How can I make my own seismometer?

Seismology has a rich tradition of amateur participants. It is relatively easy to acquire the necessary materials and build your own seismometer.

One source of information on this subject are the articles published by Scientific American:

• Scientific American, "Seismograph Plans: How to build a simple seismograph to record earthquake waves at home", 241, July 1979.

• Scientific American, "The New Backyard Seismology", 100, April 1996.

The University of Northern Colorado has put together a nice Web page for constructing a simple seismometer.

• Simple Seismometer for Classroom Use

The Seismological Society of America has a list of other resources for building your own seismograph and includes sources of materials.

The Public Seismic Network is a organization of individuals interested in seismology. They have plans, software, and data to share. There are several chapters:

• Redwood City, CA, Public Seismic Network
• San Jose, CA, Public Seismic Network
• Pasadena, CA, Public Seismic Network
• Alaska Public Seismic Network
• Memphis, TN, Public Seismic Network
• Kalamunda, Western Australia, Public Seismic Network
• Dunedin, New Zealand, Public Seismic Network

Several commercial companies offer seismometer systems for sale. These generally come with a sensor, a digitizing board for a PC, and display software. Examples include

• GeoTool
• Amateur Seismologist

For additional information, there is a quite complete FAQ on home-built seismometer systems at

• Homebuilt Seismograph FAQ

Several groups/organizations provide support or tools for using a seismometer in the classroom. Here is a sampling

• MichSeis
• Princeton Earth Physics Project

• Handheld Seismometer
• Educational Seismograph
• AS-1 Seismograph

Finally, there is a wonderful Java application demonstrating the principles of seismometer operation.

• The Seismometer Demo Applet

Good luck!