Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

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Tools of the Trade

CIRES scientists apply several techniques to monitor earthquake-associated crustal deformation. Creepmeters on the San Andreas fault in California record surface slips smaller than the diameter of a human hair. This creep can reduce strain near fault zones and reduce the elastic energy available for earthquakes.

In Washington state, 500 meter-long, water-filled tiltmeters monitor surface bending caused by the descent of the Juan de Fuca plate beneath the North American plate. Every 20 seconds the tilt of the earth's surface is recorded and transmitted to a central site where the data are being used to forecast the approach of the next magnitude nine earthquake near Seattle.

In Bhutan, Baluchistan, Pakistan,Tibet, India, and Nepal, CIRES scientists have installed GPS tracking systems to monitor Himalayan collision zone complexities and to characterize the seismic hazard caused by the movement of the Indian plate.

For more information, contact Roger Bilham.