NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- SideBar Computer Program, a Seismic-Shaking Intensity Meter: Users' Manual and Software Description (Release 3.0.TO).
- File
- PB2006105327.pdf
- Author(s)
- Evans, J. R.
- Source
- January 2003, 26 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- USGS/OFR-03-202
- Abstract
- The SideBar computer program provides a visual display of seismic shaking intensity as recorded at one specific seismograph. This software allows a user to tap into the seismic data recorded on that specific seismograph and to display the overall level of shaking at the single location where that seismograph resides (usually the same place the user is). From this shaking level, SideBar also estimates the potential for damage nearby. SideBar cannot tell you the Richter magnitude of the earthquake, only how hard the ground shook locally and this estimate of how much damage is likely in the neighborhood. This combination of local effects is called the seismic intensity. SideBar principally fill an informational gap between the time of an earthquake and the availability of detailed, regional information, including ShakeMap, about 10 minutes later. Similarly, should Web access be impossible for some reason, SideBar can continue to fill the information gap indefinitely. For smaller earthquakes, educational opportunities also exist with SideBar, or, if these events occur during major sequences, the opportunity to calm nerves by showing immediately that the event is of no concern. SideBar provides a single datum-the shaking intensity at a single place-while USGS Web sites provide broad, regional information with very detailed drill down capability.
- Keywords
- Seismic intensity; User's manuals; Configuration file example; ShakeMap; Tables (Data); Figures; Earth movements; WEB sources; Ground motion; Earthquakes; Computer software; Seismic-shaking intensity meters; Seismographs; Tremor seismographs; SideBar computer program