Home Seismology
Detect and record earthquakes and vibrations with a DIY seismograph.
Build a sensitive seismograph using a pen, pendulum, and rotating drum. Detect microscopic vibrations from nearby traffic, construction, or distant earthquakes. Document vibration patterns and analyze how different events create distinct traces. Contribute data to citizen science earthquake networks. Learn seismic wave theory while building real detection equipment. Your homemade seismograph becomes a window into Earth's constant subtle movements.
How to start
- 1Construct a simple pendulum: suspend a heavy weight from a rigid frame above paper on a rotating drum
- 2Attach a pen to the pendulum that touches the rotating paper
- 3Roll the drum slowly using a mechanical timer or manually
- 4Leave it running and observe the traces created by ground vibrations
- 5Compare traces during quiet times, traffic, wind, and documented seismic events
- 6Submit data to a citizen seismology project
What you'll need
- Pendulum Weight (fishing weight or washer)Essential~$5
- Rigid Frame (wood or metal)Essential~$10
- Rotating Drum (motorized or manual)Essential~$20
- Pen or MarkerEssential~$2
- Paper RollEssential~$5
- Timer or ClockNice to have~$10
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Set up a network with friends' seismographs to triangulate vibration sources
- Create long-term historical records of vibrations and correlate with local events
- Build an electronic version using Arduino and accelerometer sensors
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was recorded on early seismographs around the world, proving earthquakes travel as waves through Earth's crust.
Similar vibes
If this one didn't land, try one of these.