Project Title

Global Seismographic Network (GSN) at South Pole Station, Palmer Station, and Scott Base

Summary

Event Number:
G-090-P/S
NSF / USGS Agreement

Program Director:
Dr. David Porter

ASC POC/Implementer:
Paul Sullivan / Jamee Johnson / Sheryl Seagraves

Principal Investigator(s)

David Wilson
dwilson@usgs.gov
Albequerque, New Mexico

Project Web Site:
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/operations/stations/IU/PMSA/

Location

Supporting Stations: Palmer Station, South Pole Station
Research Locations: McMurdo/Scott Base, Palmer & South Pole (Quiet Sector)

Description

The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) is a worldwide network of ~150 modern seismograph stations. Each station consists of seismometers, recoding and communications equipment, and facilities necessary for the operation and security of the equipment. Some stations may include ancillary sensors. The GSN is multiuse and serves the interests of scientific research, earthquake monitoring and tsunami warning, nuclear explosion monitoring, assessment of earthquake hazards, and education. The GSN represents a partnership between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and National Science Foundation (NSF). Currently, USGS supports about two-thirds of GSN stations operated by the USGS Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL). The NSF Division of Earth Sciences provides funding and oversight for a competitively solicited cooperative agreement that includes operations for about one-third of the GSN. The NSF Office of Polar Programs (OPP) provides certain in-kind support for USGS GSN station operations in Antarctica. The ASL operates four GSN stations in Antarctica: Casey (CASY); Palmer Station (PMSA); Scott Base (SBA); and South Pole Remote Earth Science and Seismology Observatory aka SPRESSO (QSPA), located in the Quiet Sector.

Field Season Overview

One participant will deploy to South Pole in 2025-26 to replace a seismometer and perform other maintenance activities as needed. Research associate (RA) support will be provided throughout the year for routine monitoring and maintenance of equipment, including observation of the equipment housed in the SPRESSO vault to ensure it is in normal operating mode; shutdown and restart of software and hardware as needed; annual measurement of vault deformation; and communication with the project's principal investigator and other personnel as needed. At Palmer Station, the project has space in Terra Lab for data analyzer hardware. All other hardware and the seismometer are housed in the seismic vault behind Terra Lab. The Antarctic Support Contract (ASC) provides year-round, on-site support via an ASC RA. The science team does not typically deploy to Palmer Station but operates the GSN station remotely.

Deploying Team Members