IASPEI Seismological
Software Library

The International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI) is a nonprofit professional association dedicated to furthering the knowledge of seismology and solid-earth geophysics. In 1988, IASPEI established a Working Group on Personal Computers to promote the sharing of seismological software. Under the auspices of the Working Group and in collaboration with the Seismological Society of America (SSA), a series of seismological software volumes for IBM-compatible personal computers is being published with W. H. K. Lee as editor, and J. C. Lahr and F. Scherbaum as associate editors. The editorial board is chaired by Hiroo Kanamori and includes R. D. Adams, V. Cerveny, E. R. Engdahl, Y. Fukao, R. B. Herrmann, E. Kausel, V. Keilis-Borok, B. L. N. Kennett, and S. K. Singh.

Detailed Description

So far, six volumes of the IASPEI Software Library have been published. Each volume includes the executable code and examples on floppy diskettes, and printed documentation (for IBM-compatible PC's only).

Volume 1 (first edition 1989; second edition 1994) contains programs for real-time seismic data acquisition, processing, and analysis. It includes a description of the hardware implementation for a PC-based seismic system and programs to perform seismic data acquisition, interactive picking of seismic phases, filtering, spectral and coda Q analysis, and earthquake location. At present, about 150 seismic networks using Volume 1 software are in operation worldwide. The second edition of this volume contains revised software and several new programs, and supports USGS digital telemetry standards and PC-SUDS format.

Volume 2 (first edition 1990; second edition 1994) is a companion to the first volume. It contains twelve computer programs for plotting seismic data on the monitor screen and generating a hard copy. It includes a 3-dimensional data-viewing program for rotating, enlarging, or shrinking objects and data points. The second edition of this volume contains several new programs for plotting seismic waveform data in the PC-SUDS format.

Volume 3 contains two major programs: (1) SeisGram by Anthony Lomax for interactive analysis of digital seismograms, and (2) SYN4 by Robert McCaffrey, Geoffrey Abers, and Peter Zwick for inversion of teleseismic body waves. This volume (published 1991; updated in 1994 to support the PC-SUDS format) is a toolbox for seismological research, especially on broad-band digital seismic data.

Volume 4 is a toolbox for managing bibliographic information and includes programs to automate reference preparation in manuscripts and to manage a user's own references. It includes a searchable database of all articles published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America from 1911-1993 and some frequently cited articles for seismologists.

Volume 5 is a programmable interactive toolbox for seismological analysis (PITSA) by Frank Scherbaum and James Johnson, and includes a short course on "First Principles of Digital Signal Processing for Seismologists." The manual and PC-version code was published in 1992. A version of PITSA for Sun workstations is available from the IRIS Data Management Center, Attn: Tim Ahern, 1408 NE 45th Street 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA 98105; telephone (206) 547-0393. Sorry. Volume 5 is no longer available.

Volume 6 is called "Algorithms for Earthquake Statistics and Prediction" and contains three software packages: SASeis, M8, and UpDate. SASeis contains ten programs for statistical analysis of seismicity. M8 is an algorithm using pattern recognition techniques for earthquake prediction, and UpDate is an algorithm to aid in the preparation of input data for M8.

Volume 7 on strong-motion data processing and analysis is currently in preparation.

Ordering Information: The regular cost is $250 for each volume, which includes tax, handling, and shipping. An order form is available online. An SSA member may order one copy of each volume with personal funds at 50% discount. The member order form is also available online. A source code package for each volume (except Volume 5) is also available separately at a fixed price of $250 each (no SSA member discount). The source code package for Volume 6 is now in preparation. Installation of any of the software volumes on more than one computer requires a license for each additional computer, at a cost of $60 per additional computer. All purchasers must sign the formal license agreement on the order form.

Please send orders to Seismological Society of America, 201 Plaza Professional Building, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA; telephone (510) 525-5474; fax (510) 525-7204; e-mail krowe@seismosoc.org

Some "student version" copies of IASPEI software are available to students at a greatly reduced price ($75 each, which includes tax, handling, and shipping). Please contact IASPEI PC Working Group, P.O. Box "I", Menlo Park, CA 94026, USA.

Technical Support: Because IASPEI software is written by volunteers, there is no formal technical support. There are, however, a few commercial companies that can provide assistance for some of the programs, provided that you pay their service costs. For more information, please contact IASPEI PC Working Group, P.O. Box "I", Menlo Park, CA 94026, USA; fax (650) 858-2599.
 

Last Update: 2005-03-25