Volcano seismology is a branch of geophysics that focuses on the study of seismic activity associated with volcanoes. It involves the detection, analysis, and interpretation of seismic waves generated by various volcanic processes, including magma movement, explosive eruptions, and volcanic tremors. The primary objectives of volcano seismology include: 1. **Monitoring Volcanic Activity**: Seismologists use seismometers to monitor and record ground vibrations around volcanoes.
The Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) is a network of seismic monitoring systems in the United States that aims to provide real-time earthquake data and enhance the nation’s ability to respond to seismic events. Established by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the ANSS integrates various seismic networks to improve earthquake detection, characterization, and the dissemination of earthquake information.
Dispersive body waves refer to seismic waves that travel through a medium (such as the Earth's crust or mantle) and exhibit dispersion, meaning that their velocity depends on their frequency. In the context of seismology, body waves are classified into two main types: primary waves (P-waves) and secondary waves (S-waves). Dispersive behavior occurs when different frequencies of the wave propagate at different speeds.
Earthquake rotational loading refers to the rotational forces that buildings and structures experience during an earthquake. While most seismic design and analysis focus on translational forces—those acting in a linear direction due to ground shaking—rotational loading recognizes that the ground motion during an earthquake can also induce rotations in structures. This can happen due to uneven ground movement, torsional effects, or irregularities in a structure’s geometry.
Microtremors refer to very low amplitude seismic waves or vibrations that occur in the ground, typically caused by natural phenomena like ocean waves, wind, or human activities, such as traffic or machinery. They are generally imperceptible to the human senses but can be detected using sensitive instruments. Microtremors are often studied in the context of geophysics and engineering because they can provide valuable information about subsurface conditions, such as soil properties and structural integrity.
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape the Earth's surface. It encompasses the analysis of landform characteristics, formation, evolution, and the interactions between various physical and chemical processes that contribute to landscape development. Geomorphologists study both natural processes, such as weathering, erosion, sedimentation, and tectonic activity, as well as human-induced changes to the landscape.
The Gutenberg discontinuity, also known as the Gutenberg layer or the Gutenberg limit, is a significant boundary within the Earth's interior that separates the Earth's mantle from the outer core. It is located at a depth of about 2,900 kilometers (approximately 1,800 miles) beneath the Earth's surface. At this boundary, there is a notable change in the physical and chemical properties of the materials.
A **sign system** refers to a collection of symbols and rules that convey meaning and facilitate communication. It can be understood in several contexts, including linguistics, semiotics, and information theory. Here are a few interpretations of the term: 1. **Linguistic Sign System**: In linguistics, a sign system involves the relationship between signs (words, phrases) and their meanings (concepts they represent).
A seismic gap refers to a section of an active fault line that has not experienced significant seismic activity, such as earthquakes, for a prolonged period, despite the surrounding areas having experienced earthquakes. The concept suggests that these gaps may be sites where stress is accumulating due to tectonic plate movement, potentially making them prone to large earthquakes in the future. Seismic gaps are important for earthquake research and hazard assessment, as they may indicate where future seismic activity is likely to occur.
Surface rupture refers to the breaking and displacement of the Earth's surface along a fault line during an earthquake or other geological event. When stress builds up in the Earth's crust due to tectonic forces, it can exceed the strength of rocks along a fault, causing them to fracture. The resulting movement may cause the ground at the surface to shift, crack, or displace, leading to observable features like fissures, offsets, or even the uplift or subsidence of land.
A quake, commonly referred to as an earthquake, is a natural phenomenon caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust, resulting in seismic waves. This release of energy can occur due to various factors, such as tectonic movement, volcanic activity, or human activities like mining or underground explosions. Earthquakes are typically classified by their magnitude, which measures the energy released, and their intensity, which measures the effects of the quake at specific locations.
Rotational components of strong ground motions refer to the rotational movements (such as roll, pitch, and yaw) that occur during an earthquake. While traditional seismic data primarily focuses on translational ground motion along horizontal and vertical axes (i.e., the accelerations that are usually recorded by seismometers), the rotational components are less commonly measured but can provide important insights into the behavior of structures during seismic events.
Seismic waves are elastic waves that propagate through the Earth's layers, generated by various sources, such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, or artificial explosions. They are essential for understanding the Earth's interior structure and dynamics.
Seismotectonics is a branch of geology and tectonics that focuses on the relationship between seismic activity (earthquakes and other seismic phenomena) and the tectonic processes and structures that cause them. It involves the study of how the Earth's crust deforms and produces earthquakes, as well as the mechanisms through which tectonic forces generate seismic waves.
The University of Queensland Seismology Station is a research facility associated with the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia. It is part of the university's broader efforts in the field of Earth sciences and geophysics. The station is engaged in the monitoring of seismic activity, helping to study earthquakes, local and regional geological processes, and tectonic movements. The data collected at the seismology station is used for various purposes, including research, education, and public safety.
The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian communities that are known for their simple living, refusal to adopt many conveniences of modern technology, and distinctive customs. They are primarily found in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, but also have communities in Canada and other countries. The Amish belong to a broader movement known as Anabaptism, which emphasizes adult baptism, pacifism, and a commitment to community and simplicity.
"Do it yourself" (DIY) refers to the practice of creating, building, or repairing things on your own, rather than hiring professionals or purchasing ready-made items. DIY projects can encompass a wide range of activities, including home improvement, crafting, woodworking, sewing, gardening, and more. The DIY ethos encourages creativity, resourcefulness, and self-sufficiency, allowing individuals to take on projects that reflect their personal style or needs.
"Tribes" can refer to several different concepts depending on the context. Here are some possible meanings: 1. **Anthropology and Sociology**: In a social or anthropological context, "tribes" are groups of people who share a common culture, language, and social structure. These groups often have their own social norms and leadership systems and can range from small family units to larger confederations of clans or kinship groups.
Autarky is an economic term that refers to a situation in which a country, region, or entity is self-sufficient and does not engage in international trade. In an autarkic economy, all goods and services needed are produced domestically, and there is little to no reliance on imports or exports. The main characteristics of autarky include: 1. **Self-Sufficiency:** A focus on producing all essential goods and services within the borders of the country or region.
Ephemeral architecture refers to the design and construction of temporary structures that are intended to exist only for a limited time. This type of architecture is often associated with events, festivals, exhibitions, and installations where the focus is on the experience rather than permanence. Key characteristics of ephemeral architecture include: 1. **Temporary Nature**: Structures are created with a short lifespan in mind and are often dismantled after the event or purpose is fulfilled.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact