Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Listening

After listening to the links on the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program website, I have decided to go with the sounds created by John Bullitt, since they are far more epic.  I am still waiting for the CD he promised me to arrive in the mail but if I don't get it after my meeting with the Geology Department's IT guy I can use the links he forwarded me instead.

USGS Replies


Re: searching for audio clips of geologic sounds (CO)
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ASK USGS ASK_USGS@usgs.gov
Feb 21 (2 days ago)
to meGS-CVOLynnGS-G-CRlibraryArchive
Dear Hallie,

Well, that's an interesting request.

Of course, many "geologic" occurrences, such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption occur without audio recording devices nearby.

And other geologic processes, such as tectonic plate movements, occur very, very slowly and do not produce a particular "sound."

I will forward your inquiry to our USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory for their suggestions on an audio link to a volcanic eruption.

In addition, I am forwarding your request to Lynn Highland with our Landslide Information Center (in case they may have an audio clip of land movement).

And, I am referring your inquiry to our Earthquake Hazards Program for help in the "earthquake sound" department.

Hope this helps.

Cheryl O'Brien

USGS
crobrien@usgs.gov
(703) 648-5929








Transaction=GSFWHP2V [18FEB2012 01:21:26UTC]
Customer email:   alicewhiskey@gmail.com
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Portland, INT 97211
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Hello,
I am an art student at Portland State University, working on a collaborative project with our geology department.  I am searching for audio clips of geologic sounds ie: volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tectonic plate grinding, landslides, digging, drilling, etc.  Do you have any information on where I might be able to find something like this?

Lynn M Highland highland@usgs.gov
Feb 21 (1 day ago)
to ASKmeArchiveCherylGS-CVOGS-G-CRlibrary
Dear AliceWhiskey,

The best compilation of landslide videos is at this link (many have sounds):

http://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2012/01/21/the-ultimate-compilation-of-the-best-landslide-videos/

Dave Petley, owner of this blog is taking submittals of landslide videos and will be releasing a new "best videos" list soon - when, I'm not sure - there is a way to email him on his blog, if you want more information.

Let me know if you need more information,
Lynn


*************************************http://profile.usgs.gov/highland

*************************************
Lynn Highland, Geographer
U.S. Geological Survey
National Landslide Information Center
MS 966, Box 25046
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO  80225
303-273-8588



From:ASK USGS
To:alicewhiskey@gmail.com, GS-CVO Info@USGS, Lynn M Highland/GD/USGS/DOI@USGS, GS-G-CR Hazards eq_questions
Cc:library@usgs.gov., Archive Ask
Date:02/21/2012 08:33 AM
Subject:Re: searching for audio clips of geologic sounds (CO)
Sent by:Cheryl R O'Brien


Michael J Bennett mjbennett@usgs.gov
Feb 21 (1 day ago)
to lisaGS-NmeLynn
Alicewhiskey,
My name is Mike Bennett, I am a geologist with the Earthquake Science Center in Menlo Park, California, and I have been asked to help with your request for some geologic sounds that might have to do with drilling. About 10 years ago the liquefaction project here in Menlo Park was investigating the liquefaction hazard in Oakland, Alameda Co., California. We did some cone penetration testing (CPT) to define the soil layering and then followed that up with some soil borings using our Mobile B-50 small drill rig. The first video (with sound) shows the drill rig augering to about 5 m depth (Drill rig augering 1. MPG). After the auger was advanced to 5 m depth an standard penetration test (SPT) was made. This involves hammering a sampler into the soil using a 130 pound hammer. This second video (with sound) is called SPT testing.MPG. The person laying in front of the auger is counting the hammer blows as a mark passes the top of the auger. The video's were made by Tom Holzer.  

I hope this has been of some help.
Mike 

This work is documented in.....
  • Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., Padovani, A.C., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2002, Liquefaction hazard and shaking amplification maps of Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Piedmont: A digital database: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 02-296, http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of02-296/.
  • Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., Padovani, A.C., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2006, Liquefaction hazard mapping with LPI in the greater Oakland, California, area: Earthquake Spectra, v. 22, no. 3, 693-708.
  • Holzer, T.L., Bennett, M.J., Noce, T.E., and Tinsley, J.C., III, 2005, Shear-wave velocity of surficial geologic sediments in Northern California: Statistical distributions and depth dependence: Earthquake Spectra, v. 21, no. 1, p. 161-177.

    ---------------------------------------
    Michael J. Bennett  
    Operational Geologist                
    Earthquake Science Center                  
    US Geological Survey
    345 Middlefield Rd. MS 977
    Menlo Park, CA  94025
    phone: 650-329-4890
    fax:   650-329-5163
    email: mjbennett@usgs.gov
    Earthquake Hazards web site:  
    http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
    **All Federal e-mail is permanently archived**             

From:Lynn M Highland <highland@usgs.gov>
To:mjbennett@usgs.gov
Cc:lisa@usgs.gov
Date:02/21/2012 08:50 AM
Subject:Re: searching for audio clips of geologic sounds (CO)

2 attachments — Download all attachments  
SPT testing.MPGSPT testing.MPG
1343K   Download  
Drill rig augering 1.MPGDrill rig augering 1.MPG
1342K   Download  
Lisa A Wald lisa@usgs.gov
4:22 PM (21 hours ago)
to MichaelmeLynnGS-N
Here's another webpage for earthquake sounds:

- Lisa
--------------------------Lisa Wald, Geophysicist
Web Project Manager
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
Golden, CO
--------------------------

<SPT testing.MPG><Drill rig augering 1.MPG>

Monday, February 20, 2012

Research

After my meeting with the department chair I went online to try to find audio clips of earth sounds.  I couldn't find any free audio recordings but I did find this website
http://www.audionetwork.com/sound-effects/destruction/earth-movement
but since I couldn't verify the authenticity of these sounds I looked further
I found the website of the US Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
but I couldn't find a public audio library of seismic sounds.  I shot off an email to their librarian but as of this date I have not received a reply.
I kept looking and found this article on NPR.  Which lead me to the website of John Bullitt.  This was more in the vein of what I was looking for.  So I sent and email to him and got a very positive reply!


Art student from PSU seeks seismic audio recordings or advice
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H. Chilton
Feb 18 (2 days ago)
to jt
Hello,
I am an art student at Portland State University.  I am working on a collaborative project with our geology department and am trying to find audio clips of seismic activity and other related noises to use in an interactive display.  While searching the internet for leads on audio clips I ran into your interview on All Things Considered.  I followed the link to your website and am now wondering if you have any downloadable versions of your work that you would be willing to donate or sell for this project, or if you have any leads on other such audio recordings that I might be able to use.
Hoping your interest will be piqued,
John Bullitt
Feb 19 (1 day ago)
to me
Hi,

Yes, my interest is definitely piqued! You are welcome to download and use any of the sounds on my website (see the "Earth Sound" section). Unfortunately, although you can play the sound clips directly from a web browser, it's a little hard to track down the actual links to the sound files (something I've been meaning to fix for ages, but never seem to find time to do). But if there are any of those sound clips that you'd like to download, just let me know which ones, and I'll send you the links to the mp3 files. (Alternatively, you can go to http://www.jtbullitt.com/earthsound/ and use the "View source" feature of your web browser to examine the html code in that page. You'll see the paths to the mp3 files in there.) Meanwhile, here's a link to the 2011 Japan earthquake: http://www.jtbullitt.com/earthsound/tohoku-2011/Tohoku-WRAB.mp3 . If you'd like any others, just let me know.

Meanwhile, if you'd like a copy of my "Earth Sound" CD, I'd be happy to send you one, gratis. Just give me your mailing address, and I'll send it out to you with Tuesday's mail. You're welcome to use sounds from the CD in your project, if you wish.

I'm assuming that this project isn't something that people will be paying money to see/hear, correct? If so, then all I ask is that you mention me somewhere in the credits. If it is a paid performance type project, then we'll need to discuss fees, licensing, etc.

I'd love to know more about this project, if you're willing to share. As for me, I'm working on developing a real-time system for listening to these low-frequency seismic sounds of Earth. Completion is still a long way off (tons of computer programming and engineering still to do), but when it's finished I think it'll offer an entirely new way of experiencing the Earth. Stay tuned!

       best wishes,


       john