Geophysics Program

New Mexico Tech Seismological Observatory


The Socorro region is a natural geophysical/volcanological laboratory in that it accommodates an inflating mid-crustal magma body which perturbs the local stress field and causes numerous small earthquake swarms. The upper surface of the laterally extensive Socorro Magma Body is nearly flat and is approximately 19 km deep. Seismicity in the area and greater New Mexico is monitored by the New Mexico Tech Seismic Network in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey.

NMT Seismic Network and Seismicity

Historic seismicity (through 2005) and seismic stations operated and maintained by the Geophysics Program of the Department of Earth & Environmental Science at New Mexico Tech. ANMO is a Global Seismographic Network station operated by the USGS Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory.

The Geophysics Program operates a network of seismic stations (black circles on the map above). Data are telemetered to the New Mexico Tech Seismological Observatory located in Workman Center on the NMT campus. Data are digitized at 100 samples per second, and the triggered time series are stored for analysis, as well as forwarded to the IRIS Data Management Center and the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center. The Socorro Seismic Anomaly is illuminated by the large number of earthquakes near Socorro; it historically accounts for 45% of New Mexico seismicity, yet occupies only about 2% of the area of the state. The NMT Seismic Network is supported by funds from Westinghouse Corporation and Geophysics Program resources.

A reduced-size poster describing historic seismicity in New Mexico is available here (jpeg, 11" x 14").

Real-time data from these stations can be viewed here.

Press releases from previous earthquakes can be viewed here.


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Last Updated: January 13, 2009 by Webmaster