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Seismographic instruments at New Bedford Public Schools Sea Lab Marine Science Education Center register 3.6 earthquake near epicenter.
New Bedford Public Schools Sea Lab recorded a 4.2 earthquake, reduced to a 3.6 magnitude, on its three seismographs on Sunday, November 8, 2020. The earthquake lasted approximately 10 seconds. The U.S. Geological Survey initially recorded a 4.2 magnitude earthquake in Buzzards Bay at 9:06 a.m., indicating the location of the epicenter as “11 kilometers south of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts”, which is approximately two miles south of Sea Lab.
Simone P. Bourgeois, Facilitator of the NBPS Sea Lab Marine Science Education Center, remarked that instrument sensors reacted vigorously, recording the sustained and pronounced surface waves felt across the region.
Sea Lab owns three seismographs and is a member of the Boston College Educational Seismology Program. New Bedford Public Schools has sponsored the study of seismology and global tectonics for all students matriculating through the Sea Lab Program, a nationally recognized science program of the district.
Ms. Bourgeois noted the seismographs are an important part of the program. “Sea Lab students record earthquakes nationally and internationally by pinning a world map on the exact location of the earthquake. Data is recorded for all local and international earthquakes. The process helps students identify the tectonic plates on earth’s surface.”
‘What’s Shaking?’– Seismographs at NBPS Sea Lab reacted vigorously to Sunday morning’s 3.6 earthquake. The epicenter was located about two miles south of Sea Lab. (NBPS photos)
About Sea Lab
The Sea Lab Marine Science Education Center is funded through the New Bedford Public Schools for the perpetuation of real science activities. Sea Lab maintains a marine and aquatic educational facility servicing New Bedford Public School students interested in studying principles of oceanography, limnology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, geology, and biology as related to the marine and aquatic environments.
