SMU seismologists investigate cause of North Texas earthquakes


A researcher sets up an instrument to analyze the local earthquakes. (Courtesy of Hillsman Jackson)












In December 2013, four digital monitors provided by the USGS were deployed to monitor the seismicity in the area. The research team is deploying several single channel sensors provided by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Program.

Rotating teams of two install the instruments in a variety of places from schools to private homes in the area that are near power and internet connections.

“They [residents] are allowing us to install; they’ve been very nice, very cooperating,” Hayward said. “We are very appreciative of them.”

The instruments are highly sensitive, picking up even the energy from footsteps. They are placed within the epicenter of the events and within 25 kilometers of the events. Scientists will then cross analyze the data to improve our understanding of the earthquake locations, size, fault plane solutions, accelerations associated with the events.

Once the instruments have all been deployed the team will no longer travel to the area.

The seismic activity in the Reno-Azle area is similar to activity that occurred around Cleburne, Texas and the Dallas/Fort-Worth International Airport between 2008 and 2011.

At DFW, the injection well began operating before the earthquakes began and that the earthquakes were close to the well. In the case of the Cleburne area, there was not a strong timing relationship between the earthquakes and the wells.

Heyward and SMU seismology professor Brian Stump, along with other SMU and University of Texas at Austin scientists, were part of that study as well.

The difference between the DFW/Cleburne studies and the Reno-Azle studies is the technology available to scientists.

“We can do a bigger and better job at looking at the data,” Stump said. “A lot more details in understanding of the cause in the earthquakes.”

In both studies, rather than information being directly sent back to campus, the instruments were left on site for several months, then seismologists would return and download the data to their laptop to analyze it.

The educational website has been set up with information about where the instruments are installed, frequently asked questions and photos.


Tell us what you think.