The seismograph station on South Georgia Island consists of three sets of seismometers housed in a vault built by the British Antarctic Survey on Hope Point. Together, these seismometers are capable of measuring all of the Earth's vibrations. Low-gain instruments can faithfully record strong ground motions of up to 2 g acceleration from nearby earthquakes. More sensitive, short-period seismometers accurately record small, regional earthquakes. The various instruments continuously record data at rates of 40 to 100 items per second and synchronize to absolute time from satellite clocks.
Scientists can access the data electronically by specifying the timeframe and bandwidth of interest.
Like all Global Seismographic Network stations, South Georgia has one suite of instruments producing data for the full range of seismological applications. The Global Seismographic Network has demonstrated that the response to reduced budgets need not be less science, but rather more cooperation and more creative methods for accomplishing the goals of science. As federally supported scientists, we must look beyond the traditional boundaries of individual agencies and institutions and assume joint responsibility for all applications that benefit society. For, in the end, our ability to support science will be limited not just by federal dollars, but also by our willingness to put the attainment of scientific objectives above the protection and defense of individual budgets.