Instrumental recording of earthquakes provides the basic data required to understand the earthquake process and the ground motions, in addition to defining the size and location of each earthquake. Monitoring since 1975 has focused on earthquakes near New Madrid, Missouri, as well as southern Illinois. Adjacent active areas in Missouri have not been as well monitored. Support for earthquake monitoring has decreased due to changing Federal interest.
An equipment upgrade, which is underway, focuses on monitoring earthquakes near New Madrid as well as in a very broad region to the east and south of Missouri. Current tasking, however, does not permit monitoring earthquakes in northwest and southern Missouri.
Recent technological advances in California show that real time seismic data can be used to provide rapid earthquake locations, useful for an initial assessment of a major disaster as well as for ensuring safety of rescue crews by warning of imminent shaking from large aftershocks. Missouri does not have these capabilities because of the sparse geographical coverage by seismic networks and difficulties in transmitting real-time data to an analysis center.
The existing network of seismograph stations must be augmented to become a State-wide system with specific responsibilities of notifying SEMA of the earthquake location and magnitude within minutes. This information must be tied to geographic and geotechnical data bases to present an initial estimate of the severity of the disaster. The additional stations should be placed at universities and schools to make use of internet communication capabilities. Real-time seismic traces, earthquake locations and other information should be provided to all schools and museums throughout the State by Internet as part of earthquake education efforts.