Pacific Northwest Seismic Network

@pnsn1.bsky.social

The Regional Seismic Network for Washington and Oregon. We operate almost 700 seismic stations and are the authoritative source for information about earthquakes in both states.

@pnsn1.bsky.social

Happy #FieldworkFriday! The PNSN field crew upgraded the battery bank at BURLY this week. BURLY contributes to Shake Alert earthquake early warning and serves as a repeater for seismic data transmitted by radio from EDM at Mt. St. Helens and WATCH near Mt. Rainier.

A seismic station with a solar panel and radio transmitters on a mountain ridge in the foreground and a view of Mt Rainier in the distance under a blue sky.Another view of the station with a metal box under the solar panel and Mt St Helens visible in the distance.Another view of the solar panel with a PNSN field team member working on it.A man in a PNSN t shirt working inside the open metal box at the base of the station, with wiring and tools visible inside.
@drwendyrocks.bsky.socialReposted by @pnsn1.bsky.social

This earthquake in Panama is the 12th earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater this year. Is this an unusual number of large quakes? No. This graph shows M7+ earthquakes over the last 30 years. This year is very average.

This graph shows earthquakes of magnitude seven or greater since 1996.
@pnsn1.bsky.social

Happy #FieldworkFriday! Satellite comms, like the Starlink at PASS, lets us reliably transmit data where cell coverage is poor. But satellite dishes are power hogs, so we often use a short radio hop from a solar-powered seismic site to an AC-powered site with a satellite dish.

Wide outdoor rural scene under bright blue sky with large white clouds. Foreground left: side of small white shed. Beside it stands weather-monitoring equipment mounted on wooden posts: metal sensor box, cables, a tall pole, and rectangular solar panel at top. Center: small leafy fruit tree in grassy field. Beyond it stretches open pasture, enclosed by thin wire fencing and wooden fence posts. Background: dense evergreen trees line field. Low forested hills rise at far right. Sunlight casts long shadows across grass. Photo feels clear, peaceful, and outdoorsy.Wide outdoor pasture under cloudy sky. Left: person wearing cap, plaid shirt, jeans, standing in grass and looking toward equipment. Center: Underground Depart box with the seismic sensors Right: solar-powered monitoring station mounted on stone-and-wood base. Two solar panels angle upward. Below them are weather sensors, pipes, wires, and small instruments.Open metal electrical control box mounted outdoors. Inside, many red, black, blue, green, and gray wires run between terminal blocks, connectors, power supplies, and other electrical components. Wires are bundled and coiled near top and right side. A horizontal grounding bar with several black cable clamps crosses middle. Bottom section contains additional terminal blocks and a larger gray control module. Sunlight creates a rainbow-like glare across image. Wooden support posts and outdoor grass visible around box.Tall metal pole stands beside wooden post, with rectangular solar panel mounted at top. Coiled conduit and electrical wiring run along pole, with small round instrument attached near middle. Aluminum ladder leans against structure in foreground. Beyond it, sunny pasture, rustic fence, evergreen forest, and wooded hills sit beneath bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.
@pnsn1.bsky.social

A M4.2 earthquake occurred this afternoon on the Kitsap Peninsula. Earthquakes of this size are a normal part of seismicity in the Puget Sound region, and we’re monitoring the area for any additional activity.

For more information visit the PNSN event page: pnsn.org/event/714111...

@pnsn1.bsky.social

Happy #FieldworkFriday! The highest-elevation station in the continental US, St Andrews Rock (STAR) on Mt Rainier, sits above 11,000ft. Steep terrain, erosion, and changing snow & ice are forcing a move down ridge. This visit helped identify a safer, more stable site nearby.

@pnsn1.bsky.social

Happy #FieldworkFriday! Members of the PNSN field team recently visited Quillayute airport on the Olympic Peninsula to upgrade telemetry equipment and infrastructure. PNSN’s data telemetry system transmits ground-motion data from hundreds of seismic stations to UW 24/7.

Photo of three field crew members standing on green excavator Photo of solar panel sitting on freshly cut grass overlooked by cloudy blue sky photo of a field crew team member standing on ladder besides a mobile white cargo container which has been converted into a mini station A University of Washington flag flies from tall pole beneath a red, white, and blue illuminated beacon at dusk. In the background there is the white cargo container a small blue field station. The overcast sky and rural landscape create a dark, atmospheric setting.
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