Mission Statement
The mission of the Seismic Source Facility (SSF) is to achieve excellence in education, research and public service. Specifically, science related to seismology.
In order to collect seismological waveform data, a vibratory source and a seismograph sensitive to those vibrations are needed. These are commonly referred to as sources and receivers. In natural source seismology, receivers are deployed where seismologists think appropriate and sources are provided by nature. In controlled source seismology, sources and receivers are deployed when and where seismologists need them. There are of course limitations in the size and location of sources, as well as the location of receivers, but there is no waiting for nature to provide the exact source needed. Hence controlled source seismology has many advantages in exploring the shallower parts of the Earth down to the Moho.
Our mission is to support Principal Investigators (PI's) in collecting high quality seismic data to meet their experiment objectives. These seismic sources range from shotgun blanks fired into the ground, to accelerated weight drop, to small explosive charges in shallow holes, to one or more vibrators of various sizes shaking the ground, to larger explosive charges in deeper holes. SSF provides seismic source management from start to finish. We can acquire, operate sources and synchronize them with receivers. Due to the liability associated with seismic sources, SSF maintains liability insurance, relieving liability sensitive institutions of this liability (SSF supervised experiments only). The level of support is determined by PI.