Mr. Ghist's Science Page 

Platte Canyon High School
Bailey, Colorado

Main Science Page

New Additions to the 
Science Department

A SEISMIC STATION TO BE INSTALLED AT PCHS

On June 5, 2003, I received an email indicating that Platte Canyon High School had been selected as 1 of 9 schools across the US to receive a seismograph system from IRIS  . 
The application for this system was submitted in April of 2003 and will be the first one to be located in Colorado (see map below of locations).
The actual location of the seismometer is still under evaluation.  It will be initially located in Room 216 in the high school along with the computer system which which it will be linked.  Eventually the seismometer will be relocated to the first floor possibly in the Art room or library.  This is for better reception of earthquake waves.  The computer system will remain in Room 216 and will be linked with the Internet for near real-time viewing of seismic events.

The seismometer is an AS-1 system which along with the computer and software allows real-time recording and viewing of seismic events.  The AS-1 system will record local quakes as small as magnitude 3.5 at a distance of 150 km, and larger quakes that occur anywhere in the world.

Initial setup of the seismometer was completed on August 4th.  Evaluation and calibration of the system will be taking place prior to the startup of classes.

Earthquakes Detected on our Seismograph

map to left shows locations of AS-1 seismometers prior to this year.