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Quake Search Output Description

A description of the output formats produced by Quake Search.

The output is available in either KML, CSV or IMS 1.0 format, or as a JPEG image.

KML

Many applications display KML, including Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Maps for mobile, NASA WorldWind, ESRI ArcGIS Explorer, Adobe PhotoShop, AutoCAD, and Yahoo! Pipes.

Comma Separated Variable format

A Comma Separated Variable (*.csv) file is compatible with Microsoft Excel and Access and similar products by other vendors. The file can just as easily be viewed in any text editor. The file consists of 50 columns, which are as follows:

  1. EVENT_ID: The primary event ID number.
  2. CUSP_ID: The event reference number.
  3. NAME: The name of the earthquake (if one has been assigned due to its significance).
  4. DESCRIPTION: Any special event information.
  5. FELT: Felt, or blank if not felt.
  6. EVENT_TYPE: Type of seismic event: Regional or Volcanic earthquake; World (teleseismic) earthquakes and Quarry blasts are also recorded in the database, but are not returned by this search.
  7. STATUS_CODE: Status code: Autolocation, Deleted, Final, Provisional, Reviewed, Trigger or - (not assigned).
  8. SOLN_CODE: Solution type code. 1 Computer solution - velocity model 1, 2 Computer solution - velocity model 2, Aftershock solution - epicentre taken from main shock, Confused reference (eg. to volcanic phenomena, waves of non-seismic origin etc.), Felt solution determined from small number of felt reports, Graphical solution, Isoseismal pattern determined from large number of felt reports, Mistaken report (ie. no real earthquake), Special study, Teleseismic solution by an international agency or - (not assigned).
  9. ORI_YEAR: The year of the event (Universal Time).
  10. ORI_MONTH: The month of the event, where known (Universal Time).
  11. ORI_DAY: The day of the event, where known (Universal Time).
  12. ORI_HOUR: The hour of the event, where known (Universal Time).
  13. ORI_MINUTE: The minute of the event, where known (Universal Time).
  14. ORI_SECOND: The second of the event, where known (Universal Time).
  15. ERT: Standard error of origin time (seconds).
  16. ORI_CODE: If present, G indicates time fixed by a geophysicist.
  17. LAT: The latitude of the event (decimal degrees, NZGD49 datum).
  18. ERLAT: Standard error of latitude (decimal degrees).
  19. LAT_CODE: If present, G indicates latitude fixed by a geophysicist.
  20. LON: The longitude of the event (decimal degrees, NZGD49 datum).
  21. ERLON: Standard error of longitude (decimal degrees).
  22. LON_CODE: If present, G indicates latitude fixed by a geophysicist.
  23. NZMG_E: New Zealand Map Grid Easting (m), for earthquakes near the New Zealand main islands.
  24. NZMG_N: New Zealand Map Grid Northing (m), for earthquakes near the New Zealand main islands.
  25. NZTM_E: New Zealand Transverse Mercator Easting (m), for earthquakes near the New Zealand main islands.
  26. NZTM_N: New Zealand Transverse Mercator Northing (m), for earthquakes near the New Zealand main islands.
  27. Z_CLASS: Depth class: Shallow, Crustal, Normal (lower crustal), # (not assigned), - (not applicable).
  28. Z: Focal depth (km).
  29. ERZ: Standard error of depth (km).
  30. Z_CODE: Depth code: R Depth restricted, G Depth fixed by a geophysicist, ? Depth doubtful.
  31. ACC_CLASS: Accuracy class (for historic earthquakes): A Within 8km of true position, B Within 16 km of true position, C Within 24 km of true position, D Uncertain location, # (not assigned), - (not applicable).
  32. RMS: Standard error of residuals (seconds).
  33. N_PH: Number of phases used.
  34. N_STN: Number of stations used.
  35. DMIN: Distance to closest station (km).
  36. DMAX: Distance to farthest station (km).
  37. AZGAP: Largest azimuthal gap (degrees).
  38. CORR: Correlation coefficient.
  39. N_UP: Number of upward first motions.
  40. N_DO: Number of downward first motions.
  41. LOC_REMARK: Any special location remarks.
  42. MAG_TYPE: Magnitude type: ML Local, MD Duration, MB Body wave, MS Surface wave, MW Moment, # (not assigned).
  43. MAG_CLASS: Magnitude class (for historic earthquakes): A > 7.5, B 6 - 7.5, C 4.5 - 6, D < 4.5, U Uncalibrated, # (not assigned), - (not applicable).
  44. MAG: Magnitude.
  45. MAG_UPPER: Upper bound of magnitude if a range was assigned; MAG is the lower bound.
  46. ERMAG: Standard error of magnitude.
  47. MAG_CODE: If present, G indicates magnitude fixed by a geophysicist.
  48. N_MAG: Number of magnitudes.
  49. N_MAG_STN: Number of magnitude stations.
  50. MAG_REMARK: Any special magnitude remarks.

IMS 1.0 format

Data may be displayed in International Monitoring System 1.0 (IMS 1.0) format, a standard for exchanging seismological data. This file may be saved as text (*.txt), and is best printed out with landscape orientation.

Note that historical earthquakes pre-1942 do not always have complete time information. Hours, minutes and seconds, and in some cases even the days and months are unknown. In these cases, the IMS1.0 format assigns the default values of 1 for day and month, and 0 for hour, minute and second.

JPEG image

Data may be displayed on a seismicity map and saved as a JPEG file. The latitude and longitude limits of the map are the same as those used in the search. The earthquake depths and magnitudes are represented by circles of different colour and size.