System to collect and analyze data on significant earthquakes
The Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) is a collaboration of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and regional, state, and academic partners that collects and analyzes data on significant earthquakes to provide near real-time (generally within 10 to 30 minutes[1]) information to emergency responders and officials, the news media, and the public.[2] Such information is used to anticipate the likely severity and extent of damage, and to guide decisions on the responses needed.[3]
Data is collected by eleven regional seismic networks and the National Seismic Network ("ANSS backbone") of dedicated stations, with additional inputs from overseas seismic networks. Analysis is done at the regional data centers, and at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC),[4] with the results posted at the USGS earthquake web page (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/).
The National Strong Motion Project of the ANSS has instrumented 168 structures to record their response to very strong shaking. This data is used in research on earthquake-resistant engineering.[5]
Products and services
The ANSS provides a range of products and services:[6]
ShakeMap: a map of the anticipated severity and extent of ground shaking, based on the measured strength of ground shaking and known characteristics of the affected locality.
ShakeCast: automated delivery of ShakeMaps customized for critical infrastructure, providing an estimate of shaking experienced.
The ANSS Comprehensive Catalog (ComCat) is a repository of data from the participating seismic networks. For significant earthquakes the NEIC prepares a summary of the tectonic setting, nearby fault systems, and historical seismicity.
The regional networks are deemed authoritative for the location and magnitude of earthquakes in their region. The NEIC receives additional data from about 3,000 stations around the world, and provides backup if a regional network is unable to communicate.
^USGS Circular 1429 2017, p. 19; Leith 2006, p. 12. It has been reported that in one case a television station was able to show millions of viewers a ShakeMap for an earthquake that had occurred only six minutes earlier (Wald et al. 2002, p. 13).
Sipkin, Stuart A.; Filson, John R.; Benz, Harley M.; Wald, David J.; Earle, Paul S. (5 September 2006), "Advanced National Seismic System Delivers Improved Information", EOS Transactions, 87 (36), doi:10.1029/2006EO360003