binghamton (http://www.geol.binghamton.edu/faculty/jones).  Epicenters are shown by colored dots.  The dot size is proportional to magnitude of the earthquake.  Depth of the earthquake is indicated by the color (see Key at lower left).  Light blue lines are faults.  The base map represents topography of the area using a shaded relief image.  The map is made available by IRIS.   IRIS is the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, http://www.iris.edu.