| dc.description.abstract | Seismograph, instrument that makes a record of seismic waves caused by an earthquake,
explosion, or other Earth-shaking phenomenon. Seismographs are equipped with
electromagnetic sensors that translate ground motions into electrical changes, which are
processed and recorded by the instruments’ analog or digital circuits. The
terms seismograph and seismometer are often used interchangeably; however, whereas both
devices may detect and measure seismic waves, only a seismograph possesses the capacity to
record the phenomena. A record produced by a seismograph on a display screen
or paper printout is called a seismogram.
Although originally designed to locate natural earthquakes, seismographs have many other
uses, such as petroleum exploration, investigation of Earth’s crust and lower layers, and
monitoring of volcanic activity.
Scientists measure and record this data to learn more about earthquakes, tectonic plates, and
Earth's layers. Earthquakes are difficult to predict, but scientists studying them hope to use
seismographic measurements to be able to make more accurate predictions. | en_US |
