This is the main operations area for the UNR Seismological Laboratory's Western Great Basin Seismic Network. The Lab's Earthquake Information WEB Page carries much of the information that results from this operation. In the Seismic Network Computer Room, signals arriving by microwave are digitized if needed, ordered into data bases, automatically interpreted for the arrival times of seismic waves, and assigned a preliminary earthquake location and magnitude. In the Seismic Network Analysis Room, scientists and technicians discriminate real earthquakes from quarry blasts and noise by hand, and can refine the locations and magnitudes into a catalog of earthquakes in Nevada and eastern California.
Network operations and some research are funded by the U.S. Geological Survey under the external grants program of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). This Federal support is vital to our ability to provide earthquake information, and to forecast the effects of earthquakes on the people of Nevada and the Nation. The State of Nevada and its University System are able to provide only basic salary support for our three teaching seismologists, our Engineer, and our secretary. All network operations funds come from the Federal government.