Center for Earthquake Research and Information

Center for Earthquake Research and Information
Name	Center for Earthquake Research and Information
Established	1977
Type	Research institute
Location	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Campus	University of Memphis
Affiliations	University of Memphis

Center for Earthquake Research and Information is a seismic research institute located in Memphis, Tennessee, affiliated with the University of Memphis. It specializes in seismic monitoring, earthquake hazard assessment, and regional tectonics for the central and eastern United States, with emphasis on the New Madrid Seismic Zone and the Mississippi embayment. The center operates regional networks, produces authoritative seismic catalogs, and provides technical expertise to federal, state, and local agencies.

History

The center was founded in 1977 amid renewed interest in intraplate seismicity following studies associated with the New Madrid Seismic Zone and historical events such as the series of 1811–1812 earthquakes. Early development coincided with initiatives by the United States Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and state agencies to improve seismic monitoring in the Mississippi River valley. Over decades the center expanded its role through collaborations with institutions including the University of Memphis, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Its growth paralleled advances made by research groups at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory in seismology and seismic hazard analysis. Leadership and staff have included researchers trained at institutions such as Stanford University, Cornell University, and the University of California, Berkeley, and have contributed to national discussions alongside organizations like the American Geophysical Union and the Seismological Society of America.

Mission and Research Focus

The center’s mission emphasizes seismic monitoring, earthquake hazard assessment, and applied research to reduce seismic risk for infrastructure in the central and eastern United States. Core research areas include characterization of intraplate faulting in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, seismic wave propagation through the Mississippi Embayment, and ground motion modeling relevant to structures in cities like Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri. The center contributes to probabilistic seismic hazard maps used by the United States Geological Survey and informs building code discussions with organizations such as the International Code Council and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Research outputs intersect with studies at agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and academic programs across the Southeastern United States.

Facilities and Instrumentation

Facilities include a regional operations center, computational laboratories, and a seismic data archive integrated with national networks. The center maintains broadband, strong-motion, and short-period stations that feed near–real-time data into systems used by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology and the Advanced National Seismic System. Instrumentation comprises instruments from manufacturers such as Nanometrics, Güralp Systems, and Kinemetrics, and includes accelerometers deployed in urban and critical infrastructure sites. Computational resources support waveform modeling, tomography, and Bayesian seismicity analyses using software frameworks developed at places like the Southern California Earthquake Center and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. The center’s laboratories have hosted students and researchers from institutions such as the University of Tennessee, the University of Kentucky, and the Mississippi State University.

Notable Projects and Contributions

The center has led and participated in multi-decade projects including cataloging seismicity for the New Madrid Seismic Zone, deploying temporary arrays for passive seismic imaging, and producing site-response studies for critical facilities in the Mid-South. It contributed to post-event analyses after earthquakes that affected the central United States and provided rapid technical assessments for agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross. Collaborative research produced improved tomographic models of crustal structure beneath the Mississippi Valley and advanced understanding of induced seismicity associated with resource development activities monitored in states such as Arkansas and Oklahoma. The center’s data and interpretations have informed infrastructure resilience efforts tied to transportation corridors such as the Interstate 55 corridor and riverine levee systems overseen by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Education, Outreach, and Public Services

The center operates educational programs for K–12 schools and university students, hosts workshops for emergency managers from entities like the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and offers public seminars in partnership with the Memphis Public Library. Outreach includes producing seismic hazard maps, informational materials used by municipal planners in Shelby County, Tennessee, and training exercises with first responders from regional agencies. Student training has led to graduate theses defended at the University of Memphis and internships with federal laboratories such as the USGS National Earthquake Information Center. The center maintains public-facing seismicity maps and earthquake catalogs that support journalists from outlets such as the Commercial Appeal and researchers at institutions including the Smithsonian Institution.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The center collaborates with federal agencies including the United States Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy, and with academic partners such as the University of Colorado, the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and the Vanderbilt University. International connections have linked the center to researchers at the University of Tokyo, the British Geological Survey, and the European Seismological Commission for comparative studies of intraplate seismicity. Regional partnerships include state geological surveys of Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi, as well as coordination with infrastructure stakeholders like the Amtrak system and municipal utilities. These collaborations enable integrated monitoring, joint research proposals, and shared datasets that advance understanding of seismic hazard in the central and eastern United States.

Category:Seismological observatories Category:University of Memphis