THE EARTHQUAKE LOCATOR

I. OBJECTIVES:
1. Demonstrate how earthquakes can be located at a set of seismic stations. 
2. Compare estimated locations to plate boundaries and recent seismicity.

II. MATERIALS:
Computer/Mobile
Activity paper Internet connection
device

III. PROCEDURE
1. Go the link: https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/software-web-app/earthquake_triangulation.
Then, click open resources.
2. Click the “satellite” view for a more convenient perspective.
3. Select: “+ Station”. Type in the correct Latitude and Longitude of the station on the
given value on Table A: Local Earthquake. Click the “List” button to check the values.
4. Select: “+ Station” to add the next station. Do this for at least 3 seismic stations.
5. Click on “List” to see all your stations
6. The three distance circles should nearly overlap at one location.
7. Once you see that the circles are close to intersecting at a single intersection point, click
on the left-hand menu option, and then click on User Event and Show Marker.  You can
then move the marker to the intersection point, which will give you the Latitude and
Longitude of the earthquake.
8. Type “14°” for the altitude and “120°” for longitude as the initial of the marker. Then,
move it to the point where the epicenter was found. Record your data on the table
below.
9. Repeat steps 3 to 7 for the Worldwide Earthquake.
10. Type “10°” for the altitude and “-70°” for longitude as the initial of the marker. Then,
move it to the point where the epicenter was found. Record your data on the table
below.

IV. DATA AND RESULTS

A. Local Earthquake
Station Latitude Longitude Distance (km) Place
1 14.58° 120.98° 18.62 Rizal Park, Mnl
2 13.89° 120.67° 79.62 Calatagan
3 14.60° 120.56° 26.56 Orion
Epicenter 14.59 120.81 Manila Bay

B. Worldwide Earthquake
Station Latitude Longitude Distance (km) Place
1 21.61° -78.88° 1627.93 Cuba
2 11.25° -55.92° 1428.00 Atlantic Ocean
3 1.83° -102.04° 3782.23 Pacific Ocean
Epicenter 10.50 -68.95 El Nueve y Medio

V. GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Why would geologists need seismic data from three stations in order to calculate the
epicenter of an earthquake? Why would they not be able to only use two stations?
For me, I think that two stations can't calculate the epicenter of an earthquake
accurately. I think it's quite obvious that the geologist need three stations to locate the
earthquake, just by from the method that they use which they call it "Triangulation Method".
Tri means three, so probably they need three seismographic stations to locate the
epicenter of an earthquake to be accurate.
2. Would you predict more earthquakes in areas where the Earth’s tectonic plates are
moving towards each other or where the plates are moving apart? Explain your
reasoning
I think not really.... Because we all even the Seismologist or Geologist can really
even tell accurately when does an earthquake will occur. But still we people are getting
smarter, I think many of those scientist who studies about earthquake they probably still
1 | The Earthquake Locator
 trying to invent or figure something that can let us predict on when an earthquake will
occur. But we all know that there are numerous of earthquakes along the line of the contact
where its ocean plates and sediments are destroyed. So I think you can predict it when
maybe when the plates are moving towards each other because the convergent plate
boundaries have more powerful earthquakes along their boundaries.

3. Seismologists and geologists are not the only scientists who interpret seismic data.
What other professions would use seismic data? What could they use it for?
Aside from Seismologist and Geologist, While browsing in the internet, I found
out that there are many more other professions which I didn't expect that also uses
seismic data. For example, Engineers they use the seismic data to study how the
shaking would affect the structures and how should the structures be built to withstand
damages. Volcanologist also uses seismic data for volcanic eruption purposes. Scientist
also uses seismic data to determine how the earthquakes effect an area and they also
uses it to determine if seismic data could be used to predict future earthquakes. There
are also many more professions that also uses seismic data and it can also be used for
academic research.

VI. CONCLUSION
How do scientists locate the earthquake? How accurate triangulation is?
To measure the distance between the earthquake source and the recording
instrument, which is the seismograph. Scientists use the difference in arrival time
between P and S waves and to reliably locate the depth and magnitude of an
earthquake, scientists need recordings from at least three seismographs. Triangulation
is a method of surveying that calculates the angles created by three survey control
points in a triangle. The other distances in the triangle are determined using
trigonometry and the calculated length of only one side. The shape of the triangles is
important because in a long skinny triangle there is a lot of imprecision, but one with a
base angle of about 45 degrees is optimal. The triangulation probably is the most
accurate now, since there are still no new method discovered.

2 | The Earthquake Locator