RECORDING OF EARTHQUAKES

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29764, 6 March 1962, Page 3

RECORDING OF EARTHQUAKES

New Seismograph At Roxburgh A modern short-period earthquake recorder was installed last week in a gallery in the Roxburgh dam. It is the only short-period seismograph in . the South Island south of Gebbie’s Pass. The instrument was installed by Mr R. H. Orr, senior technician of the Seismological Observatory, Department o.f Scientific and Industrial Research, Wellington. Mr Orr also went to Monowai, to make site tests for a similar instrument there. During the few days he was at Monowai, the instrument he was using for the tests recorded four local earthquakes. The superintendent of the observatory (Dr. F, F. Evison) said yesterday that the two stations would form part of the more ■ extensive network of stations planned for New Zealand, It was particularly important that better coverage should be provided for the southern area, as it was thought that Fiordland probably had more earthquakes than’ any other part of the country. The rather large number' of shocks experienced during Mr Orr’s few days at Monowai went to confirm this. The Roxburgh instrument was additional to older seismographs with a. longer oscillation period which had been moved to the dam from Gebbie’s Pass some years ago. Monowai bad only a shock recorderwhich was very primitive indeed and which would be. removed when the new instrument was installed. The new seismograph at Monowai required a new building, which should be ready towards the end of the year. ‘