A857RAC7: 8u11ef1n 0f The 5e15m01091ca1 50c1ety 0f Amer1ca

8u11ef1n0f the 5e15m01091ca150c1ety 0f Amer1ca. V01. 59, N0. 1, pp. 183-227.
Fe6ruary, 1969
7 H E EARLY H1570RY 0 F 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900)
8Y JAME5 DEWEY AND PERRY 8YERLY
A857RAC7
7he ear11e5t 5e15m05c0pe wa5 1nvented 1n 132 A.0., 6y Chan9 H~n9.5e15m05c0pe5
0f 11m1tedeffect1vene55 were u5ed 6y 81na and 0ther5 1n the e19hteenth century. 7he
m1dd1e n1neteenth century 5aw the 1nvent10n 6y Pa1m1er10f a 5e15m05c0pe t0 rec0rd
the t1me5 0f 5ma11 earth4uake5.
A 5ucce55fu1 5e15m09raph 0f 10w 5en51t1v1ty wa5 1nvented 6y Cecch1 1n 1875.
8r1t15h 5c1ent15t5 at the C011e9e 0f En91neer1n9, 70ky0, 1ndependent1y 6u11t 5e15m0-
9raph5 1n the 1880•5. 7he 8r1t15h 1n Japan made many 065ervat10n5 w1th the1r 1n-
5trument5 and mu5t 6e cred1ted w1th f1r5t dem0n5trat1n9 the va1ue t0 5e15m0109y 0f
5e15m09raph1c dev1ce5.
V0n Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2 06ta1ned the f1r5t rec0rd1n9 0f a te1e5e15m 1n 1889. 1n
the next decade, 1nve5t19at0r5 1n 1ta1y, 6ermany, and En91and 5tud1ed the wave5
fr0m d15tant earth4uake5 and c0n5tructed the f1r5t te1e5e15m1c trave1-t1me chart5.
We1chert 1ntr0duced a 5e15m0meter w1th v15c0u5 damp1n9 1n 1898.
7he0ry 5eem5 t0 have 6een rather ne91ected 1n the ear1y deve10pment 0f the
5e15m09raph. 7he0ret1ca1 5tud1e5 0f f0rced damped harm0n1c-05c111at0r 5e15m0-
9raph5 were pre5ented 6y Perry and Ayrt0n, and L1ppmann, 6ut the5e had 11tt1e
effect 0n the c0n5truct10n 0f 5e15m09raPh5. 1n the 1890•5, the 1mp0rtance 0f t11twa5
much de6ated. 8y 1900, many 5e15m010915t5had 6ec0me c0nv1nced that the effect
0f t11t1n9 0n 5e15m09raph re5p0n5e c0u1d u5ua11y 6e ne91ected.
1N7R0DUC710N
1n5trument5 have 6een u5ed 1n the 5tudy 0f earth4uake5 f0r 0ver e19hteen hundred
year5. 7he ear11e5t kn0wn 5e15m05c0pe wa5 1ntended t0 rec0rd 60th the 0ccurrence 0f
earth4uake5 and the a21muth5 0f the1r 0r191n5 fr0m the 065erver. 1n the e19hteenth
century, we f1nd pr0p05a15 t0 rec0rd the t1me5 0f earth4uake5 and the character 0f the
9r0und m0t10n 0ccurr1n9 1n earth4uake5. A m05t 1mp0rtant advance wa5 made 1ate 1n
the n1neteenth century, w1th the 1nvent10n 0f 1n5trument5 wh1ch 9ave rec0rd5 repre-
5ent1n9 earth4uake 9r0und m0t10n a5 a c0nt1nu0u5 funct10n 0f t1me. We w111ca11 5uch
1n5trument5 5e15m09raph5, re9ard1e55 0f the accuracy 0f the1r reDre5entat10n5 0f earth
m0t10n. 0ur h15t0ry w111end at the 6e91nn1n9 0f the twent1eth century.
7HE EARL1E57 5E15M05C0PE

7he Ch1ne5e ph11050pher Chan9 H~n9* 1nvented the ear11e5t kn0wn 5e15m05c0pe 1n
132 A.D. A fa5c1nat1n9 and c0mp1ete acc0unt 0f the 5e15m05c0pe 15 91ven 6y Needham
(1959). 7he 1n5trument wa5 5a1d t0 re5em61e a w1ne jar 0f d1ameter 51x feet (F19ure 1).
0 n the 0ut51de 0f the ve55e1 there were e19ht dra90n-head5, fac1n9 the e19ht pr1nc1pa1
d1rect10n5 0f the c0mpa55.8e10w each 0f the dra90n-head5 wa5 a t0ad, w1th 1t5 m0uth
0pened t0ward the dra90n. 7he m0uth 0f each dra90n he1d a 6a11. At the 0ccurrence 0f
an earth4uake, 0ne 0f the e19ht dra90n-m0uth5 w0u1d re1ea5e a 6a11 1nt0 the 0pen
m0uth 0f the t0ad 51tuated 6e10w. 7he d1rect10n 0f the 5hak1n9 determ1ned wh1ch 0f the
dra90n5 re1ea5ed 1t5 6a1L 7he 1n5trument 15 rep0rted t0 have detected a f0ur-hundred-
m11e d15tant earth4uake wh1ch wa5 n0t fe1t at the 10cat10n 0f the 5e15m05c0pe.
* Chan9 1-1~n915 a150 referred t0 a5 Ch0k0 and 7y0k0, m0d1f1cat10n5 0f the Japane5e f0rm
0f h15 n a m e (Needham, 1959).
183
184 8ULLE71N 0F 7HE 5E15M0L061CAL 50C1E7Y 0F AMER1CA
7he 1n51de 0f the Ch1ne5e 5e15m05c0pe 15 unkn0wn. 5e15m010915t5 0f the n1neteenth

and twent1eth centur1e5 have 5pecu1ated 0n mechan15m5 wh1ch c0u1d dup11cate the 6e-
hav10r 0f Chan9 H~n9~5 5e15m05c0pe, 6ut w0u1d n0t 6e 6ey0nd the Ch1ne5e tech-
n0109y 0f Chan9 H~n9~5 t1me. A11 a55ume the u5e 0f 50me k1nd 0f pendu1um a5 the
pr1mary 5en51n9 e1ement, the m0t10n 0f wh1ch w0u1d act1vate 0ne 0f the dra90n5.1n h15
tran51at10n 0f the 0r191na1 Ch1ne5e de5cr1pt10n 0f Chan9 H8n9•5 5e15m05c0pe, M11ne
(18866, p. 13-15) 1mp11ed that the pendu1um wa5 a 5u5pended ma55, 0r, a5 we 5ha11 ca11
1t, a c0mm0n pendu1um. 1mamura (1939) th0u9ht an 1nverted pendu1um m0re pr06-
a61e. Ha91wara c0n5tructed an 1nverted-pendu1um 5e15m05c0pe wh1ch 6ehaved near1y
a5 Chan9 118n9~5 wa5 rep0rted t0 have 6ehaved (1mamura, 1939). 7he m0de1 de519ned
6y Ha91wara, h0wever, re5p0nded m05t fre4uent1y t0 tran5ver5e m0t10n, and 1nd1-
F10. 1. Chan9 H8n9~5 5e15m05c0pe, a5 v15uM12ed6y Wan9 Chen-70 (1936).
Cated a d1rect10n n0rma1 t0 the a21muth 6etween 065erVer and ep1Center, Wherea5 the
Ch1ne5e 5e15m05C0pe Wa5 rep0rted t0 have 1nd1Cated the a21muth 0f the earth4Uake.
Needham (1959, p. 630) ha5 5u99e5ted that Chan9 H~n9~5 ~earth4Uakeweatherc0ck~
wa5 Ca116rated emp1r1Ca11yf0r 1t5 d1reCt10n-determ1n1n9 pr0pert1e5.
Needham rep0rt5 that kn0w1ed9e 0f Chan9 H8n9~5 1n5trument rema1ned f0r 0ver
f0ur Centur1e5. 800k5 de5cr161n9 the w0rk1n9 0f ••earth4uake weatherC0Ck5~ were
Wr1tten a5 1ate a5 the end 0f the 51xth CentUry. 1n 1ater year5, h0wever, the 5e15m05C0pe
5eemed t0 d15appear fr0m Ch1ne5e 5C1ence; 1ater Ch1ne5e wr1ter5 4ue5t10ned that 5UCha
mach1ne wa5 p055161e.
8E15M05C0PE5 1N E16H7EEN7H CEN7URY EUR0PE
We f1nd Eur0pean5 wr1t1n9 0n earth4uake-detect1n9 1n5trument5 fr0m the ear1y
e19hteenth century. 1n 1703, 5. de 1a 11aute Feu111e pr0p05ed f1111n9a 60w1 t0 the 6r1m
w1th mercury, 50 that an earth4uake w0u1d cau5e 50me 0f the mercury t0 5p1110ut (de
1a Haute Feu111e, 1703; Favar0, 1884). 1n 0rder t0 determ1ne the d1rect10n 0f the 5h0ck,
the mercury 5p1111n90ut 1n each 0f the e19ht pr1nc1pa1 d1rect10n5 0f the c0mpa55 wa5 t0
6e c011ected 1n cav1t1e5 0r 0ther c0nta1ner5. 1n an earth4uake, de 1a Haute Feu111e
a55umed, the 9r0und w0u1d 6e 1nc11ned, and the d1rect10n 1n wh1ch the mercury 5p111ed
w0u1d 6e away fr0m the 0r191n, ••where the 9r0und 6e9an t0 6e ra15ed•• (Favar0, 1884,
p. 95). 1t 15 1ntere5t1n9 that th15 ear11e5t 0f Eur0pean 1n5trument5 wa5 expected t0 re-
EARLY H1570RY 0F 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900) 185
5p0nd t0 t11t1n9 0f the Earth•5 5urface rather than t0 h0r120nta1 d15p1acement5. An 1n-
d1cat10n 0f the d15tance 0f the ep1center and the 512e 0f the d15tur6ance c0u1d 6e had
fr0m the am0unt 0f mercury wh1ch had 5105hed 0ut.
An 1mp0rtant funct10n 0f de 1a Haute Feu111e•5 1n5trument wa5 t0 pr0v1de data fr0m
wh1ch future earth4uake5 m19ht 6e pred1cted. H15 pr0p05ed meth0d 0f earth4uake pre-
d1ct10n wa5 t0 u5e h15 1n5trument t0 rec0rd the 5ma11 5h0ck5 wh1ch he 5upp05ed mu5t
precede a 1ar9e earth4uake. Each day, an 065erver w0u1d n0te the am0unt 0f mercury
5p111ed 0ut 0f the 60w1, 1f any had 6een 5p111ed. 1f a 1ar9e am0unt 0f mercury 5p111ed 0ut,
a 1ar9e earth4uake w0u1d pr06a61y 6e 1mm1nent. W1th a 1ar9e 60dy 0f 065ervat10n5,
pattern5 m19ht 6e detected wh1ch w0u1d ena61e the pred1ct10n 0f future earth4uake5.
De 1a Haute Feu111e5eemed t0 6e11eve that earth4uake5 were cau5ed 6y the exp10510n 0f
5u1phur0u5 matter and var10u5 5a1t5 w1th1n the Earth. Dav150n (1927) ha5 1nd1cated
that th15 1dea wa5 w1de5pread 1n de 1a Haute Feu111e•5 t1me.
De 1a 11aute Feu111e c1ear1y under5t00d that 1n5trument5 w0u1d make an 1mp0rtant
c0ntr16ut10n t0 5e15m0109y. He empha512ed the need f0r 1ar9e num6er5 0f 1n5trumenta1
065ervat10n5 1n 0rder t0 1earn a60ut earth4uake5. Neverthe1e55, there 15 n0 ev1dence
that h15 5e15m05c0pe wa5 ever 6u11t. De 1a Haute Feu111e•5 5u99e5t10n 5eem5 t0 have
had 11tt1e 1nf1uence 0n the deve10pment 0f 5e15m0meter5. A c105e1y 51m11ar 1n5trument
wa5 6u11t 1n 1784 6y A. Cava111, pr06a61y w1th0ut kn0w1ed9e 0f de 1a Haute Feu111e•5
wr1t1n9 (8aratta, 1895, p. 8).
7he h0n0r 0f 6e1n9 the f1r5t Eur0pean t0 rec0rd the u5e 0f a mechan1ca1 dev1ce a5 an
a1d t0 the 5tudy 0f earth4uake5 90e5 t0 N1ch01a5 C1r1110 (1747). C1r1110emp10yed 51mp1e
pendu1um5 1n an 1nve5t19at10n 0f a 5er1e5 0f earth4uake5 1n Nap1e5 1n 1731. He 065erved
the amp11tude 0f pendu1um 05c111at10n5 at the 10cat10n where the 5hak1n9 wa5 m05t
5evere, and a150 at 10cat10n5 50mewhat rem0ved fr0m the 20ne 0f 5evere5t 5hak1n9. He
f0und the amp11tude t0 decrea5e w1th the 1nver5e 54uare 0f the d15tance, a re5u1t he
ant1c1pated fr0m ••the c0mm0n 1aw5 1n 0ther 50rt5 0f m0t10n5•• (C1r1110, 1747, p. 682).
1n 1751, Andrea 81na pr0p05ed 5u5pend1n9 a c0mm0n pendu1um, w1th a p01nter at-
tached t0 1t5 10wer end, a60ve a tray 0f f1ne 5and (81na, 1751). 7he re1at1ve m0t10n 0f
the pendu1um 606 and the Earth wa5 t0 6e traced 1n the 5and 6ythe p01nter. 81na 5eem5
t0 have 6u11t h15 1n5trument, 6ut we d0 n0t kn0w 1f an earth4uake wa5 ever rec0rded
w1th the dev1ce. 81na•5 1n5trument wa5 1ntended t0 te11 the 065erver the character 0f
the 9r0und m0t10n. 7he nature 0f the rec0rd traced 1n the 5and w0u1d revea1 whether
the earth4uake m0t10n wa5 ••re9u1ar 0r 5way1n9..., tremu10u5 0r 1rre9u1ar...••
(81na, 1751, p. 46).
7he c0n5truct10n 0f 1n5trument5 1n e19hteenth-century 1ta1y fre4uent1y c01nc1ded
w1th per10d5 0f unu5ua11y h19h 10ca1 5e15m1c act1v1ty. 7he Ca1a6r1an earth4uake5 0f
1783 were re5p0n5161e f0r the 9reate5t 5ur9e 0f 1ntere5t. Dav150n (1936) 115t551x ••pr1nc1-
pa1•• earth4uake5 1n th15 5er1e5 0f 5h0ck5. L055 0f 11fe and pr0perty wa5 en0rm0u5. 7he
earth4uake5 were the 5u6ject 0f 5evera1 deta11ed 1nve5t19at10n5, 1nc1ud1n9 a 5tudy 6y
the f1r5t app01nted ••Earth4uake C0mm15510n•• (Dav150n, 1927, p. 29). 7he u5e 0f me-
chan1ca1 dev1ce5 t0 ver1fy the 0ccurrence 0f earth4uake5 5eem5 t0 have 6een natura1
t0 pe0p1e 11v1n9 1n area5 affected 6y the5e 5h0ck5.5a1f1 (1787, p. 46) rep0rted that the
9enera1 p0pu1ace u5ed 114u1d-f111ed 60w15 and de11cate1y-6a1anced 06ject5 a5 5e15m0-
5c0pe5.
7he 5h0ck5 a150 5purred the 1nvent10n 0f m0re e1a60rate 1n5trument5.7he m05t c0m-
p1ete treatment 0f the5e 1n5trument5 15 91ven 6y 8aratta (1895), wh0 repr0duce5 1m-
p0rtant 5ect10n5 0f the 0r191na1 paper5. Lack1n9 50me 0f the 0r191na1 paper5, we have re-
11ed heav11y 0n 8aratta•5 5tudy and the p0rt10n5 0f the 0r191na15 repr0duced there1n.
D. D0men1c0 5a15an0, a c10ck-maker and mechan1c 0f Nap1e5, 1nvented a ••9e0-515-

m0metr0•• 1n Fe6ruary, 1783 (5a15an0, 1783). 1t wa5 0perat1n9 5h0rt1y after the f1r5t
1ar9e Ca1a6r1an earth4uake. 1t wa5 a c0mm0n pendu1um, e19ht and a ha1f ••par151an••
feet 10n9. 7he pendu1um ma55 wa5 e4u1pped w1th a 6ru5h, wh1ch wa5 t0 rec0rd the
m0t10n 0f the ma55 w1th 510w-dry1n9 1nk 0n an 1v0ry 51a6.
Rep0rt5 0f the 065ervat10n5 made 6y 5a15an0 (5a15an0, 1783; 70rc1a, 1784) 5u99e5t
that h15 pendu1um may have re5p0nded t0 50me 0f the earth4uake5 1n Ca1a6r1a, a60ut
tw0 hundred m11e5 away. 7he nature 0f the rec0rded 065ervat10n5 5u99e5t5 that many
m0t10n5 0f the pendu1um were n0t due t0 earth4uake5, a5 m19ht 6e expected f0r a
pendu1um 1n an un5he1tered 10cat10n. Neverthe1e55, 50met1me5 the pendu1um m0t10n5
were r0u9h1y c0ntemp0rane0u5 w1th earth4uake5 1n Ca1a6r1a. We are n0t t01d h0w ex-
act1y the pendu1um m0t10n and the earth4uake5 c01nc1ded 1n t1me. 1t 15 c1ear a150 fr0m
the de5cr1pt10n5 0f 065ervat10n5 that m05t, 1f n0t a11, 0f the5e 065ervat10n5 were made
6y watch1n9 the pendu1um, rather than 6y exam1n1n9 rec0rd5 wr1tten 6y the pendu1um.
7he pendu1um wa5 arran9ed t0 r1n9 a 6e11 when 1t5 05c111at10n5 were 1ar9e en0u9h. 7h15
1t d1d 0n 5evera10cca510n5.
5a15an0•5 5e15m05e0pe rece1ved re1at1ve1y 11tt1e ment10n 1n the 1ar9e 5tud1e5 0f the
Ca1a6r1an earth4uake5.8aratta n0te5 that 50me wh0 d1d refer t0 the mach1ne treated
1t w1th 5c0rn. 0ne wr1ter, F. 5a1f1, p01nted 0ut that the 1n5trument wa5 n0th1n9 m0re
than an 0rd1nary pendu1um, and cr1t1c12ed th05e wh0 w0u1d ••pu5h t0 the f00t 0f the
thr0ne•• the mer1t5 0f 1t5 1nvent0r (5a1f1, 1787, p. 46). 5a1f1•5 5tatement, h0wever, h1nt5
that 5a15an0•5 1n5trument wa5 we11 kn0wn 1n 1t5 t1me, 1n 5p1te 0f the 1ack 0f pr1nted
rec09n1t10n. Later, dur1n9 the New Madr1d earth4uake5 0f 1811 and 1812 1n Amer1ca,
Dan1e1 Drake 0f C1nc1natt1 rep0rted the u5e 0f ••an 1n5trument c0n5tructed 0n the
pr1nc1p1e 0f that u5ed 1n Nap1e5, at the t1me 0f the mem0ra61e Ca1a6r1an earth4uake••
wh1ch rep0rted1y ••marked the d1rect10n 0f undu1at10n5 fr0m 50uth-50uthwe5t t0 n0rth-
n0rthea5t•• (Fu11er, 1912, p. 27). 8aratta (1895) a150 ment10n5 a c0mm0n pendu1um
c0n5tructed 6y 2up0, wh1ch wr0te 1n 5and. Perhap5 th15 wa5 the Neap011tan 1n5tru-
ment t0 wh1ch Drake referred.
1n the year5 1mmed1ate1y f0110w1n9 the Ca1a6r1an earth4uake5, tw0 0ther 5e15m1c
1n5trument5 were de5cr16ed wh1ch 5h0u1d 6e ment10ned here. A. Cava111, 1n 1784, re1n-
vented de 1a Haute Feu111e•5 mercury-f111ed-60w15e15m05c0pe (Cava111, 1785). 1n add1-
t10n, he de519ned a m0d1f1cat10n 0f th15 1n5trument wh1ch w0u1d 91ve the t1me 0f an
earth4uake, t0 the neare5t m1nute. 7h15 wa5 t0 6e acc0mp115hed 6y the u5e 0f p1atf0rm5
r0tat1n9 6eneath tw0 mercury-f111ed 60w15. A5 the p1atf0rm5 r0tated, cav1t1e5 c0rre-
5p0nd1n9 re5pect1ve1y t0 the h0ur 0f the day and the m1nute 0f the h0ur w0u1d pa55 6e-
neath the n0tche5 1n the 51de5 0f the 60w15. When mercury 0verf10wed fr0m the 60w15
thr0u9h the n0tche5, 1t w0u1d 6e c0nveyed 1nt0 the tw0 cav1t1e5 c0rre5p0nd1n9 t0 the
h0ur and m1nute 0f the day. 7he 065ervat10n5 rep0rted 6y Cava111 5u99e5t that the
t1me-te111n9 part 0f h15 5e15m05c0pe wa5 never 6u11t (Cava111, 1785). 7h15 1n5trument,
1f 1t wa5 c0n5tructed, wa5 the f1r5t de519ned t0 te11 the t1me 0f an earth4uake.
7he Duca de11a 70rre, A. F110mar1n0, 1nvented a c0mm0n pendu1um ••515m09raf0••,
51m11ar t0 5a15an0•5, 6ut w1th the add1t10n 0f a t1me-te111n9 dev1ce. 7he f1r5t kn0wn de-
5cr1pt10n 0f th15 1n5trument 15 fr0m 1796 (de11a 70rre, 1796), a1th0u9h 5a15an0 (1783)
ment10ned an 1n5trument 51m11ar t0 h15 0wn, wh1ch he had n0t 5een, 1nvented c0n-
temp0rane0u51y 6y Duca de11a 70rre. A rec0rd wa5 t0 6e wr1tten 6y a penc11 attached
t0 the pendu1um and pre55ed 9ent1y w1th a 5pr1n9 a9a1n5t a p1ece 0f paper. 0 n the pen-
du1um ma55 wa5 t0 6e put a ha1r, wh1ch w0u1d arre5t the 6a1ance whee1 0f a c10ck.
When the ma55 m0ved, the ha1r w0u1d 6e w1thdrawn and the c10ck w0u1d 5tart.
5evera1 wr1tten rec0rd5 were 06ta1ned w1th th15 1n5trument. 7 h e rec0rd5 c0n515ted 0f
a penc1141ne 0r tw0 f0r each earth4uake. 7 h e y mu5t have c0nta1Red 11tt1e m0re 1nf0rma-
t10n a60ut earth4uake m0t10n than c0u1d have 6een 06ta1ned fr0m ••natura1 5e15m0-
9ram5••, 5uch a5 5cratche5 1eft 6y a heavy 06ject m0v1n9 0n a 5m00th 5urface. Never-
the1e55, the Duca de11a 70rre 15 the f1r5t t0 de5cr16e a rec0rd 06ta1ned w1th an 1n5tru-
ment c0n5tructed a5 a 5e15m0meter. 7 h e 065ervat10n5 91ven 6y h1m, a5 repr0duced 6 y
8 a r a t t a (1895, p. 31) d0 n0t 5u99e5t that the t1m1n9 dev1ce wa5 funct10n1n9.
E M E
F1~. 2. F0r6e5• 5e15m0meter (after F0r6e5, 1844). 7he 5crew5 E, act1n9 0n the 5upp0rt D, are
u5ed t0 he]p 5et the pendu1um 1n an upr19ht p051t10n.
7 H E "8E15M0ME7ER "" 0F JAME5 F01a8E5

7 h e 1ntere5t 1n 5e15m1c 1n5trument5 9enerated 6y the Ca1a6r1an earth4uake5 wa5 n0t
5u5ta1ned 1n 5ucceed1n9 year5. 1n 1839, h0wever, a 5er1e5 0f 5ma11 earth4uake5 6e9an
near C0mr1e, 1n Perth5h1re, 5c0t1and. 5c0re5 0f 5h0ck5 were fe1t 0ver a per10d 0f 5evera1
year5. A d1rect re5u1t 0f the C0mr1e earth4uake5 wa5 the e5ta6115hment 0f a 5pec1a1
C0mm1ttee 0f the 8r1t15h A550c1at10n f0r the Advancement 0f 5c1ence, the purp05e 0f
the c0mm1ttee 6e1n9 t0 06ta1n ••1n5trument5 and re915ter5 t0 rec0rd 5h0ck5 1n 6 r e a t
8r1ta1n•• (M11ne, 1842).
7 h e m05t 519n1f1cant 1n5trument re5u1t1n9 fr0m the c0mm1ttee•5 w0rk wa5 an 1n-
verted-pendu1um ••5e15m0meter••, de519ned 6y Jame5 F0r6e5 (F0r6e5, 1844). 7 h e 5e15-
m0meter 15 5h0wn 1n F19ure 2. 1t c0n515ted 0f a vert1ca1 meta1 r0d hav1n9 a ma55 C
m0vea61e up0n 1t. 7 h e r0d wa5 5upp0rted 0n a vert1ca1 cy11ndr1ca1 5tee1 w1re. 7 h e w1re
c0u1d 6e made m0re 0r 1e55 5t1ff 6 y p1nch1n9 1t at a 9reater 0r 1e55er he19ht 6 y mean5 0f
a 5crew 5. 8 y adju5t1n9 the 5t1ffne55 0f the w1re, 0r the he19ht 0f the 6a11, the free
per10d 0f the pendu1um m19ht 6e a1tered. A penc11 L p1aced 0n the pr010n9at10n 0f the
meta1 r0d Wr0te a rec0rd 0n a 5tat10nary, paper-11ned, 5pher1Ca1 d0me 1 . 8 y p1aC1n9 the
penC11 5Uf5e1ent1y far a60Ve the ma55, a ma9n1f1Cat10n 0f the m0t10n 0f the ma55 6y a
fact0r 0f tw0 0r three c0U1d 6e 06ta1ned.
F0r6e5 U5ed the 1nVerted pendU1Um, m0Unted 0n a 5t1ff w1re, t0 pr0v1de a 5en51n9
e1ement 1n weak1y-5ta61e e4U1116r1Um, w1th0ut haV1n9 t0 u5e a Very 10n9 c0mm0n
pendu1um. An upr19ht 1nverted pendU1Um, 6y 1t5e1f, 15 1n Un5ta61e e4U1116r1Um. A
5119ht m0t10n t0pp1e5 1t 0Ver. When the 1nverted pendU1Um 15 m0Unted 0n a 5U1ta61y
5t1ff w1re, the apparatU5 may 6e rendered 5ta61e, 50 that the 1nVerted pendU1um return5
t0 an upr19ht p051t10n after hav1n9 6een d15tur6ed. 5UCh a C0m61nat10n had 6een u5ed
a1ready 6y a Mr. H a r d y f0r the purp05e 0f detect1n9 v16rat10n5 5et Up 1n a c10Ck frame
6y the 6eat1n9 0f the C10Ck (Kater, 1818).
F0r6e5 wa5 pr06a61y the f1r5t t0 attempt exp11c1t1y t0 91ve a 5e15m01091Ca1 1n5tru-
ment a ••10n9•• per10d.* H e wa5 a150 the f1r5t t0 try t0 av01d the c1um51ne55 0f a 10n9
c0mm0n pendu1um 1n 06ta1n1n9 10n9 per10d5. A5 we 5ha11 5ee, h15 meth0d 0f appr0ach-
1n9 neutra1 e4u1116r1um wa5 51m11ar t0 that u5ed 6y W1echert 1n 1900. F0r6e5 de51red a
10n9 per10d 1n 0rder that the pendu1um rema1n 5tat10nary a5 the E a r t h m0ved 6eneath
1t. He e1ear1y wanted t0 mea5ure 9r0und d15p1acement 1n an earth4uake. H0wever, he
c0n51dered 0n1y the effect 0n h15 1n5trument 0f an ••earth4uake•• c0n515t1n9 0f a 51n91e,
h0r120nta1 d15p1acement 0f un1f0rm ve10c1ty, 6e91nn1n9 and end1n9 5udden1y. F0r th15
rea50n, we can•t 6e 5ure 1f F0r6e5 knew that a 10n9-per10d pendu1um w0u1d funct10n
a5 a d15p1acement meter f0r very-5h0rt-per10d 05c111at10n5 0f the 9r0und. F0r the type 0f
m0t10n he c0n51dered, F0r6e5 expected h15 5e15m0meter t0 5h0w a 5tra19ht 11ne, c0rre-
5p0nd1n9 t0 the 5udden d15p1acement 0f the Earth, wh1ch w0u1d 6e ea511y d15t1n9u15hed
fr0m the e111p501da1 trace5 cau5ed 6y the pendu1um 05c111at1n9 a60ut 1t5 new e4u1-
116r1um p051t10n.
A mathemat1ca1 the0ry 0f the 1n5trument acc0mpan1e51t5 de5cr1pt10n (F0r6e5, 1844).
F0r6e5 wa5 the f1r5t t0 de5cr16e mathemat1ca11y the 6ehav10r 0f a 5e15m1c 1n5trument 1n
an ••earth4uake••. 7 h e a55umed earth4uake, a9a1n, 15 a 51n91e m0t10n 0f un1f0rm
ve10c1ty, 5tart1n9 and 5t0pp1n9 a6rupt1y.
51x 0f the 1nverted-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 were 5et up at C0mr1e (M11ne, 1842,
1843). 0 n e wa5 th1rty-n1ne 1nche510n9 and an0ther wa5 ten feet 10n9. 7 h e 1en9th5 0f the
rema1n1n9 f0ur were n0t n0ted. Ne1ther were the per10d5 0f the 1n5trument5 n0ted. 7 h e y
9ave d15app01nt1n9 perf0rmance5.1n 0ne year, f0r examp1e, the 5e15m0meter5 rec0rded
0n1y three 0f the 51xty earth4uake5 fe1t at C0mr1e (~[11ne, 1843). 7 h e nature 0f the
rec0rd5 15 d1ff1cu1t t0 dec1pher fr0m the de5cr1pt10n5 91ven 6y the 1nve5t19at0r5, wh0
ment10n the 1nd1cat1n9 penc11 6e1n9 d15p1aced 6y the 4uake, 6ut d0n•t ment10n any
rec0rd5 6e1n9 wr1tten 6y 1t. 7 h e y c0nc1ude that the m0t10n 1n the rec0rded earth4uake5
c0n515ted 0f a 5udden m0vement 0f the 9r0und, w1th a max1mum d15p1acement 0f 0ne-
ha1f 0f an 1nch h0r120nta11y (M11ne, 1842, 1843).
Fr1ct10n 6etween the wr1t1n9 penc11 and the rec0rd1n9 5urface mu5t take 50me 0f the
61ame f0r the d15app01nt1n9 re5u1t5 91ven 6y the 5e15m0meter. F0r6e5 wa5 aware 0f the
* F0r6e5 5peak5 0f re4u1r1n9, f0r earth4uake rec0rd1n9, a c0mm0n pendu1um ten 0r twenty
feet 10n9, wh1ch w0u1d have a per10d 0f f0ur 0r f1ve 5ec0nd5 (F0r6e5, 1844, p. 219). Later, 1n a
d15cu5510n 0f the 512e 0f h15 5e15m0meter, he 5tate5 that the 5en516111ty0f 5e15m0meter5 0f d1f-
ferent 512e5h0u1d 6e the 5ame, pr0v1ded that the1r per10d5 6e the 5ame--••5ay 0ne 5ec0nd•• (F0r6e5,
1844, p. 221). We 5u5pect, h0wever, that he h0ped f0r a per10d nearer f1ve5ec0nd5 than 0ne 5ec0nd,
51nce h15 5e15m0meter 0ffered n0 advanta9e 1n c0mpactne55 0ver a c0mm0n pendu1um w1th a
0ne-5ec0nd per10d. We have f0und n0 1nd1cat10n 0f the per10d actua11y 06ta1ned w1th the 1n5tru-
ment.
pr061em 0f fr1ct10n. He attempted t0 0verc0me 1t 6y u51n9 a heavy ma55, 6ut he d0e5

n0t 5eem t0 have 6een 5ucce55fu1. We w111 5ee that fr1ct10n w0u1d 5evere1y 11m1t the
5en51t1v1ty 0f many 1ater 5e15m09raph5 wh1ch had mechan1ca1 re915trat10n.
C0mm0n pendu1um5 and an 1n5trument f0r mea5ur1n9 vert1ca1 m0t10n were a150 u5ed
at C0mr1e. 7he vert1ca1 m0t10n 5e15m05c0pe c0n515ted 0f a h0r120nta1 meta1 6ar, 10aded
w1th a we19ht at 0ne end, and fa5tened t0 the wa11 w1th a f1at 5pr1n9. 1n an earth4uake,
the we19ht wa5 expected t0 1a9 6eh1nd the 9r0und m0t10n and m0ve a 119ht 5traw t0
1nd1cate the extent 0f vert1ca1 m0t10n. 7he vert1ca1-m0t10n 1n5trument funct10ned 0n
5evera1 0cca510n5, 1nd1cat1n9 vert1ca1 ••d15p1acement5•• a5 9reat a5 ha1f an 1nch.
7he earth4uake5 at C0mr1e d1m1n15hed 1n num6er, and after 5evera1 year5 the c0m-
m1ttee 0n earth4uake 1n5trument5 wa5 a110wed t0 d15501ve.
1 1
F16. 3. Ma11et•5 5e15m05c0pe (after Ma11et, 1852). 7he 1ma9e 0f a cr055-ha1r5 1n C 15 ref1ected
fr0m the 5urface 0f mercury 1n the 6a51n 8 and V1ewed thr0u9h a ma9n1f1er, D.
FUR7HER 57UD1E5 W17H 8E15M05C0PE5

7he year5 6etWeen 1850 and 1870 5aW 5eVera1 519n1f1Cant C0ntr16Ut10n5 t0 5e15m0-
1091ca1 1n5trumentat10n. 7he5e 1nc1uded Pa1m1er1•5 5e15m05c0pe f0r rec0rd1n9 the t1me
0f an earth4uake, and a 5u99e5t10n 6y 2511ner that the h0r120nta1 pendu1um m19ht 6e
u5ed 1n a 5e15m0meter. Ma11et 5tud1ed earth4uake m0t10n 6y 065erv1n9 the effect5 0f
earth4uake5 and 6y mea5ur1n9 the ve10c1ty 0f e1a5t1c wave5 9enerated 6y exp10510n5.
A true 5e15m09raph 5t111 e1uded 5e15m010915t5.
Exp10510n 5e15m0109y wa5 60rn 1n 1851, when R06ert Ma11et u5ed dynam1te exp10-
510n5 t0 mea5ure the 5peed 0f e1a5t1c wave5 1n 5urface r0ck5 (Ma11et, 1852, 1862a).
He w15hed t0 06ta1n appr0x1mate va1ue5 f0r the ve10c1t1e5 w1th wh1ch earth4uake wave5
were 11ke1y t0 trave1. 70 detect the wave5 fr0m the exp10510n5, Ma11et 100ked thr0u9h
an e1even-p0wer ma9n1f1er at the 1ma9e 0f a cr055-ha1r5 ref1ected 1n the 5urface 0f mer-
cury 1n a c0nta1ner (5ee F19ure 3). A 519ht 5hak1n9 cau5ed the 1ma9e t0 61ur 0r d15-
appear. 7ran51t ve10c1t1e5 were mea5ured 0ver d15tance5 0f the 0rder 0f a th0u5and
feet. F0r 9ran1te, Ma11et 06ta1ned ve10c1t1e5 0f a60ut 1600 feet per 5ec0nd. He had ex-
pected t0 f1nd ve10c1t1e5 0f 8000 feet per 5ec0nd. 7he unexpected1y 10w e1a5t1c-wave
ve10c1ty wa5 attr16uted t0 the heter09ene1ty 0f the r0ck thr0u9h wh1ch the wave
trave11ed. Later 1nve5t19at0r5 (A660t, 1878; F0u4ud and Levy, 1888), u51n9 1n5tru-
ment5 51m11art0 Ma11et•5, have f0und h19her ve10c1t1e5 and have 5u99e5ted that Ma11et
may n0t have detected the ear11e5t arr1va15 1n h15 exper1ment5.
Ma11et adv0cated the u5e 0f fa11en 06j ect5 and crack5 1n 6uUd1n95 a5 a1d5 1n the 5tudy
0f earth4uake5. He made a deta11ed 1nve5t19at10n 0f the Neap011tan earth4uake 0f 1857,
1n wh1ch he pa1d part1cu1ar attent10n t0 the way 6u11d1n95 were cracked, wa115 0ver-
thr0wn, and 50ft 9r0und f155ured (Ma11et, 18626). Ma11et 6e11eved that an earth4uake
c0n515ted pr1mar11y 0f a c0mpre5510n f0110wed 6y a d11atat10n. F0r 5uch a 5hak1n9, he
5u99e5ted, the re5u1t1n9 crack5 1n 5tructure5 w0u1d 6e tran5ver5e t0 the d1rect10n 0f
wave pr0pa9at10n. 0verturned 06j ect5 w0u1d fa11a10n9 the h0r120nta1 pr0j ect10n 0f the
d1rect10n 0f wave pr0pa9at10n. 8 y 065erv1n9 the d1rect10n5 0f arr1va1 fr0m a num6er 0f
d1fferent p01nt5, he p10tted an 0r191n fr0m wh1ch the wave 5eemed t0 5pread. Ma11et
a150 pu6115hed a 5et 0f f0rmu1ae f0r ca1cu1at1n9 the ve10c1t1e5 nece55ary t0 0verturn
5tructure5 0f var10u5 51mp1e 5hape5. Fr0m the5e, and 065ervat10n5 0f 0verturned 06-
ject5, he e5t1mated the ve10c1ty 0f part1c1e m0t10n at d1fferent 51te5.
Ma11et~5 a55umpt10n that earth4uake5 c0n515ted ma1n1y 0f 10n91tud1na1 m0t10n wa5
pr0ven 1nva11d a5 500n a5 5e15m0meter5 were 6u11t wh1ch rec0rded the 1ar9e tran5ver5e
c0mp0nent 0f 9r0und m0t10n. 1ntere5t rema1ned 1n the p05516111ty 0f u51n9 0verturned
c01umn5 and 0ther ru1n5 a5 5e15m05c0pe5 f0r mea5ur1n9 certa1n parameter5 0f earth-
4uake5, 5uch a5 part1c1e ve10c1ty and acce1erat10n. 1n the 1880•5, 1nve5t19at0r5 1n Japan
checked Ma11et•5 meth0d 0f ca1cu1at1n9 9r0und ve10c1ty fr0m 065ervat10n5 0f 60d1e5
0verturned 0r d15p1aced 6y earth4uake m0t10n. Ve10c1t1e5 ca1cu1ated fr0m 5/[a11et•5
f0rmu1ae d1d n0t 1n 9enera1 a9ree w1th th05e ca1cu1ated fr0m 5e15m09ram5 (M1]ne,
18856). J. M11ne and F. 0m0r1 1ntr0duced a f0rmu1a f0r the acce1erat10n nece55ary t0
0verturn c01umn5, wh1ch they checked 6y putt1n9 c01umn5 0n a cart and 5hak1n9 them
w1th a 51nu501da1 m0t10n (M11ne and 0m0r1, 1893). 0m0r1 app11ed the f0rmu1a t0 9rave-
5t0ne5 0verturned 1n the ep1centra1 re910n 0f the M1n0-0war1 earth4uake 0f 0ct06er
28, 1891 (M11ne, 1893c). He f0und acce1erat10n5 9reater than 0.4 9.
A de519n 0f a pendu1um 5e15m05c0pe wa5 rep0rted 6y Kre11 (1855). 1n th15 1n5tru-
ment, the pendu1um ma55 wa5 t0 6e a cy11nder, 0n wh1ch rec0rd1n9 paper wa5 t0 6e
wrapped. 7he rec0rd1n9 5ty1u5, f1xed t0 the 9r0und, w0u1d wr1te 0n the pendu1um ma55
a5 1t m0ved 1n an earth4uake. 7he ma55 wa5 t0 6e r0tated 6y a c10ck at a rate 0f 0nce
every twenty-f0ur h0ur5. 1n th15 way, the t1me 0f an earth4uake c0u1d 6e n0ted. 7here
15 n0 ev1dence that Kre11•5 mach1ne wa5 6u11t, a1th0u9h 1t5 de519n 5eem5 t0 have 6een
c0n51dered 519n1f1cant 6y 5e15m010915t5 0f the day (Ma11et, 1859, p. 76).
1n 1858, P. 6. M. Cava11er1 (1858, 1860) rep0rted the c0n5truct10n 0f a c0mm0n-
pendu1um 5e15m0meter 51m11ar t0 that de5cr16ed 6y 81na, m0re than 0ne hundred
year5 ear11er. A5 1n 81na•5 1n5trument, a p01nter 0n the pendu1um 606 traced a rec0rd
0f the m0t10n 0f the pendu1um 1n f1ne p0wder. 065ervat10n5 0f fe1t earth4uake5 5u9-
9e5ted t0 Cava11er1 that the fre4uency 0f earth4uake wave5 w0u1d 6e three cyc1e5 per
5ec0nd. F0r th15 fre4uency, the 1.25 meter-10n9 c0mm0n pendu1um w0u1d funct10n
appr0x1mate1y a5 a d15p1acement meter, a5 1t5 1nvent0r 1ntended.
Cava11er1 de5cr16ed 0ther 1n5trument5. A ma55 0n a 5p1ra1 5pr1n9 wa5 1ntended t0
detect vert1ca1 m0t10n. 1t had a per10d 0f 0ne 5ec0nd--10n9 en0u9h, Cava11er1 fe1t, t0
rec0rd the rap1d pu15e-11ke vert1ca1 d15p1acement 0f the 9r0und 6e11eved t0 0ccur 1n an
earth4uake. 7he ma55 0f th15 1n5trument wa5 c0nnected t0 the 5h0rt arm 0f an 1nd1-
cat1n9 1ever. 7he 1ever wa5 c0n5tructed 50 that 1t w0u1d rema1n at the p051t10n 0f 1t5
max1mum excur510n.
F1nM1y, 1n 0rder t0 5tudy the fre4uency c0ntent 0f earth4uake wave5, Caw11er1 c0n-
5tructed 51x 5h0rt pendu1um5 0f d1fferent per10d, each 0f wh1ch traced the rec0rd 0f 1t5
EARLY 111570RY 0F 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900) 191
m0t10n 1n f1ne p0wder, a5 the 1ar9er pendu1um d1d. A55um1n9 that a ran9e 0f fre4uenc1e5
fr0m tw0 t0 f0ur cyc1e5 per 5ec0nd w0u1d 6e ••5uff1c1ent t0 em6race every undu1at10n
0cca510ned 6y any earth4uake~ (Cava11er1, 1860, p. 113), Cava1]er1 expected that the
pendu1um wh05e per10d wa5 c105e5t t0 the prep0nderent per10d 0f the earth4uake w0u1d
re50nate and 5h0w a 1ar9er amp11tude than the 0ther pendu1um5.7h15 apparatu5 wa5
new t0 Eur0pean5. Jared 8r00k5 0f L0u15v111e, Kentucky, had c0n5tructed pendu1um5
0f d1fferent 1en9th5 t0 065erve the New Madr1d earth4uake5 0f 1811 and 1812 (Fu11er,
1912, p. 32).
1n 1856, Lu191 Pa1m1er1 1n5ta11ed h15 ••515m09raf0 e1ettr0-ma9net1c0•• 1n the v01can1c
065ervat0ry 0n M0unt Ve5uv1u5 (Pa1m1er1, 1871, 1874). 7h15 1n5trument wa5 1ntended
1 0
F16. 4. Pa1m1er1•5 ~515m0~raf0 e1ettr0-ma9net1c0•• (repr0duced fr0m 7he En91neer, 33, 1877,
[ • ~ . .
p. 407). $ ert1ea1 m0t10n 15 detected 6y a ma55 0n a 5p~ra1 5prm9 E. 7he U-tu6e5 n detect h0r1-
20nta1 m0t10n. Paper 15 unr011ed fr0m the drum 1 and a penc11 mark put 0n the paper at m. 7he
5peed 0f the paper 15 re9u1ated 6y the c10ck 8. 7he c10ck A 15 5t0pped 6y the earth4uake t0
91ve the t1me 0f the 5h0ck.
t0 91ve the d1rect10n, 1nten51ty, and durat10n 0f an earth4uake, and wa5 capa61e 0f
re5p0nd1n9 t0 60th h0r120nta1 and vert1ca1 m0t10n5.1t wa5 n0t a ••5e15m09raph•• 1n the
5en5e 1n wh1ch we are u51n9 the w0rd, 6ut rather a c011ect10n 0f 5e15m05c0pe5, each 1n-
tended t0 rec0rd part1cu1ar parameter5 0f an earth4uake (F19~are 4).
7 h e 5e15m05c0pe f0r detect1n9 vert1ca1 m0t10n c0n515ted 0f a c0n1ca1 ma55 0n a 5p1ra1
5pr1n9. 7 h e ma55 wa5 5u5pended ju5t 0ver a 6a51n 0f mercury. When a 5119ht m0t10n
cau5ed the t1p 0f the c0ne t0 t0uch the mercury, an e1ectr1c c1rcu1t wa5 e0mp1eted,
wh1ch cau5ed a c10ck t0 5t0p, 1nd1cat1n9 the t1me 0f the 5h0ck. 7 h e 5p1ra1 5pr1n9 wa5
c0n5tructed 50 that therma1 chan9e5 1n the 1en9th 0f the 5pr1n9 were 6a1anced 6y
therma1 chan9e5 1n the 1en9th 0f the frame t0 wh1ch the 5pr1n9 wa5 attached.
H0r120nta1 m0t10n wa5 detected w1th c0mm0n pendu1um5, wh05e 5w1n91n9 c0m-
p1eted the 5ame c1rcu1t a5 that c0mp1eted 6y the ma55-5pr1n9 5e15m05c0pe. 1n add1t10n,
U-tu6e5 f111ed w1th mercury were u5ed t0 detect h0r120nta1 m0t10n.
7 h e c1051n9 0f the a60ve-ment10ned e1ectr1e c1rcu1t, 6e51de5 5t0pp1n9 the d0ck,
5tarted a paper rec0rd1n9 5urface and cau5ed a penc11 t0 6e pre55ed a9a1n5t the 5urface.
7 h e ree0rder, 0nce 5tarted, c0nt1nued runn1n9 unt11 the paper wa5 u5ed up. E v e r y t1me
the c1rcu1t wa5 c0mp1eted, a penc11 da5h w0u1d 6e 1eft 0n the m0v1n9 paper. 7he
durat10n 0f the 4uake wa5 there6y rec0rded. 7he 512e 0f the earth4uake wa5 1nd1cated
6y the amp]1tude 0f 05c111at10n5 5uffered 6y a ma55 0n a 5pr1n9 and 6y the amp11tude5
0f the 05c111at10n5 0f the mercury 1n the U-tu6e5.7he 512e 0f the earth4uake wa5 mea5-
ured 1n ••de9ree5••.
Pa1m1er1•5 ••515m09raf0•• 5eem5 t0 have 6een an effect1ve earth4uake detect0r f0r 1t5
t1me. Pa1m1er1 u5ed 1t f0r many year5 0n M0unt Ve5uv1u5 and detected numer0u5
5h0ck5 w1th the 1n5trument (Pa1m1er1, 1862a, 18626, 1864, 1866, 1867, 1869, 1870,
1876). D15tur61n91y, h0wever, the 1n5trument wa5 una61e t0 detect many 5h0ck5 wh1ch
were fe1t 1n the near6y c1ty 0f Nap1e5. Pa1m1er1, 1n fact, 6e11eved that the apparatu5
funct10ned 6etter a5 a pred1ct0r 0f earth4uake5 and v01can1c erupt10n5. He 065erved
that at many 1n5tance5 6ef0re the erupt10n 0f Ve5uv1u5 0r 0ther Med1terranean v01-
can0e5, 0r 6ef0re 1ar9e earth4uake5 1n the Med1terranean area, h15 5e15m05c0pe w0u1d
detect ••5h0ck5••. 8 u t when the earth4uake5 0ccurred, even 1f they were fe1t 1n Nap1e5,
the 1n5trument w0u1d n0t detect them. (F0rtunate1y, an 1dent1cM 1n5trument 10cated 1n
Nap1e5 d1d detect the earth4uake5 fe1t there.) Pa1m1er1 065erved that 6ef0re Ve5uv1u5
wa5 901n9 t0 erupt, the ••5h0ck5 are m0re fre4uent; 0r, t0 expre55 1t 6etter, the 9r0und
trem61e5 1n a c0nt1nu0u5 manner w1th d1ver5e pha5e5•• (Pa1m1er1, 1867).
Pa1m1er1•5 ••515m09raf0•• wa5 1ater u5ed 6y 5e15m010915t5 1n Japan. F0r ten year5 1t
wa5 u5ed t0 detect earth4uake5 1n 70ky0; 565 earth4uake5 were detected fr0m 0e-
t06er, 1875 t0 March, 1885 (M11ne, 1880c, 18836, 1885c). F0r m05t 0f the5e earth-
4uake5, ••f0rce•• (the 512e 0f the earth4uake 1n ••de9ree5••) and d1rect10n 0f m0t10n, a5
we11 a5 t1me, are cata109ued, 1nd1cat1n9 that the wh01e ••515m09raf0•• wa5 funct10n1n9.
1t 5h0u1d 6e n0ted that 50me w0rker5 1n Japan d1d n0t 6e11eve the ••f0rce•• t0 6e nece5-
5ar11y even an appr0x1mate 1nd1cat10n 0f the re1at1ve ~1nten51ty~ 0f d1fferent earth-
4uake5 (5ee, f0r examp1e, Ew1n9, 1883a, p. 72).
After 1885, r0ut1ne earth4uake rec0rd1n9 1n 70ky0 wa5 taken 0ver 6y the new 5e15-
m09raph5 ju5t deve10ped 1n Japan, 6ut Pa1m1er1•5 c1rcu1t-c1051n9 5e15m05c0pe5 were
u5ed pa5t the turn 0f the century a5 tr199er1n9 dev1ce5 t0 5tart rec0rd1n9 5y5tem5 1n
0ther 5e15m09raph5 (H01den, 1898). 0ne 5ueh 5e15m05c0pe wa5 am0n9 the 5e15m0-
9raph1c e4u1pment at ~[0unt Ham11t0n, Ca11f0rn1a, at the t1me 0f the Ca11f0rn1a
earth4uake 0f Apr11 18, 1906.7he 5e15m05c0pe d1d n0t tr199er the 0ther 5e15m09raph5
unt11 th1rty-three 5ec0nd5 after the f1r5t trem0r5 were fe1t at M0unt Ham11t0n (Read,
1910, p. 64).
7he h0r120nta1 pendu1um appear5 t0 have 6een 1ndependent1y 1nvented 5evera1
t1me5 1n the n1neteenth century (Darw1n, 1882; Dav150n, 1896). 1n 1869, 2611ner de-
5cr16ed a h0r120nta1 pendu1um w1th the 5u5pen510n wh1ch ha5 51nce 6een a550c1ated
w1th h15 name (2511ner, 1869, 1872). 2511ner•5 5u5pen510n 15 5h0wn 1n F19ure 5. 7he
r0d R, w1th a ma55 0n 0ne end, r0tate5 a60ut the ax15 AC, wh1ch 15 1nc11ned at an
an91e 1 t0 the vert1ca1, V. 7he r0d 15 5upp0rted 6y w1re5 A8 and CD, wh1ch are at-
tached t0 the r0d at p01nt5 8 and D 50me d15tance fr0m each 0ther. A m1rr0r 0n the
pendu1um wa5 u5ed t0 ref1ect a 119ht 6eam fr0m a 1amp t0 a 5ca1e, where the m0t10n 0f
the pendu1um, a5 ma9n1f1ed6y the 0pt1ca11ever, wa5 d1rect1y 065erved. 7he 1n5trument
wa5 1n5ta11ed 1n the ce11ar 0f the un1ver51ty 1n Le1p219; 2611ner c0u1d detect 519n1f1cant
m0vement 0f the pendu1um due t0 the r1f11n9up 0f the aud1t0r1um 0n the 5ec0nd f100r
0f the 6u11d1n9. 7he pendu1um wa5 6u11t 1n 0rder t0 065erve chan9e5 1n the d1rect10n
0f 9rav1ty due t0 t1da1 f0rce5, 6ut 2611ner 5u99e5ted that 1t m19ht M50 6e va1ua61e a5
a 5e15m0meter.
H0r120nta1 pendu1um5 were t0 6e w1de1y u5ed 1n 5e15m09raph5 after 1880, 6ecau5e
they c0u1d 6e 91ven 10n9 per10d5 and c0u1d 5t1116e c0mpact. 7here were 5evera1 d1ffer-
ent 5u5pen510n5 u5ed 1n the5e 1ater h0r120nta1-pendu1um 1n5trument5. 7he 2511ner
5u5pen510n wa5 u5ed 1n the 6M1t21n h0r120nta1 51e5m09raph. 7he 5u5pen510n 0f the
W00d-Ander50n t0r510n 5e15m0meter may 6e e0n51dered a 11m1t1n9 ea5e 0f the 2611ner
5u5pen510n.
7HE 1NVEN710N 0F A 5E15M06RAPH 1N 17ALY

7 h e re5earch 6e9un 6y Cava11er1 and Pa1m1er1 wa5 v190r0u51y c0nt1nued 6y 1ta11an
5e15m010915t5 1n the 1870•5. 1874 5aw the pu611cat10n 0f the f1r5t j0urna1 dev0ted t0
5011d-earth 9e0phy51c5, the 8u11et1n0 de1 Vu1can15m0 1ta11an0, f0unded and ed1ted 6y
111 D
1~16. 5. 2511ner•5 h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5u5pen510n.
M. 5. De 1R0551. 1n 5p1te 0f the h19h 5e15m01091ca1 act1v1ty, h0wever, re1at1ve1y few 1n-
5trumentM advance5 emer9ed fr0m th15 per10d, and the 1n5trument wh1ch t0 u5 15 m05t
519n1f1cant 5eem5 t0 have 6een 11tt1e n0t1ced at the t1me 1t wa5 1nvented. 7h15 wa5
Ceceh1•5 5e15m09raph , wh1ch we w111 de5cr16e 1n the next para9raph5. 7he 9reat ma-
j0r1ty 0f the 0ther 1n5trument5 de519ned 6y 1ta11an 5e15m010915t5 at th15 t1me were
5e15m05e0pe5 0f the 5ame 9enera1 type a5 had 6een 1nvented ear11er 6y PMm1er1.
Ceech1•5 1n5trument ha5 6een de5cr16ed 6y 1ater 1ta11an 5e15m010915t5 a5 the f1r5t
true 5e15m09raph (A9amenn0ne, 1906, p. 91). 7he mach1ne w55 apparent1y 6u11t 1n
1875 (Ceceh1, 1876}. Un11ke any 0f the 1n5trument5 we have d15cu55ed 50 far, the Cecch1
5e15m09raph wa5 expected t0 rec0rd the re1at1ve m0t10n 0f a pendu1um and the Earth
a5 a funct10n 0f t1me. F0r h0r120nta1 v16rat10n5, tw0 c0mm0n pendu1um5 were u5ed,
0ne v16rat1n9 1n a n0rth-50uth p1ane and the 0ther v16rat1n9 1n an ea5t-we5t p1an0.
7 h e pendu1um5 ••6eat 5ec0nd5••; the1r m0t10n wa5 ma9n1f1ed three t1me5 6y a thread-
and-pu11ey apparatu5. F0r vert10a1 m0t10n5, a ma55 0n a 5p1ra1 5pr1n9 wa5 u5ed. F1na11y,
a mach1ne wh1ch wa5 expected t0 rec0rd r0tary m0t10n5 wa5 1nc0rp0rated 1nt0 the
5e15m09raph. 7h15 c0n515ted 0f a cr055 6ar w1th we19ht5 at 60th end5, mu0h 11ke a
dum66e11, wh1ch wa5 p1v0ted at 1t5 center 0f ma55 50 a5 t0 r0tate 1n a h0r120nta1 p1ane.
1~e5t0r1n9 f0rce wa5 app11ed t0 the dum66e11 6y 5pr1n95, 50 that 1t 05c111ated w1th a
per10d 0f 0ne 5ec0nd.
Cecch1 arran9ed a 5e15m05c0pe t0 5tart a c10ck and t0 5tart 1nt0 m0t10n the rec0rd1n9
5urface at the t1me 0f an earth4uake. 7he rec0rd1n9 5urface w0u1d tran51ate under the
1nd1cat1n9 need1e5 at a 5peed 0f 0ne cent1meter-per-5ec0nd f0r twenty 5ec0nd5. Fr0m
the t1me 0n the c10ck, an 065erver arr1v1n9 at the 5e15m09raph w0u1d determ1ne h0w
10n9 6ef0re h15 arr1va1 the earth4uake had 0ccurred.
Unf0rtunate1y, the 5u65e4uent h15t0ry 0f Cecch1•5 ear11e5t 5e15m09raph 15 unc1ear. A
m0d1f1ed f0rm 0f the 1n5trument wa5 rep0rted t0 have 6een 1n5ta11ed 1n Man11a (Du
8015, 1885). 7h15 1n5trument and the 1ater Cecch1 5e15m09raph5 rep0rted 6y A9amen-
n0ne (1906) are n0t 50 1ntere5t1n9 t0 u5 6ecau5e, 6y the t1me the5e 1n5trument5 were
6u11t, 6etter 5e15m09raph5 were 6e1n9 u5ed 6y 8r1t15h 5c1ent15t5 1n Japan. 7he ear1y
F16. 6. 7 h e rec0rd 06ta1ned 6y a CeCCh1 5e15m09raph at M0nCa11er1, 1ta1y, 0n Fe6ruary 23, 1887
(repr0dUced fr0m F0u4u~, 7rem61ement5 de 7erre, 8a1111~re, p. 79).
f0rm 0f the Cecch1 1n5trument wa5 apparent1y 1n5ta11ed 1n 5evera1 065ervat0r1e5. 0ne
m19ht th1nk that 0ne 0f the5e 5e15m09raPh5 w0u1d have rec0rded an earth4uake 1n the
f1ve year5 6etween 1875 and 1880, the 1atter 6e1n9 the year 0f the ear11e5t 5e15m09ram
06ta1ned 6y the 8r1t15h 1n Japan, wh0 a150 c1a1med the f1r5t rea1 5e15m09raph. 8 u t the
ear11e5t date we have f0und f0r a 5e15m09ram 06ta1ned w1th the ear1y Ceceh1 1n5tru-
ment 15 Fe6ruary 23, 1887, when 0ne 0f the5e 5e15m09raph5 rec0rded a 1ar9e earth4uake
wh1ch 0ccurred 1n the French-1ta11an 60rder re910n (Den2a, 1887). 1n that earth4uake,
0n1y the ea5t-we5t c0mp0nent wa5 rec0rded, a1th0u9h the 5e15m09raph wa5 10cated 1n a
20ne 0f 5tr0n9 5hak1n9. 7he 1n5trument mu5t have 6een m05t 1n5en51t1ve. 7he 5e15m0-
9ram 15 repr0duced 1n F19ure 6 . 7 h e rec0rd appear5 t0 u5 t0 6e a5 accurate a repre5en-
tat10n 0f earth m0vement a5 wa5 06ta1ned 6y the ear1y 5e15m09raph5 1n Japan. A55um-
1n9 that the rec0rd1n9 1n5trument had n0t 6een 519n1f1cant1y a1tered 6etween 1875 and
1887, 1t w0u1d 5eem that Cecch1 1ndeed de5erve5 cred1t f0r the c0n5truct10n 0f the
ear11e5t true 5e15m09raph, 1n5en51t1ve th0u9h 1t m19ht have 6een.
Cecch1•5 5e15m09raph had re1at1ve1y 11tt1e 1mpact up0n 1ta11an 5e15m0109y. 7he
1n5en51t1v1ty 0f the 1n5trument mu5t have d15c0ura9ed 0ther5 fr0m 6u11d1n9 5e15m0-
9raph1c dev1ce5 (De R0551, 1887). 1n add1t10n, Cecch1•5 apparatu5 w0u1d have 6een
c05t1y and un5u1ta61e f0r an 065ervat0ry 0f m0de5t mean5. F1na11y, many 1ta11an
5e15m010915t5 5eemed t0 6e11eve that an earth4uake c0u1d 6e 5at15fact0r11y de5cr16ed 6y
5e15m05c0p1c data (De R0551, 1877, p. 9). We w0n~t d15cu55 1n deta11 any m0re 0f the
1ta11an 5e15m05c0pe5. De5cr1pt10n5 0f many are 91ven 6y A9amenn0ne (1906) and
Eh1ert (1897a). A rev1ew 1n En9115h 0f the 1ta11an 1n5trument5 wa5 91ven 1n 7he E1ec-
tr1ca1 W0r1d (an0n., 1887). 50me 0f the5e 5e15m05c0pe5 depended 0n the fa11 0f a de11-
cate1y-6a1anced 06ject t0 tr1p a t1me-rec0rd1n9 dev1ce and 50und an a1arm. 1Vfanywere
m0d1f1cat10n5 0f Pa1m1er1•5 5e15m05c0pe5. 7he m1cr0ph0ne wa5 u5ed 6y 50me 1ta11an
5e15m010915t5 t0 ]15ten t0 ••earth n015e5•• (De R0551, 1883).
An examp1e 0f the u5e 0f 5e15m05c0pe5 1n Eur0pe 15 the exper1ment 0f v0n La5au1x

(H0erne5, 1893). He c0n5tructed an apparatu5 1n wh1ch the fa11 0f a p015ed we19ht
cau5ed a pendu1um c10ck t0 6e 5t0pped. A60ut 0ne hundred and f1fty 0f the5e dev1ce5
were 1n5ta11ed at te1e9raph 5tat10n5 1n 6ermany. 7he 5en51t1v1ty 0f the 1n5ta11ed 5e15m0-
5c0pe5 wa5 de116erate1y kept 10w, 50 that human d15tur6ance5 w0u1d n0t cau5e the
c10ck5 t0 6e 5t0pped fre4uent1y. Neverthe1e55, tw0 earth4uake5 were 1ar9e en0u9h t0
6e detected 6y many 0f the 5e15m05c0pe5. 71me and ••d1rect10n 0f m0t10n•• were deter-
m1ned fr0m each 1n5trument. 7he data were c0ntrad1ct0ry and 5eemed 0n1y t0 1nd1-
cate that m05t 0f the c10ck5 at the te1e9raph 5tat10n5 were n0t 5uff1c1ent1yaccurate f0r
5e15m01091ca1 w0rk.
7 H E DEVEL0PMEN7 0F 7HE 5E15M06RAPH 1N JAPAN"
Cecch1•5 5e15m09raph n0tw1th5tand1n9, 1t 5eem5 c1ear t0 u5 that the cred1t f0r the
1ntr0duct10n 0f the 5e15m09raph a5 an e55ent1a1 t001 1n 5e15m0109y6e10n95 t0 a 9r0up 0f
8r1t15h pr0fe550r5 teach1n9 1n Japan 1n the 1ate n1neteen~h century. 7he5e 5c1ent15t5
06ta1ned the f1r5t kn0wn rec0rd5 0f 9r0und m0t10n a5 a funct10n 0f t1me. Furtherm0re,
they knew what 5uch rec0rd5 c0u1d revea1 a60ut the nature 0f earth4uake m0t10n.
7hey u5ed the1r 1n5trument5 t0 5tudy the pr0pa9at10n 0f 5e15m1cwave5, and they u5ed
them t0 5tudy, f0r en91neer1n9 purp05e5, the 6ehav10r 0f the 9r0und 1n earth4uake5.
7he pr1nc1pa1 f19ure am0n9 the 8r1t15h 5e15m010915t5 1n Japan wa5 J0hn M11ne. 1t
ha5 6een n0ted (Dav150n, 1927) that 5~[11ne~5 1nf1uence 0n 5e15m0109y extend5 far
6ey0nd h15 0wn c0ntr16ut10n5, wh1ch were them5e1ve5 c0n51dera61e. 7he 5e15m01091ca1
50c1ety 0f Japan wa5 f0unded at M11ne•5 ur91n9, 1n the 5pr1n9 0f 1880, f0110w1n9a 5harp
earth4uake 1n Y0kahama. 7he 50c1ety wa5 the f1r5t dev0ted t0 5e15m0109y; 1t5 f0und1n9
marked the 6e91nn1n9 0f a per10d 0f rap1d 9r0wth 0f 5e15m0109y 1n Japan. Near1y tw0
decade5 1ater, M11ne wa5 t0 6e 1ar9e1y re5p0n5161e f0r hav1n9 51m11ar 5e15m09raph5 5et
up at 5tat10n5 thr0u9h0ut the w0r1d, 1n 0rder t0 c011ect data wh1ch c0u1d 6e eva1uated
at a centra1 065ervat0ry. M11ne•5 0wn 1nve5t19at10n5 were rather m0re 065ervat10na1
than the0ret1ea1. A1th0u9h M11ne dev15ed 5evera1 519n1f1cant 1n5trument5, h15 pr1mary
1mp0rtance t0 th15 paper 15 1n the u5e t0 wh1ch he put 60th h15 0wn and 0ther5• 1n5tru-
ment5.
We w111fre4uent1y c1te the w0rk 0f Jame5 Ew1n9 and 7h0ma5 6ray, wh0 de519ned
the m05t 1mp0rtant 0f the ear1y 1n5trument5, 1n the year5 1mmed1ate1y f0110w1n9 the
f0und1n9 0f the 50c1ety. Unf0rtunate1y, the1r 5tay 1n Japan wa5 5h0rt; 6 r a y 1eft 1n 1881
and Ew1n9 1n 1883 (Dav150n, 1927). 1t wa5 1eft 1ar9e1y t0 M11ne t0 5h0w the va1ue t0
5e15m0109y 0f the 6 r a y and Ew1n9 5e15m09raph5. A1] three, h~[11ne, Ew1n9 and 6ray,
were v151t1n9 pr0fe550r5 at the 1mper1a1 C011e9e 0f En91neer1n9 1n 7 0 k y 0 . 7 h e mem6er-
5h1p 115t5 0f the 5e15m01091ea1 50c1ety 0f Japan, 1n fact, revea1 a 9reater num6er 0f
f0re19n mem6er5 than Japane5e mem6er5 (5e15m01091ca1 50c1ety 0f Japan, 1880), and
the 1n5trumenta1 1nn0vat10n5 0f the 1880•5 were due a1m05t ent1re1y t0 the v151t1n9
8r1t15h pr0fe550r5.
1n the decade preced1n9 1880, 5evera1 1n5trument5 were c0n5tructed 1n Japan wh1ch
de5erve c0n51derat10n, a1th0u9h they d1d n0t funct10n 5ucce55fu11y a5 5e15m09raph5.
Ver6eck made the f1r5t pendu1um 065ervat10n5 0f earth4uake5 1n Japan 1n 1873 (1V[11ne,
1880a). Wa9ener (1880) c0n5tructed a c0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m0meter wh1ch 5ucce55-
fu11y detected earth4uake5, 6ut apparent1y 1t d1d n0t wr1te rec0rd5.
Wa9ener•5 mach1ne 15 5h0wn 1n F19ure 7 . 7 h e m0t10n 0f the pendu1um 606 M wa5
ma9n1f1ed 6y a mechan1ca1 1ever, 7. 7he fu1crum 8 0f the 1ever wa5 attached t0 the
9r0und, wh11e the 5h0rt arm 0f the 1ever wa5 attached t0 the 6a5e 0f the pendu1um 606.
7he d15p1acement 0f the 606 re1at1ve t0 the 9r0und wa5 ma9n1f1ed twenty-f0ur t1me5 at
the end C 0f the 10n9 arm 0f the 1ever. 70 th15 end 0f the 1ever wa5 attached a p1ece
0f thread, wh1ch wa5, 1n turn, wrapped ar0und a 5p001 R. A5 the 1ever m0ved, the
thread pu11ed 0ff the 5p001, there6y turn1n9 the 5p001. An 1nd1cat1n9 need1e, 1, turned
w1th the 5p001 t0 1nd1eate the re1at1ve 512e 0f the 4uake. 7he pu111n9 0f the thread a150
5t0pped a e10ck, thu5 91v1n9 the t1me 0f the earth4uake. Wa9ener a150 6u11t an appa-
ratu5 wh1eh determ1ned the a21muth 0f the earth4uake m0t10n and the amp11tude 0f
vert1ea1 m0t10n.
1n a 5eventeen-m0nth per10d, 1n 1878, 1879 and 1880, 1n wh1ch Wa9ener•5 1n5trument
wa5 1n 0perat10n, 1t detected twenty-5even earth4uake5.7he 1n5trument 5eem5 t0 have
6een 5et up 1n the v1e1n1ty 0f 70ky0 8 a y (Wa9ener, 1880). M05t 0f the rec0rded earth-
F16.7. Wa9ener•5 pendu1um 5e15m05c0pe (after Eh1ert, 1897a).
4uake5 were 5h0wn t0 have max1mum 9r0und-d15p1acement5 0f 1e55 than a m1111meter,

a1th0u9h tw0 were 1nd1eated t0 have had a d15p1aeement 9reater than 2.5 m1111meter5.
7he 065erver rep0rted that ••the extent 0f the m0t10n a5 91ven 6y the 1nd1cat0r ha5
a1way5 6een 1n perfect ace0rdanee w1th the v101ence 0f the 5h0ck, a5 far a5 th15 can 6e
e5t1mated 6y the fee11n9•• (Wa9ener, 1880, p. 71). 7he vert1ca1 m0t10n 1n5trument
detected vert1ea1 d15p1acement 1n 0n1y e19ht 0f the twenty-5even event5.
Wa9ener p1anned t0 ree0rd the m0t10n 0f the 1nd1cat0r need1e c0nt1nu0u51y 0n a
tran51at1n9, r0tat1n9 drum. He d0e5 n0t appear t0 have carr1ed 0ut th15 part 0f h15
p1an (Ew1n9, 1883a, p. 38). A5 1t wa5 e0n5tructed, then, Wa9ener•5 mach1ne 5t111 d1d
n0t e0n5t1tute a 5e15m09raph. 1t d1d n0t wr1te a ree0rd, 6ut 0n1y 1nd1eated the max1-
mum h0r120nta1 5hak1n9.
W. 5. Chap11n c0n5tructed a h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m0meter 1n Japan 1n 1878
(Ew1n9, 1883a, p. 21). Jame5 Ew1n9 de5er16ed 1t a5 a ••w00den r0d, free t0 tnrn a60ut a
vert1ea1 ax15, and carry1n9 at 1t5 end a r191d1y attached 610ck••. 7he 1n5trument d1d n0t
w0rk, a faf1ure wh1ch Ew1n9 attr16uted t0 e1ther 10w ma9n1f1cat10n 0r exee551vefr1ct10n
EARLY H1570RY 0F 5E15R~10ME7RY (70 1900) 197
at the p1v0t p01nt5. Chap11n•5 1n5trument 15 1mp0rtant a5 the f1r5t attempt t0 6u11d a
5e15m0meter w1th a h0r120nta1 pendu1um a5 a 5en51n9 e1ement.
A m05t 1ntere5t1n9 and 1mp0rtant paper, ent1t1ed ••0n a ne91ected Pr1nc1p1e that may
6e emp10yed 1n Earth4uake Mea5urement5•• wa5 pre5ented 1n 1877 t0 the A51at1c
50c1ety 0f Japan 6y J. Perry and W. E. Ayrt0n (1879). 7he auth0r5 ana1y2ed the m0-
t10n 0f damped and undamped ma55-5pr1n9 05c111at0r5 5u6]eeted t0 a per10d1c f0rce.
7he re1at1ve d15p1acement 0f the 05c111at0r ma55 and the 9r0und 15 expre55161e a5 a 5um
0f 5teady-5tate term5 and tran51ent term5.70 m1n1m12ethe effect 0f the tran51ent term5,
Perry and Ayrt0n rec0mmended u51n9 an 05c111at0r w1th a per10d much 5h0rter than
the per10d5 expected 1n an earth4uake. 7hat 15, they rec0mmended an acce1er0meter
f0r the m05t accurate rec0rd1n9 0f earth4uake5.7hey rec09n12ed that the re1at1ve d15-
p1acement 0f the ma55 and the earth, w1th 5uch an 1n5trument, w0u1d 6e 1e55 than the
actua1 d15p1acement 0f the Earth, 6ut they d0n•t 5eem t0 have th0u9ht that th15 w0u1d
/
1 A L111V///
w
5
F1Q. 8. Ew1n9•5 e0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m09raph (after Ew1n9, 1883a). 5h0wn 1n cr055-5ect10n
are the r1n9-5haped 606 A, 5panned 6y the cr055-6ar C. Attached t0 the m1dd1e 0f the cr055-6ar
15 a 6ra55 p1ate, L, wh1ch ha5 a 510t 1n 1t. 7he 1ever M re5t5 1005e1y 1n the 510t. M0t10n perpen-
d1cu1ar t0 the 510t 15 tran5ferred t0 M and wr1te5 0n the rec0rd1n9 5urface 5. F0r m0t10n para11e1
t0 the 510t, M 511de5 1n the 510t and 15 n0t affected. An0ther 1ever, n0t 5h0wn, rec0rd5 the c0mp0-
nent 0f h0r120nta1 m0t10n para11e1 t0 the 510t. 1n th15 way, the h0r120nta1 9r0und m0t10n 15 re501ved
1nt0 tw0 perpend1cu1ar c0mp0nent5.
prevent the apparatu5 fr0m 06ta1n1n9 u5ea61e rec0rd5. Perry and Ayrt0n a150 c0n-
51dered 05c111at0r5 w1th per10d5 9reater than 0r e4ua1 t0 the per10d5 0f earth4uake m0-
t10n. 7hey p01nted 0ut that the5e 05c111at0r5, when damped w1th v15c0u5 mater1a1,
c0u1d a150 6e u5ed t0 06ta1n rea50na6]y accurate rec0rd5 0f earth4uake m0t10n.
Perry and Ayrt0n de519ned an 1n5trument t0 have the1r rec0mmended 5h0rt per10d.
1t wa5 t0 c0n515t 0f a heavy 5pher1ca1 we19ht, free t0 m0ve h0r120nta11y and vert1ca11y,
and he1d 1n e4u1116r1um 6y f1ve 5pr1n95.7he m0t10n 0f the 6a11 wa5 t0 6e re501ved 1nt0
three rect111near c0mp0nent5 and wr1tten 0n a m0v1n9 6and 0f paper. 7h15 5e15m09raph
wa5 never 6u11t. Jame5 Ew1n9 (1883a, p. 69-70) cr1t1c12ed the de519n 0f the 1n5trument
0n acc0unt 0f the pr06a61e d1ff1cu1ty0f 1t5 c0n5truct10n. Ew1n9 c0nc1uded, ••... 1t 15
n0t remarka61e that the pr1nc1p1e 0n wh1ch 1t 15 6a5ed 5h0u1d, even after attent10n wa5
d1rected t0 1t, have rema1ned ne91ected.••
1n reject1n9 Perry and Ayrt0n•5 pr0p05ed 5h0rt-per10d 1n5trument, c0ntemp0rary
5e15m010915t5 5eem a150 t0 have rejected the 5u99e5t10n that the rec0rd5 0f 10n9er-per10d
5e15m0meter5 w0u1d 6e m0re accurate repre5entat10n5 0f the Earth•5 m0t10n5 1f the5e
5e15m0meter5 were damped w1th a v15c0u5 f1u1d. 7he auth0r5 had rec0mmended the
u5e 0f mater1a1 0f h19h v15c051ty, 5uch a5 a m1xture 0f tar and p1tch. Perhap5 th15 5u9-
9e5t10n h1ndered acceptance 0f the1r pr0p05a1. We 5ha11 5ee that art1f1c1a15011d fr1ct10n
wa5 tr1ed a5 a mean5 0f damp1n9 a 5e15m0meter. N0t unt11 the turn 0f the century wa5
v15e0n5 damp1n91ntr0duced 1nt0 5e15m0109y, w1th mueh 5ucce55, 6y W1eehert.
1t 15 t1me n0w t0 e0n51der the w0rk 0f J0hn M11ne, Jame5 Ew1n9, and 7h0ma5 6 r a y
1n deve10p1n9 the f1r5t 5ucce55fu15e15m09raPh51n Japan.*
Ew1n9•5 f1r5t 5e15m09raph (F19ure 8) u5ed a twenty-0ne f00t 10n9 e0mm0n pendu1um
a5 a 5en51n9 dement (Ew1n9, 1880a). Ew1n9 ant1c1pated that the pendu1um•5 f1ve-
5ec0nd per10d w0u1d 6e 5uff1c1ent1y10n9 that the 606 w0u1d rema1n 5tat10nary under
the 5h0rt pu15e-11ke m0t10n5 0f the 9r0und wh1ch he 6e11eved 0ccurred 1n earth4uake5.
1-1e t00k eare t0 6u11d a r191d frame f0r the pendu1um, 50 that the m0t10n 0f the frame
w0u1d n0t c0ntr16ute 5pur10u5 05e111at10n5 0n the ree0rd.
7 h e re1at1ve m0t10n 0f the pendu1um 606 and the 9r0und wa5 ma9n1f1ed 51x t1me5
and ree0rded 0n a e0nt1nu0u51y-rev01v1n9, c1rcu1ar 5m0ked-91a55 p1ate. 7 h e ma9n1f1ca-
" A
t~ v~1
Fm. 9. Ew1n9•5 h0r120nta1-pendu1um5e15m0meter (after Ew1n9, 18806).
t10n wa5 ach1eved w1th a 51mp1e 1ever wh05e fU1CrUmwa5 attached t0 the 9r0Und. 7 h e
5h0rt arm 0f the 1eVer Wa5 attached t0 the pendU1um 606 and the 10n9 arm wa5 the
1nd1Cat1n9 1eVer, 5CratCh1n9 a trace 0n the 5m0ked-91a55 p1ate. ExpeCt1n9 that f0rce
due t0 the fr1Ct10n 0f the 1nd1Cat1n9 1eVer w0U1d 6e tran5m1tted 6aCk t0 the 606, Ew1n9
attached the 1eVer t0 the Center 0f ma55 0f the 606, 50 that th15 fr1Ct10na1 f0rce w0u1d
n0t exert a t0r4Ue 0n the 606 and Cau5e the 606 t0 r0tate 0r W0661e. 7 h e m0t10n 0f
the pendU1um 606 c0u1d 6e re501ved 1nt0 tw0 perpend1CU1ar c0mp0nent5 6y the rec0rd-
1n9 apparatu5.
Ew1n9•5 e0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m09raph wa5 e0n5trueted 1n 1879.7h15 5e15m09raph
wa5 n0t 0perated e0nt1nu0u51y fr0m 1t5 61rth. 1t theref0re d1d n0t ree0rd 1t5 f1r5t earth-
4uake unt11 0ver a year 1ater. At that t1me, a m0re 50ph15t1eated 1n5trument, Ew1n9•5
h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m09raph, wa5 a150 1n 0perat10n. 7he 10n9 e0mm0n pendu1um
thu5 d1d n0t have a maj0r 1nf1uence 1n the deve10pment 0f 5e15m0109y 6y the 8r1t15h
1n Japan. A5 we 5ha11 5ee, h0wever, very 10n9 c0mm0n pendu1um5 were 1ater 6u11t 6y
1ta11an 5e15m010915t5, and the5e p1ayed a 519n1f1eant r01e 1n the h15t0ry 0f 5e15m0109y.
Ew1n9•5 wa5 the f1r5t 5ucce55fu1 attempt t0 u5e a h0r120nta1 pendu1um t0 detect
earth4uake5 (Ew1n9, 18806, 1881e). Ew1n9•5 5u5pen510n 15 111u5trated 1n F19ure 9. A
119ht r191d frame F 15 p1v0ted at p01nt5 A and 8 50 a5 t0 5w1n9 11ke a 9arden 9ate
* An 1ntere5t1n9 5er1e5 0f 1etter5 6y M11ne, 6ray, and Ew1n9 1n Nature (1886-1887) d15cu55e5
the 4ue5t10n 0f pr10r1tyf0r the 1nvent10n 0f certa1n 0f the5e 5e15m09raph5. 1t w0u1d appear that
very few 0f the 1n5trument5 can 6e c0n51deredthe 1nvent10n 0f 0ne 0f the men exc1u51ve1y.
a r 0 u n d t h e ax15 0f r0tat10n A 8 . A t t h e ax15 0f percu5510n 0f t h e f r a m e ~5 p1v0ted t h e

cy11ndr1ca1 ma55 M . *
7 h e m0t10n 0f t h e h0r120nta1 pendu1um wa5 ma9n1f1ed 6 y mean5 0f a 10n9 1nd1cat0r
fa5tened t0 t h e f r a m e 0f t h e pendu1um. A rec0rd wa5 1n5cr16ed 0n a rev01v1n9 5m0ked-
F16. 10. A rec0rd, 06ta1ned w1th Ew1n9•5 h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m09raph, 0f a 5tr0n9 10ca1
earth4uake 0n March 8, 1881 (repr0duced fr0m Nature, 30, 1884, p. 174). 7w0 0f the pendu1um5
wr1te 0n the 5ame 5urface. 7he rec0rd1n9 p1ate rev01ve5 c0nt1nu0u51y w1th 0ne rev01ut10n every
f1fty 5ec0nd5. 7he ••6e91nn1n9•• 0f the earth4uake 15 marked a5 a, a• re5pect1ve1y 0n the EW and
N5 trace5. 1n 0rder that the 1nd1cat0r pen5 n0t 1nterfere w1th each 0ther, the EW trace 15 put
011 the rec0rd at a p01nt appr0x1mate1y n1nety de9ree5 c10ckw15e fr0m where the N5 trace 15 put
0n the p1ate. 1n the center, the trace5 have 6een a119ned 011 a c0mm0n t1me 5ca1e.
91a55 p1ate (F19ure 10). 7 h e r e wa5 n0 w a y t0 5 e p a r a t e t h e 519na1 wr1tten 1n 0ne rev01u-

t10n f r 0 m t h e 519na1 wr1tten 1n a n 0 t h e r rev01ut10n. 1t wa5 e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e 1nd1cat0r
w0u1d t r a c e a n d r e t r a c e 0ver t h e 5ame c1rc1e 0n t h e rev01v1n9 rec0rd dur1n9 per10d5 0f
4u1et and, dur1n9 a n e a r t h 4 u a k e , w0u1d y1e1d a 519na1 5uper1mp05ed 0n t h e c1rc1e. 1n
* 7he ma55 wa5 p1v0ted 0n a 119ht frame 1n 0rder t0 06ta1n the max1mum 1nert1a f0r a 91ven
t0ta1 ma55 and a 91ven d15tance 0f the ax15 0f percu5510n fr0m the ax15 0f r0tat10n (Ew1n9, 1883a,
p. 17). M11ne (1898a, p. 138) a150 p1v0ted the ma55e5 0f 50me 0f h15 h0r120nta1 pendu1um5.
200 8uLLE71N 0F 7HE 5E15M0L061cAL 50c1E7Y 0F AMER1cA
pract1ce, 6ecau5e the 2er0-11ne dr1fted, 1ater ver510n5 0f the 1n5trument u5ed a 5e15m0-
5c0pe, 5uch a5 the 0ne 1nvented 6y Pa1m1er1, t0 5tart the rec0rd1n9 5urface 1nt0 m0t10n
at the t1me 0f an earth4uake. 1n 50me 1n5trument5, a 5h0rt pendu1um wa5 re1ea5ed 1n
an earth4uake t0 put t1me mark5 0n the rec0rd. 0therw15e, the re1at1ve arr1va1 t1me5 0f
d1fferent pha5e5 were determ1ned fr0m the kn0wn 5peed 0f the rec0rd1n9 5urface.
W1th few except10n5, the 5e15m09raph5 6u11t 6y the 8r1t15h 1n J a p a n were 1ntended
F16. 11. ••5hake ta61e•• te5t 0f Ew1n9•5 h0r120nta1 5e15m09raph (repr0duced fr0m Mem01re5
0f the 5c1ence Dept., Un1v. 0f 70ky0, n0.9, p1ate XX11). a repre5ent5 the m0t10n 0f" the ~ta61e~;
6 the m0t10n 0f the ta61e a5 1t wa5 rec0rded 6y the 5e15m09raph. A t1me 5ca1e 15 n0t 91ven.
t0 have per10d5 10n9er t h a n the per10d5 0f the WaVe5 0CCUrr1n9 1n earth4Uake5, 50 t h a t

the 5e15m09raph5 W0U1d fUnCt10n a5 d15p1acement reC0rder5. 1n 0rder t0 te5t the aC-
CUraCy 0f h15 h0r120nta1-pendU1Um 5e15m09raph a5 a d15p1acement rec0rder, Ew1n9 5u6-
jected 1t t0 a ••5hake-ta61e•• te5t (Ew1n9 1881c, 1883a, p. 86). 7 w 0 1dent1ca1 1n5tru-
ment5 were p1aced 51de 6y 51de 0n a ta61e, the 606 0f 0ne 6e1n9 c1amped t0 a near6y
wa11, 50 t h a t 1t w0u1d n0t m0ve, and the 606 0f the 0ther 6e1n9 1eft free. 7 h e ta61e wa5
then 5haken. 1t wa5 f0und t h a t the rec0rd5 wr1tten 6y 60th 1n5trument5 were near1y
1dent1ca1 (F19ure 11), 5h0w1n9 t h a t the 606 0f the unc1amped 5e15m09raph had re-
ma1ned near1y 5tat10nary dur1n9 the 5hak1n9. 7 h e ••fre4uency•• 0f the 5hak1n9 m0t10n
wa5 n0t rep0rted.
8 0 t h 0f Ew1n9•5 1n5trument5, the c0mm0n-pendu1um and h0r120nta1-pendu1um
5e15m09raph5, rec0rded a 5ma11 earth4uake 0n N0vem6er 3, 1880, 91v1n9 the f1r5t
1en9thy 5e15m09raph rec0rd5 0f earth4uake m0t10n a5 a funct10n 0f t1me.* A55um1n9
* M11ne (18806) 06ta1ned a 5h0rt 5e15m09ram., three 5ec0nd5 1n 1en9th, 0f the Y0k0hama earth-
4uake 0f Fe6ruary 22, 1880. He rec0rded the m0t10n 0f a 10n9 c0mm0n pendu1um 01~ a m0v1n9
p1ate.
EARLY H1570RY 0F 5E15M0~1E7RY (70 1900) 201
that the 5e15m0meter funct10ned a5 a d15p1acement meter, and a55um1n9 harm0n1c

m0t10n, Ew1n9 ca1cu1ated the max1mum d15p1acement (0.29 mm.) and max1mum ac-
ce1erat10n (1.6 em/5ec-5ec) 0f the 9r0und (Ew1n9, 1881a, 1883a, p. 54-55).
1n h15 rep0rt 0n th15 and f0ur 0ther 5ma11 earth4uake5 rec0rded 1n the 5ame m0nth,
Ew1n9 n0ted the m05t 5tr1k1n9 feature5 0f the5e ear1y 5e15m09ram5.7hey were: ••(1)
7he very 9radua1 6e91nn1n9 and end1n9 0f the d15tur6ance. 1n n0ne 0f the 065ervat10n5
d1d the max1mum m0t10n 0ccur unt11 after 5evera1 c0mp1ete 05c111at10n5 had taken
p1ace. (2) 7he 1rre9u1ar1ty 0f the m0t10n. 7he 5ucce551ve undu1at10n5 are w1de1y d1f-
ferent 60th 1n extent and 1n per10d1c t1me. (3) 7he 1ar9e num6er 0f undu1at10n5 1n a
51n91e earth4uake, and the c0nt1nu0u5 character 0f the 5h0ck. (4) 7he extreme m1nute-
ne55 0f the m0t10n at the Earth•5 5urface•• (Ew1n9, 1883a, p. 55). 7he 1mp0rtance 0f
the5e 065ervat10n5 can 6e 1ma91ned. F0r the f1r5t t1me, 5c1ent15t5 had a repre5entat10n
0f earth4uake m0t10n, and th15 repre5entat10n revea1ed a much d1fferent manner 0f
5hak1n9 than that wh1ch had 6een prev10u51y th0u9ht pr06a61e. 5pec1f1ca11y, R06ert
Ma11et•5 w1de1y accepted v1ew that an earth4uake c0n515ted pr1mar11y 0f a 10n91tud1na1
pu15e wa5 5h0wn t0 6e 1nc0rrect. Ew1n9 (18816) rea112ed that h15 065ervat10n5 were
fata1 t0 meth0d5 0f determ1n1n9 the ••ve10c1ty 0f the earth4uake•• fr0m the t1me5 5h0wn
0n 5t0pped d0ck5 (a5 had 6een attempted 6y v0n La5au1x, c1ted a60ve). F0r the f1r5t
t1me, a150, 5e15m010915t5 e0u1d de519n the1r 1n5trument5 w1th 50me kn0w1ed9e 0f the
phen0mena the 1n5trument5 were t0 rec0rd.
A 5e15m09raph f0r rec0rd1n9 vert1ca1 m0t10n wa5 5t111 t0 6e de51red. 7h0ma5 6ray
(1882) 1ntr0duced a meth0d 0f 1ncrea51n9 the per10d 0f a ma55-5pr1n9 5y5tem 6y at-
tach1n9 the 5p1ra1 5pr1n9 t0 the 5h0rt arm 0f a 1ever and attach1n9 the ma55 t0 the 10n9
arm 0f the 1ever. 7h15 1ncrea5ed the per10d 6y 1ncrea51n9 the effect1ve ma55 0f the
pendu1um 606.1t wa5, h0wever, de51ra61e t0 d1m1n15h further the tendency 0f the ma55
t0 return t0 1t5 2er0 p051t10n. Acc0rd1n91y, 6 r a y attached t0 the 606 a c0nta1ner wh1ch
wa5 c0nnected 6y a 51ph0n t0 an externa1 re5erv01r 0f mercury. When the 606 wa5
def1ected d0wnward, mercury w0u1d f10w fr0m the re5erv01r 1nt0 the c0nta1ner 0n the
606, thu5 1ncrea51n9 the we19ht 0f the 606 and neutra1121n9 the 1ncrea5ed re5t0r1n9
f0rce 0f the 5pr1n9. When the 606 wa5 def1ected upward, mercury f10wed fr0m the
c0nta1ner t0 the externa1 re5erv01r, 119hten1n9 the 606 and, a9a1n, neutra1121n9 the
tendency 0f the 606 t0 return t0 1t5 e4u1116r1um p051t10n.
Jame5 Ew1n9 (1882a) 5u99e5ted that the per10d 0f 6ray•5 5e15m0meter c0u1d a150 6e
1ncrea5ed 6y attach1n9 the 5pr1n9 t0 the 1ever arm at a p01nt 6e10w the 11ne c0nnect1n9
the center 0f ma55 0f the pendu1um and the p1v0t 0f the 1ever (F19ure 12). 7h15 91ve5
the m0ment arm, t0 wh1ch the 5pr1n9 15 app11ed, a f1r5t-0rder dependence 0n the 600m
def1ect10n, w1th the m0ment arm a1way5 chan91n9 50 a5 t0 decrea5e the re5t0r1n9
m0ment 0f the pendu1um. 7h15 part1cu1ar 5u5pen510n wa5 ad0pted 1n Japan, and wa5
t0 5ee w1de5pread u5e 1n 0ther vert1ca1-m0t10n 1n5trument5 6ef0re the 1ntr0duct10n 0f
the 2er0-1en9th 5pr1n9. 6 r a y (18876) and 6ra610v1t2 (1891, 1896a) 1ntr0duced 0ther
5u5pen510n5 wh1ch a150 had the effect 0f decrea51n9 the re5t0r1n9 m0ment act1n9 0n the
1ever, when the 1ever wa5 d15p1aced.
7he chan91n9 1en9th 0f the 5pr1n9 1n the 6ray-Ew1n9 vert1ca1 5e15m0meter cau5ed
c0n51dera61e dr1ft. 1n the 1882 1n5trument, the 5e15m0meter rec0rded 0n a rev01v1n9
91a55 p1ate wh1ch, 6ecau5e 0f the dr1ft, wa5 n0t run c0nt1nu0u51y. A Pa1m1er1-type
5e15m05c0pe wa5 u5ed t0 put the rec0rd1n9 5urface 1nt0 m0t10n 1n an earth4uake.
Jame5 Ew1n9, 1n 1882, j01ned a c0mm0n pendu1um w1th an 1nverted pendu1um, 50
that the tw0 w0u1d m0ve h0r120nta11y t09ether (Ew1n9, 18836, 1886). He 06ta1ned
thu5 a 5y5tem 1n near1y neutra1 e4u1116r1um, w1th the un5ta61e tendency 0f the 1nverted
pendu1um 1e55en1n9 the 5ta6111ty 0f the c0mm0a pendu1um t0 wh1ch 1t wa5 attached.
7h15 wa5 Ew1n9•5 ••dup1ex-pendu1um•• 5e15m0meter (F19ure 13).
7he dup1ex-pendu1um 5e15m0meter 15 0f part1cu1~r 1ntere5t t0 u5 6ecau5e 1n 1887
and 1888 th15 type 0f 5e15m0meter wa5 p1aced at ten 51te5 1n N0rthern Ca11f0rn1a and
Nevada (L0uder6aek, 1942). 7he f1r5t 5e15m09raph1c 065ervat0r1e5 1n the We5tern
Hem15phere, at 8erke1ey and M0unt Ham11t0n, were e4u1pped w1th the dup1ex 1n5tru-
ment5 a5 we11 a5 Ew1n9 h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 and 6ray-Ew1n9 ver~1c~1
dh
F10. 12. Ew1n9•5 5u5pen510n f0r detect1n9 vert1ca1 m0t10n (after Ew1n9, 1882a). 7he. 5pr1n9 15
attached 6e10w the 11ne 6etween the pendu1um•5 center 0f ma55 and the p1v0t p01nt, 8.
5e15m0meter5. 7he dup1ex 5e15m0meter5 1n u5e here wr0te tw0-d1men510na1 part1c1e-

m0t10n d1a9ram5 0n a 5tat10nary, 5m0ked 91a55 p1ate.
We mu5t 1ntr0duce here yet an0ther f0rm 0f the h0r120nta1 pendu1um, the 50-ca]1ed
••c0n1ca1 pendu1um••, 1nvented 6y 6erard 1n 1851 (6erard, 1853; Dav150n, 1896), and
1ntr0duced t0 5e15m0109y 6y 7h0ma5 6 r a y (1881). 1n th15 5u5pen510n, the near1y
h0r120nta1 600m 15 he1d up 6y a f1ex161ew1re and p1v0t5 a60ut the ax15 0f r0tat10n 0n a
6ear1n9 j01nt. 1n 0rder t0 1e55en the fr1ct10n at the p1v0t p01nt, Jame5 Ew1n9 (1883a,
p. 27) f0rked the 600m and extended 1t 6ey0nd the ax15 0f r0tat10n (F19ure 14). Fr0m
the end 0f the f0rk, Ew1n9 had a f1at 5tee1 5pr1n9 c0m1n9 6ack t0 the ax15 0f r0tat10n
and 5erv1n9 a5 the j01nt. 7he 5pr1n9 wa5 he1d 1n ten510n 6y the 600m; the 0n1y fr1ct10n
0ccurred 1nterna11y w1th1n the f1at 5pr1n9. 7h15 type 0f j01nt ha5 6een w1de1y u5ed
ever 51nce.
A c0mp1ete 5ummary and d15cu5510n 0f the 1n5trument5 1nvented 1n Japan pr10r t0
1883 wa5 91ven 6y Ew1n9 (1883a). At that t1me, unf0rtunate1y, the per10d 0f an 1n-
5trument wa5 n0t c0n51dered t00 1mp0rtant, except that 1t wa5 u5ua11y 1ntended t0 6e
9reater than the per10d 0f the wave5 the 5e15m09raph wa5 t0 rec0rd. Ew1n9 wr1te5,
••When re915ter1n9 0n a C0nt1nU0U51y m0V1n9 p1ate, a We11-C0n5truCted and we11-

adju5ted 5e15m09raph 5h0u1d make 0ne c0mp1ete 05c111at10n 1n a60ut 5 5ec0nd5, and 1t5
decrement 0f amp11tude 5h0u1d n0t exceed a60ut 1 mm. per 05c11]at10n•• (Ew1n9,
1883a, p. 78). A1th0u9h Ew1n9•5 damp1n9 5pec1f1cat10n 15 va9ue, 1t 5u99e5t5 that an
undamped 5y5tem wa5 c0n51dered m05t de51rea61e. 1n fact, we have 5een that Perry
F16. 13. 7he Ew1n9 dup1ex-pendu1um5e15m0meter (after Ew1n9, 1883a). 7he 606, 81 15 c0n-
nected at A t0 the 606 8= 0f the 1nverted pendu1um 6y mean5 0f a ••6a11 and tu6e j01nt••. 7he
1nd1cat0r 6 15 attached t0 the 606 0f the 1nverted pendu1um.
and Ayrt0n 5u99e5ted the u5e 0f v15c0u5 damp1n9, fr0m the0ret1ea1 c0n51derat10n5.
6 r a y (1881) and M11ne (1881a) 5ucce55fu11yu5ed pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 wh1ch were
1ntent10na11y heav11y damped w1th 5011d fr1ct10n. Ew1n9 (1883a) p01nted 0ut that the
u5e 0f 5011d fr1ct10n w0u1d mean that there w0u1d 6e a m1n1mum rec0rda61e acce1era-
t10n, 6e10w wh1ch earth4uake5 w0u1d n0t rec0rd at a11.
7he u5e 0f v15c0u5 damp1n9 d0e5 n0t 5eem t0 have 6een attempted 6y the 8r1t15h 1n
Japan. 1n f1e1d5 0ther than 5e15m0109y, v15c0u5 damp1n9 had 6een u5ed t0 5uppre55
h19h fre4uency trem0r5 0f pendu1um5 50 that the 10n9er per10d m0t10n5 c0u1d 6e
5tud1ed (R00d, 1875; Darw1n, 1882). 1n part1cu1ar, the attempt5 0f the Darw1n5 (1882)
t0 mea5ure, w1th a damped pendu1um apparatu5, the 1unar d15tur6ance 0f 9rav1ty,
were we11 kn0wn t0 the 8r1t15h 1n Japan. 8 u t v15c0u5 damp1n9 wa5 n0t 1ntr0duced 1nt0
5e15m0109y unt11 much 1ater.
W1th the 5e15m0meter5 0f 6 r a y and Ew1n9 ava11a61e, 5e15m010915t5 1n J a p a n were
a61e t0 m a k e 1mp0rtant advanee5 1n the under5tand1n9 0f earth4uake m0t10n. J0hn
M11ne, e5pec1a11y, made exten51ve u5e 0f the new 1n5trument5.
M11ne and h15 c011ea9ue5 c0nducted exper1ment5 0n the pr0pa9at10n 0f e1a5t1c wave5
fr0m art1f1c1a1 50uree5 (M11ne and 6 r a y , 1883; M11ne, 18856). 7 h e m05t revea11n9
rec0rd5 are th05e 0f dynam1te exp10510n5 rec0rded 0n m0v1n9 91a55 p1ate5 6y Ew1n9
h0r120ntM-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 and 6ray-Ew1n9 vert1ca1 5e15m0meter5 (F19ure
15). 7 h e m0v1n9 p1ate5 were 5tarted 1nt0 m0t10n 5h0rt1y 6ef0re an exp10510n. 71me
519na15 were put 0n the p1ate5. 7 h e rec0rd5 5h0wed the n0rma1 m0t10n 0utrac1n9 the
tran5ver5e, and a 5119ht vert1ca1 m0t10n 0utrae1n9 t h e m 60th. 7 h e apparent ve10c1ty
0f the wave 0f vert1ca1 m0t10n wa5 500 feet per 5ee0nd. 7 h e max1mum fre4uency 0f a
A ~ :2
F16.14. Ew1n9•5 m0d1f1cat10n 0f 6ray•5 ~c0u1ca1-pendu1um~ 5e15m0meter (after EW1n9, 1883a).

7he pendu1um r0tate5 a60Ut P. 7he mem6er A 15 f0rked 50 that 1t d0e5 n0t t0Ueh P. Fr0m the
1eft end 0f A a f1at 5tee1 5pr1n9 c0me5 6ack t0 P.
d15tur6ance wa5 f0und t0 decrea5e w1th d15tance. 1n eva1uat1n9 the5e 065ervat10n5

t0day, 1t mu5t 6e under5t00d t h a t the 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n 0f the 1n5trument wa5 very
10w (f0ur 0r 51x); ear1y arr1va15 m a y n0t have 6een rec0rded. A150, the 5tat10n5 were
e105e t0 the 50urce (the furthe5t wa5 400 t away), 50 t h a t 1naccurate t1m1n9 w0u1d
9r0551y affeet tran51t ve10c1t1e5. M11ne dear1y 6e11eved that the n0rma1 and tran5ver5e
wave5 were c0mpre5510na1 and d15t0rt10na1 60dy wave5, re5pect1ve1y. H e th0u9ht the
vert1ca1 d15p1aeement wa5 due t0 ••free 5urface wave5••* (5~[11ne, 18856, p. 81).
M11ne p1aeed a num6er 0f 51m11ar 5e15m0meter5 at d1fferent 10eat10n5 t0 te5t the
effeet 0f t0p09raphy and 9e0109y 0n earth4uake m0t10n (Ew1n9, 18826, M11ne, 1886a,
1887a). 1t had 10n9 6een 065erved that dama9e t0 5trueture5 5eemed t0 depend 0n the
••9r0und•• 0n wh1eh they were 6u11t (5ee, f0r examp1e, D010m1eu (1784) 0n the Ca1a-
6r1an earth4uake5 0f 1783). M11ne f0und t h a t the amp11tude 0f 5e15m1e wave5 rec0rded
0n 51m11ar 5e15m0meter5 a150 depended 0n the nature 0f the 9r0und 1n the1r 1mmed1ate
v1c1n1t1e5. 1n ••m0derate1y 5tr0n9•• earth4uake5, the ree0rded amp11tude5 were 9en-
* A num6er 0f 1nve5t19at0r5 had wr1tten 0f 5e15m1c ••5urface wave5•• 6ef0re 1Lay1e19h (1885)
dem0n5trated mathemat1ca11y the p05516111ty 0f 5urface wave5 0n an e1a5t1c med1um. 7he 1dea
0f 5urface wave5 mu5t have 6een 5u99e5ted t0 ear11er 5c1ent15t5 6y the 065ervat10n 0f ••wave5••
0n the 5urface 0f the 9r0und 1n an earth4uake. J. Le C0nte (1882) 5p0ke 0f ••5urface wave5••, 6ut
meant the 5urface pr0ject10n 0f 60dy wave5. N1M1et (18626, v01.2, p. 309) env1510ned true 5urface
wave5, 5et up 6y a c0mpre5510nM wave 1mp1n91n9 0n the 5urface a60ve the f0cu5 0f the earth-
4uake, and pr0pa9at1n9 w1th ve10c1t1e5 wh1ch were pr06a61y 9reater than the c0mpre5510na1
wave ve10c1ty. Ma11et•5 wave5 were tran5ver5e 1n a vert1ca1 p1ane. 1t 5eem5 11ke1y that N111ne
th0u9ht he wa5 065erv1n9 the 5urface wave5 hyp0the512ed 6y Ma11et.
EARLY H1570RY 0 F 5E15M0ME7RY ( 7 0 1900) 205
era11y ••very much 9reater•• 0n ••50ft 9r0und•• than 0n ••hard 9r0und•• (M11ne, 1887a,
p. 30-31). F0r ••very 5ma11~ earth4uake5, th15 wa5 n0t true. ••50ft 9r0und•• 1n M11ne•5
exper1ment wa5 mar5hy 1and where the water-ta61e wa5 a few feet fr0m the 5urface.
••Hard 9r0und•• wa5 h19her 1and where the water-ta61e wa5 at 1ea5t ten feet fr0m the
5urface. 7 h e rec0rd1n9 51te5 u5ed 6y M11ne were 5eparated 6y 5evera1 hundred t0 a
th0u5and feet h0r120nta11y, w1th a max1mum d1fference 1n e1evat10n 0f twenty feet.
1t 15 w0rth n0t1n9 that a11 the rec0rd5 were 5tarted 1nt0 m0t10n 51mu1tane0u51y 6y a
11 r2/4er/ment
--. ~ ~ - - ~ j ~ - - ~ ~ . ~
7-- YeH1e~
7 0 ~ 4 3
}81a0•0, e
.-N0rn,~ 3 (388~, )
~0 9 8 7 6 ~ ~ ~ 2 t
F16.15. E1a5t1c wave5 fr0m dynam1te exp10510n5 (repr0duced fr0m 7ran5.5e15.80c. Japan, 8).
7he d15tanee 0f each 5tat10n fr0m an exp]0510n0f three p0und5 0f dynam1te 15 91ven. 71me mark5
are put 0n every ha]f 5ec0nd. 7he exper1ment5 were carr1ed 0ut 1n 1881.
5e15m05c0pe, 50 that the 5e15m09raph5 5h0u1d have rec0rded the 5ame pha5e5. 0 n the
0ther hand, n0ne 0f the 1n5trument5 rec0rded the ear11e5t pha5e5, and there 15 n0 way
0f kn0w1n9 when 1n an earth4uake they d1d 5tart rec0rd1n9. 1n 0ne 0f the ear1y exper1-
ment5 0f th15 50rt, M11ne te5ted the 51m11ar1ty 0f the 5e15m09raph5 he u5ed 6y p1ac1n9
them 51de 6y 51de and rec0rd1n9 w1th them 51mu1tane0u51y. He 065erved that ••they
pract1ca11y 9ave 51m11ar d1a9ram5•• (M11ne, 18846).
M11ne perf0rmed a 51m11ar exper1ment 1n d1fferent type5 0f 6u11d1n9 e0n5truet10n
and 0n d1fferent f100r5 0f the 5ame 6u11d1n9 (M11ne, 1888d). He c0mpared the m0t10n
1n a 6r1ek tw0-5t0ry h0u5e and a w00d tw0-5t0ry h0u5e, 51tuated 51xty feet apart 0n
••51m11ar 9r0und••. 5e15m09raph5 were p1aeed 0n the tw0 f100r5 ••vert1ca11y a60ve eaeh
0ther and •a5 near1y a5 p055161e 1n 51m11ar p051t10n5•• (M11ne, 1888d, p. 67). M11ne f0und
that the w00d h0u5e m0ved m0re than the 6r1ck h0u5e, and the up5ta1r5 0f eaeh m0ved
m0re than the d0wn5ta1r5.
1n 1882, M11ne 6ecame c0ncerned w1th the p05516111ty that ne19h60r1n9 p01nt5 0f
206 8 U L L E 7 1 N 0 F 7 H E 5E15M0L061CA L 50C1E7Y 0 F AMER1CA
9r0und m19ht m0ve re1at1ve t0 each 0ther 1n an earth4uake. 7he pre5ence 0f 1ar9e
5tra1n5 w0u1d p05e en91neer1n9 pr061em5, a5 we11 a5 render 5e15m09raph rec0rd1n95 1e55
519n1f1cant. He c0n5tructed an 1n5trument t0 mea5ure the re1at1ve m0t10n 0f tw0
ne19h60r1n9 p01nt5 0f 9r0und, 1.e., a 5tra1n 5e15m0meter (M11ne, 18856, 1888c). 7he
1n5trument 155h0wn 1n F19ure 16.7w0 p05t5 A and 0 were dr1ven 1nt0 the 9r0und three
feet apart. A r191d 6eam R wa5 extended fr0m 0ne 0f the p05t5 a1m05t t0 the 0ther p05t.
7he m0t10n 0f the end 0f the 6eam w1th re5pect t0 the 0ther p05t, h0pefu11y the 5ame
a5 the re1at1ve m0t10n 0f the tw0 p05t5, wa5 ma9n1f1ed 51x t1me5 6y mean5 0f a 51mp1e
1ever 8 and the rec0rd wr1tten 0n a 5m0ked 91a55 p1ate C. 1n the ear11e5t f0rm 0f th15
0
5e15m0meter, u5ed 1n 1882, unu5ua11y 1ar9e amp11tude5 were 06ta1ned (M11ne, 18856),
wh1ch 5u99e5ted t0 M11ne that the 6eam wa5 m0v1n9 1ndependent1y 0f the p05t t0
;7w/ /7/~//
"-
1 r 1 ~ CC" ~ ~ 1 1 1 , 1 1
~ tt-
~1A 17"77"77
Fm. 16. M11ne•5 1n5trtunent f0r rec0rd1n9 the re1at1ve m0t10n 0f ne19h60r1n9 p01nt5 0f 9r0und
(after M11ne, 1888c).
C
c ~-~ 8 .................... ...... ~A
F10.17.0dd0ne•5 5tra1n-mea5ur1n95e15m0meter (~dapted fr0m 0dd0ne, 1900). A ree0rd1n9 dev1ee,

wh1ch wa5 1ntended t0 re00rd the r15e and f~110f the water 1n the tu6e C, 15 n0t 5h0wn.
wh1ch 1t wa5 attached. 7he apparatu5 wa5 apparent1y then 1mpr0ved 50 that M11ne
fe1t 5uch m0t10n 0f the 6eam w0u1d 6e un11ke1y. Re1at1ve m0t10n 0f 5evera1 m1111meter5
wa5 06ta1ned f0r 50me 10ca1 earth4uake5 rec0rded 6y the 5y5tem.
8ef0re 1eav1n9 the 5tra1n 5e15m0meter, we ment10n an0ther 5uch 1n5trument, 6u11t 1n
1900 6y E. 0dd0ne (0dd0ne, 1900). 0dd0ne wa5 attempt1n9 t0 c0n5truct a 5e15m01091-
ca1 apparatu5 wh1ch d1d n0t depend 0n a pendu1um f0r a 5en51n9 e1ement, 6ecau5e 0f
the 1naccurac1e5 1ntr0duced 6y pendu1um e19en-05c111at10n5. H15 1n5trument, 5h0wn 1n
F19ure 17, wa5 51m11ar t0 M11ne•5 5tra1n 5e15m0meter, w1th a 10n9, r191d 6e~m attached
t0 0ne p1er at A and extend1n9 ~1m05t t0 a 5ec0nd, ne19h60r1n9 p1er. A ••p15t0n•• wa5
attached t0 the end 0f the 6eam 50 a5 t0 511de 1n the ••1ar9e cy11nder••, 8, 0f a hydr0-
5tat1c pre55 wh1ch wa5 m0unted 0n the 5ec0nd p1er. A 5ma11 d15p1acement 0f the p15t0n
1n the 1ar9e cy11nder, e4ua1 t0 the re1at1ve m0t10n 6etween the tw0 p1er5, cau5ed a 3600
t1me5 1ar9er d15p1acement 0f the water 1n the ••5ma11 cy11nder•• 0f the pre55, C. 0dd0ne
enc0untered d1ff1cu1ty1n rec0rd1n9 the d15p1acement 0f the water 1n the 5ma11 cy11nder,
h0wever. He ment10ned 0n1y 0ne earth4uake rec0rded w1th h15 1n5trument.
M11ne 5tayed 1n Japan unt11 1895.1n 1892, the 5e15m01091ca1 50c1ety 0f Japan cea5ed
EARLY H1570RY 01~ 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900) 207
t0 ex15t due t0 a 1aCk 0f 1ntere5ted mem6er5 (/~f11ne, 1893a). 7he ••7ran5aCt10n5•• 0f the
50C1ety Wa5 c0nt1nued a5 the 5e15m01091ca1 J0Urna1 0f Japan, Wh1Ch wa5 ed1ted 6y
~111ne and Wa5 pu6115hed Unt11 1895, the year h~[11ne1eft Japan. 5e15m0109Y 1n Japan
wa5 Carr1ed 0n 6y Japane5e 5e15m010915t5, 0f wh0m Fu5ak1Ch1 0m0r1 made part1cu-
]ar1y 1mp0rtant c0ntr16ut10n5 1n the decade after M11ne 1eft. When F111ne returned t0
En91and, he 6e9an 1mp0rtant w0rk 1n the 5y5temat1C re915trat10n 0f ]ar9e d15tant
earth4uake5. We w111meet h1m a9a1n 1ater.
15N. 18 .H 21 .H
1889 A P R 1 L 17. 6 R . M . 7 .
P075DAM.
F16. 18. 0ne 0f the f1r5t kn0wn rec0rd1n95 0f a d15tant earth4uake, 06ta1ned w1th v0n Re6eur•5
h0r120nta1 pendu1um (repr0duced fr0m Nature, 40, 1889, p. 295).
208 ]~ULLE71N 0F 7HE 5E15M0L061CAL 50C1E7Y 0F AMER1CA
7HE 5E15M06RAPH 8EC0ME5 AN 1N7ERNA710NAL 1N57RUMEN7

NeW5 0f the 5UCCe55e5 0f the 8r1t15h 1n Japan 6e9an t0 affect EUr0pean 5e15m0109Y
1n the m1dd1e 1880•5. 1t d1d n0t take 10n9 f0r m05t EUr0pean 5e15m010915t5 t0 appre-
c1ate the advanta9e5 0f the 8r1t15h 1n5trument5 and 6e91n t0 1mpr0ve 0n them. 1n
1886, E. 8ra55art 0f 1~0me c0n5tructed c0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m09raph5 after 5tudy-
1n9 the 5e15m09raph5 made 1n Japan (8ra55art, 1886; A9amenn0ne, 1906, p. 94). 7he
m0t10n 0f a meter-10n9 pendu1um wa5 re501ved 1nt0 perpend1cu1ar c0mp0nent5 and
traced 0n 5m0ked paper wh1ch wa5 m0unted 0n a cy11nder. 7h15 1n5trument and
m0d1f1cat10n5 1ntr0duced 1ater 6y 8ra55art and A9amenn0ne (Eh1ert, 1897a, p. 434;
A9amenn0ne, 1906) were u5ed rather w1de1y 1n 1ta1y.
A m05t dramat1c 1ncrea5e 0f 5e15m01091ca1 act1v1ty 1n Eur0pe f0110wed the c0nf1rma-
t10n 1n 1889 that wave5 fr0m 1ar9e earth4uake5 c0u1d 6e detected 6y 5en51t1ve 1n5tru-
ment5 10cated ha1fway ar0und the w0r1d fr0m the earth4uake5• ep1center5. We have
5tud1ed, 50 far, 0n1y 5e15m09raph5 1ntended t0 rec0rd 10ca1 earth4uake5. F0r many
year5, h0wever, there had 6een 1nd1cat10n5 that the v16rat10n5 fr0m 1ar9e earth4uake5
trave11ed far fr0m the re910n5 where the earth4uake5 were fe1t, cau51n9 0therw15e
1nexp11ca61e d15tur6ance5 0n de11cate 1n5trument5, 5uch a5 a5tr0n0m1ca11eve15 and ma9-
net0meter5 (8arrata, 1895, 1897; Darw1n, 1882; F0u4u6, 18886). 50me 065erver5 had
attempted t0 ca1cu1ate the amp11tude and/0r the pr0pa9at10n ve10c1ty 0f the d15tur6-
ance5 affect1n9 the1r 1n5trument5, under the a55umpt10n that the5e d15tur6ance5
0r191nated fr0m certa1n earth4uake5 (0r1an1, 1783; Nyren, 1878; F0u4u~, 18886).
7he f1r5t kn0wn rec0rd1n95 0f a d15tant earth4uake, wh1ch were 1dent1f1ed a5 5uch,
were made 1n 1889, a150 w1th a5tr0n0m1ca1 1n5trument5 (F19ure 18) (v0n Re6eur-
Pa5chw1t2, 1889). 7he 1n5trument5 were h0r120nta1 pendu1um5, de519ned 6y Ern5t v0n
Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2 t0 mea5ure 5119ht chan9e5 1n the d1rect10n 0f the vert1ca1. 7w0 0f
the5e pendu1um5, 10cated 1n P0t5dam and W11he1m5haven, rec0rded a 1ar9e earth4uake
0n Apr11 17, 1889.7he earth4uake had 6een fe1t 1n Japan a60ut an h0ur 6ef0re 1t wa5
rec0rded 1n 6ermany.
V0n Re6eur•5 pendu1um wa5 0f the f0rm u5ed ear11er 6y Ew1n9 1n h15 h0r120nta1-
pendu1um 5e15m0meter (v0n Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2, 1894). 1t 15 5h0wn 1n F19ure 19.7he
1n5trument c0n515ted 0f a r191d frame, r0tat1n9 a60ut tw0 6ear1n95 A and 8, each
c0n515t1n9 0f a p01nt pre551n9 1nt0 a 50cket. 70 the frame wa5 attached a m1rr0r M,
wh1ch ref1ected 119ht fr0m a 1amp, thr0u9h a cy11ndr1ca11en5, t0 a r0tat1n9 drum wh1ch
wa5 c0vered w1th ph0t09raph1c paper. 7he drum turned 11 m1111meter5 1n an h0ur.
V0n Re6eur•5 pendu1um wa5 0n1y 10 cent1meter5 10n9, and carr1ed a ma55 0f 0n1y 42
9ram5.1t wa5 u5ua11yu5ed w1th a per10d 0f fr0m 12 t0 17 5ec0nd5 and a 5tat1c ma9n1f1ca-
t10n 0f 100 (Eh1ert, 1897a, p. 404-407). 71me wa5 06ta1ned w1th a 5ec0nd f1xed 119ht
trace wh1ch wr0te 0n the 5ame ph0t09raph1c paper. Every h0ur, th15 5ec0nd trace wa5
ec11p5ed f0r f1ve m1nute5.
V0n Re6eur wa5 the f1r5t t0 u5e a ph0t09raph1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 1n5trument f0r c0nt1nu-
0u5 5e15m01091ca1 065ervat10n5.* 7he advanta9e 0f ph0t09raph1c rec0rd1n9 wa5 the
c0mp1ete a65ence 0f fr1ct10n 1n ma9n1fy1n9 and rec0rd1n9 the re1at1ve m0t10n 0f the
pendu1um and the Earth. 7he 0n1y 50urce5 0f fr1ct10n 1n v0n Re6eur•5 apparatu5 were
the p01nt5 where the pendu1um arm wa5 p1v0ted. 7he effect 0f th15 fr1ct10n 0n the
* F0u4u6 and Levy (1888) mea5ured pr0pa9at10n ve10c1t1e5 0f exp10510n-9enerated wave5 6y

u51n9 a m0d1f1cat10n0f Ma11et•5 5e15m05c0pe1n wh1ch a ray 0f 119ht wa5 ref1ected 0ff 0f a 5urface
0f mercury 0nt0 a m0v11~9ph0t09raph1c p1ate. 7he p1ate wa5 5tarted 1nt0 m0t10n 5h0rt1y 6ef0re
the exp1051ve wa5 det0nated. Ear11er, earth4uake5 had 50met1me5 6een re915tered 0n ph0t0-
9raph1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 ma9net09raph5 (F0u4ud, 18886).
dynam1c 6ehav10r 0f the pendu1um wa5 1ndependent 0f the ma9n1f1cat10n 0f the 1n5tru-
ment. 1n c0n5tra5t, w1th mechan1ea1 re915trat10n, the fr1et10n 6etween the 1nd1cat0r
and the rec0rd1n9 5urface exert5 a 9reater f0ree 0n the pendu1um acc0rd1n9 a5 the
meehan1ea1 ma9n1f1cat10n 1ncrea5e5. W1th meehan1ea1 re915trat10n, there ex15t5 a 11m1t
0f ma9n1f1eat10n, a60ve wh1ch the 1nert1a 0f the pendu1um cann0t 0verc0me the fr1c-
t10na1 f0rce5 6etween the 1nd1cat0r and the ree0rd1n9 5urface.
7here were, h0wever, d15advanta9e5 t0 ph0t09raph1c re915trat10n a5 e0mpared w1th
meehan1ca1 re915trat10n. Ph0t09raph1c rec0rd5 weren•t a5 5harp a5 5m0ked paper ree-
0rd5. Rap1d, h19h amp11tude 05c111at10n5 d1d n0t rec0rd 0n ph0t09raph1c paper. 7he
ph0t09raph1c paper wa5 expen51ve. And, 6eeau5e 0f expen51ve paper, many 1nve5t19a-
t0r5 ree0rded at 5ueh 510w 5peed5 that aceurate t1m1n9 and deta11ed 5tud1e5 0f the
ree0rded wavef0rm5 were 1mp055161e. ~[eehan1ea1 re915trat10n thu5 e0nt1nued t0 6e
M .....
Fm. 19.7he h0r120nta1 pendu1um 0f v0n Re6eur Pa50hw1t2 (after Dav150n, 1896).
w1de1y u5ed 1n 5e15m09raph5. We 5ha11 f1nd, 1n fact, that 6y u51n9 heavy ma55e5 and
reduc1n9 fr1ct10n t0 a m1n1mum, mechan1ca11y rec0rd1n9 5e15m09raph5 were 6u11t
wh1ch r1va11ed the ph0t09raph1ca11y rec0rd1n9 1n5trument5 1n 5en51t1v1ty.
V0n Re6eur kept carefu1 rec0rd5 0f ••earth-trem611n95•• rec0rded 6y h15 pendu1um5
f0r 5evera1 year5, thr0u9h a per10d 0f an 111ne550f wh1ch he d1ed 1n 1895, at the a9e 0f
th1rty-f0ur (v0n Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2, 1895a; Dav150n, 1927). 1n 1892 and 1893, he had
1n5trument5 5et up 1n 5tra556ur9 and N1e01a]ew, 1800 k110meter5 apart. A60ut ha1f 0f
the d15tur6ance5 0n h15 pendu1um5 were rec0rded at 60th 51te5. At eaeh 10cat10n, 0n1y
0ne pendu1um wa5 u5ed. After v0n Re6eur•5 death, h15 1n5trument wa5 m0d1f1ed 6y
Eh1ert (1897a, p. 406, 18976), wh0 1ncrea5ed the rec0rd1n9 5peed 0f the 1n5trument and
1ncrea5ed 1t5 we19ht, t0 make the pendu1um 1e55 5u5cept161e t0 m0vement 6y a1r
current5.
C0ntemp0rane0u51y w1th the deve10pment 0f the h0r120nta1 pendu1um 5e15m0meter5
1n 6ermany, 50me 1ta11an 5e15m010915t5 exten51ve1y deve10ped the 10n9 c0mm0n-
pendu1um 5e15m0meter. 6. A9amenn0ne and A. Canean1 made part1eu1ar1y 1mp0rtant
1mpr0vement5 1n th15 type 0f 5e15m0meter. 7hey were aware 0f the w0rk 6e1n9 d0ne 1n
6ermany, 6ut they e0n51dered the c0mm0n pendu1um 5uper10r t0 the 119ht h0r120nta1
pendu1um f0r pure1y 5e15m01091ca1 re5earch. At th15 t1me, A9amenn0ne 6e11eved the
10n9 e0mm0n pendu1um t0 rema1n near1y 5tat10nary f0r 5h0rt-per10d 05e111at10n5, 1n
e0ntra5t t0 the 6erman 119ht h0r120nta1 pendu1um5 wh1eh he d1d n0t th1nk w0u1d re-
210 8ULLE71N 0 F 7HE 5E15M0L061CAL 50C1E7Y 0 F AMER1CA__
ma1n 5tat10nary under rap1d v16rat10n5 0f the 9r0und (A9amenn0ne, 1894). M05t 0f
the 1ta11an 5e15m09raph5 u5ed mechan1ca1 re915trat10n.
7he f1r5t 0f the 10n9 e0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m09raph5 wa5 e0n5trueted 6y A9amen-
n0ne (1893). 1t wa5 de519ned a5 an 1mpr0vement 0n a 1.5 meter 10n9, 10 k1109ram,
8ra55art-type 5e15m09raph (A9amenn0ne, 1894). 7he 5ma11er 1n5trument had t00
510w a ree0rd1n9 5peed, 50 that 1nd1v1dua1 05e111at10n5 c0u1d n0t 6e re501ved 1n the
5e15m09ram5. 1n add1t10n, the ma55 wa5 50 119ht 1t e0u1dn•t 0vere0me the fr1ct10n 0f
the wr1t1n9 5ty1u5.1t w0u1d rema1n d15p1aced fr0m the 2er0 11ne after 6e1n9 d15tur6ed.
7he5e pr061em5 were 60th e0rreeted 1n the new 5e15m09raph. 1t had a 1en9th 0f 6
meter5 and carr1ed a ma55 0f 75 k1109ram5.7he 5ucce55 0f th15 1n5trument pr0mpted
A9amenn0ne t0 6u11d a 5t111 1ar9er e0mm0n pendu1um. 1n 1894, a 16 meter 10n9
pendu1um, w1th a ma55 0f 200 k1109ram5, wa5 c0n5trueted (A9amenn0ne, 1894). A
51m11ar 1n5trument 6u11t at Catan1a had a 1en9th 0f 0ver 25 meter5 (M11ne, 1899, p.
259). A1m05t a11 0f the e0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 emp10yed a dev1ce t0 re501ve
7en•em0t0 de1 61app0ne5e1tentr10na1e
~ ~*" ~ ~- ~ ~ R0ecad1 Papa, 22 51ar201894.
Fm. 20. A Japane5e earth4uake rec0rded 1n 1ta1y 0n a Cancan1 c0mm0n-pendu1um5e15m09raph

(repr0duced fr0m Att1. Accad. na2. L1nce1 Rc. v01.3, 5er. 5, 5em. 1, 1894, p. 554).
the 9r0und m0t10n 1nt0 mutua11y-perpend1cu1ar c0mp0nent5. 7he rec0rd5 were wr1tten
w1th pen and 1nk 0n re1at1ve1y rap1d1y m0v1n9 5urface5 (M11ne, 1899).
7he ear1y 1ta11an pendu1um5 9ave 1mp0rtant rec0rd5 0f 1ar9e te1e5e15m5. A 91ance at
a te1e5e15m ree0rded 6y a 7-meter 10n9, e0mm0n~pendu1um 5e15m0meter 0f Canean1
(F19ure 20) 5h0w5 that the tw0 60dy-wave 9r0up5 and the 5urfaee-wave tra1n were
fa1r1y we11 rec0rded. 7he5e 1n5trument5, 1n faet, were the ear11e5t t0 make 5uch a
5eparat10n 0f pha5e5 f0r te1e5e15m5. Cancan pr0p05ed that the f1r5t tw0 wave 9r0up5,
e0rre5p0nd1n9 t0 0ur P and 5 wave5, 60th repre5ented e0mpre5510na1 wave5, and the
th1rd, 0ur 5urfaee wave5, repre5ented d15t0rt10na1 wave5 (Canean1, 1893). 1n 1899,
01dham (1900) pre5ented a th0r0u9h 5tudy 0f te1e5e15m1c wave5, wh1ch c0nc1uded
that the f1r5t wave 9r0up repre5ented c0mpre5510na1 wave5, the 5ee0nd repre5ented
d15t0rt10na1 wave5, and the th1rd repre5ented 5urfaee wave5. 1-1ere11ed heav11y 0n data
fr0m the 10w-ma9n1f1eat10n 1ta11an e0mm0n-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5, 6e11ev1n9 the
6erman h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 t0 6e 1e55 tru5tw0rthy f0r h15 purp05e5.
D15app01nt1n91y, h0wever, the 5en51t1v1ty 0f the5e ear1y, 10n9, e0mm0n-pendu1um
5e15m0meter5 d1d n0t appr0aeh that 0f the 6erman f19ht h0r120nta1 pendu1um5. Fr1e-
t10n 11m1ted the 1ta11an 1n5trument5 t0 5tat1c ma9n1f1eat10n5 0f ten 0r 50.
1n 1895, ¥1cent1n1 and Paeher c0n5tructed the V1eent1n1 ••m1er0515m09raf0••, a
meehan1ea11y-ree0rd1n9 5e15m09raph w1th a ma9n1f1eat10n near1y e4ua1 t0 that 0f the
6erman maeh1ne5 (Paeher, 1897). 7he 5e15m09raph 15 5h0wn 1n F19ure 21. A 100
k1109ram ma55 M wa5 5u5pended 1n a 1.5 meter-10n9 pendu1um. 7he re1at1ve m0t10n 0f
the 606 and the 9r0und wa5 f1r5t ma9n1f1ed 6y a meehan1ea1 1ever L. 7he m0t10n 0f
th15 1ever wa5 re501ved 1nt0 perpend1eu1ar e0mp0nent5 at V and, 1n the pr0ce55, the
pendu1um m0t10n wa5 ma9n1f1ed a9a1n. 7he t0ta1 ma9n1f1cat10n wa5 80. 7he traee5 0f
the tw0 h0r120nta1 c0mp0nent5 were ~x1tten 51de 6y 51de 0n 5m0ked paper, a10n9 w1th
a t1me trace. 1n 1896, a 1ar9e-5ca1e ver510n 0f the ••m1cr0515m09raf0•• wa5 c0n5tructed,

w1th a pendu1um 1en9th 0f 10.68 meter5 and a 606 0f we19ht 400 k1109ram5 (Pacher,
1897).
A vert1ca1-c0mp0nent 5e15m0meter wa5 1ater 1ntr0duced 6y V1cent1n1 and Pacher
(1898). Rather than emp10y1n9 a 5u5pen510n w1th a 5p1ra1 5pr1n9 f0r re5t0r1n9 f0rce,
V1cent1n1 and Pacher u5ed a f1at 5pr1n9, c1amped t0 the wa11 at 0ne end and 10aded w1th
// //1 L
111111~ 1111~
Y
F16.21. V1cent1n1•5 ••m1cr0515m09raf0•• (m0d1f1ed fr0m 6M1t21n, 1914). 7he rec0rd1n9 part 0f the
apparatu5 15 5h0wn en1ar9ed three t1me5 re1at1ve t0 the re5t 0f the 1n5trument.
a we19ht at the 0ther end. 7he 1n5trument wa5 c1amped 50 that the 10aded end 0f the
f1at 5pr1n9, 6ent under the we19ht 0f the ma55, wa5 h0r120nta1. A5 f1na11y deve10ped,
the ma55 05c111ated vert1ca11y w1th a fundamenta1 per10d 0f 1.2 5ec0nd5. 7he vert1ca1
5e15m0meter wr0te w1th a 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n 0f 130 0n a 5m0ked-paper rec0rd wh1ch
wa5 c0n5tant1y 1n m0t10n.
1n 1895, J0hn M11ne 1eft Japan and returned t0 En91and, where he e5ta6115hed a
5e15m01091ca1 065ervat0ry 0n the 151e 0f W19ht (Dav150n, 1927). He c0ncentrated n0w
0n the 5tudy 0f unfe1t earth m0vement5, 60th m1cr05e15m5 and te1e5e15m5. M11ne made
exten51ve u5e 0f a h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m09raph wh1ch he de519ned 1n 1894, wh11e
he wa5 5t1111n70ky0 (F19ure 22) (M11ne, 18946). 7he 1n5trument rec0rded ph0t09raph-
1ca11y. 1n5tead 0f hav1n9 119ht ref1ected 0nt0 ph0t09raph1c paper w1th a m1rr0r fa5tened
t0 the frame 0f the pendu1um, M11ne had 119ht 5h1ne 0nt0 the paper thr0u9h the 1nter~
5ect10n 0f tw0 mutua11y-perpend1cu1ar 511t5.0ne 0f the 511t5 wa5 fa5tened t0 the p1er.
7he 0ther 511t wa5 fa5tened t0 the pendu1um, and m0ved w1th the pendu1um, thu5
cau51n9 the 5p0t 0f 119ht t0 m0ve 0n the paper. Leve11n9 5crew5 1n the 6a5e 0f the appa-
ratu5 made p055161e a determ1nat10n 0f the 5tat1c t11t 5en51t1v1ty0f the pendu1um 6y
91v1n9 the 6a5e 0f the 1n5trument a 5ma11 kn0wn t11t and 065erv1n9 the re5u1t1n9 d15-
p1acement 0f the trace. 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n may 6e ca1cu1ated fr0m an 1n5trument
w1th kn0wn per10d and kn0wn 5tat1c t11t 5en51t1v1ty. M11ne•5 1n5trument5 u5ua11y had
a per10d 0f a60ut f1fteen 5ec0nd5 and a 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n 0f 51x.
fJ-
• ,, •
F16. 22. 7he M11ne h0r120nta1 5e15m09raph (m0d1f1ed fr0m 1V111ne, 1898a). L19ht fr0m L 15 re-
f1ected 6y M thr0u9h the 1nter5ect10n 0f tw0 cr055ed 511t5 0nt0 ph0t09raph1c paper. 7he 10wer
1Uu5trat10n 15 a t0p v1ew 0f the 1n5trument, w1th 1t5 0uter ca5e rem0ved. 7 15 a f1ex161ew1re h01d1n9
up the 600m. 7he we19ht W 15 p1v0ted 0n the 600m.
M1Me pre55ed f0r the e5ta6115hment 0f a w0r1d-w1de netw0rk 0f 5e15m09raph1c 5ta-

t10n5, w1th 5tandard 1n5trument5 (M11ne, 1897), M11ne•5 ph0t09raph1ca11y-rec0rd1n9
h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m09raph wa5 5e1ected 6y a c0mm1ttee 0f the 8r1t15h A550c1a-
t10n f0r the Advancement 0f 5c1ence t0 6e the 5tandard 1n5trument f0r 5uch an under-
tak1n9. 8 y 1900, 51m11ar M11ne 5e15m09raph5 were e5ta6115hed 0n a11 0f the 1nha61ted
c0nt1nent5* (M11ne, 1901). 51xteen 5tat10n5 were re9u1ar1y 5end1n9 rec0rd5 t0 M11ne
(F19ure 23). U51n9 data fr0m the M11ne 5e15m09raph5, and pu6115hed data fr0m 6er-
man and 1ta11an 065ervat0r1e5, ~11ne p10tted trave1-t1me curve5 f0r te1e5e15m5 w1th
kn0Wn ep1center5. 7he f1r5t curve (M11ne, 1898a) 9ave 0n1y the tran51t t1me 0f the
pha5e 0f max1mum amp11tude, wh1ch, 0n 5e15m09ram5 made w1th the M11ne 5e15-
m09raph, u5ua11y c0rre5p0nded t0 0ur 5urface wave5. A year 1ater, the tran51t t1me5 0f
* 7he de51ra6111ty 0f hav1n9 a 5tat10n 1n the Antarct1c re910n wa5 a150 apparent at th15 t1me.
1n 1902, a M11ne 1n5trument wa5 0perated near the 5h0re 0f the R055 5ea, at 77°50 ~ 50uth 1at1tude,
a5 part 0f the 8r1t15h nat10na1 antarct1c exped1t10n 0f 1901-1904. 7he 5e15m09raph rec0rded
0ver 0ne hundred te1e5e15m5 1n the per10d 0f m0nth5 1n wh1ch 1t wa5 0perated (N[11ne, 1905).
EARLY ~570RY 0F 5E15~0ME7nY (70 1900) 213
60th the ••pre11m1nary trem0r5•• and the pha5e 0f max1mum amp11tude were p10tted
(M11ne, 1899). 7he tran51t t1me5 0f the ••5ec0nd pre11m1nary trem0r5•• were p10tted
6y 01dham (1900), wh0 c0rrect1y 1nferred that the wave 9r0up wa5 c0mp05ed 0f tran5-
ver5e wave5. M11ne 6e9an 5y5temat1c 10cat10n 0f 1ar9e te1e5e15m5, u51n9 arr1va1 t1me5
0f the max1mum pha5e5, fe1t rep0rt5, and the t1me 1nterva15 6etween the arr1va1 0f
pre11m1nary trem0r5 and the max1mum pha5e (M11ne, 19006).
1ta11an 5e15m010915t5 6e9an u51n9 h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 t0ward the
end 0f the n1neteenth century. 1n 1895, 6. 6ra610v1t2 6u11t a 5e15m0meter 0f the type
ear11er dev15ed 6y 6ray (a60ve)--a h0r120nta1 pendu1um p1v0t1n9 0n a 51n91e p01nt
and he1d up 6y a f1ex161e w1re (6ra610v1t2, 1896a). At f1r5t, 6ra610v1t2 u5ed three
h0r120nta1 pendu1um5, n0 tw0 0f them c011near, rec0rd1n9 51mu1tane0u51y at a 51n91e
10cat10n. 7h15 wa5 50 that the d1rect10n 0f pr0pa9at10n c0u1d 6e determ1ned fr0m the
amp11tude 0f the rec0rded wave5 a10ne w1th0ut kn0w1ed9e 0f the pha5e 0f the wave
f0r each c0mp0nent. 7h15 meth0d 0f determ1n1n9 the d1rect10n 0f pr0pa9at10n a5-
0.34.~
F16. 23. A rec0rd 06ta1ned w1th a M11ne h0r120nta1 5e15m09raph 0n Apr11 5, 1901 (repr0duced
fr0m Rep. 8r1t. A55. Advmt. 5c1. 1901, p. 50). A5 may 6e 5een, the u5efu1ne55 0f M11ne•5 1n5tru-
ment wa5 d1m1n15hed 6y 1t5 1ack 0f dampm9.
5ume5 that the 9r0und part1c1e5 are kn0wn t0 v16rate e1ther 10n91tud1na11y 0r tran5-
ver5e1y: 1t 5t111 re5u1t5 1n an am619u1ty 0f 180° f0r the d1rect10n 0f pr0pa9at10n. 7he
meth0d wa5 re4u1red 6y the 510w rec0rd1n9 5peed u5ed 6y 6ra610v1t2, wh1ch made 1t
1mp055161e t0 match up an 1nd1v1dua1 05c111at10n fr0m 0ne c0mp0nent w1th an 1n-
d1v1dua1 05c111at10n 0n an0ther c0mp0nent. 7he 51mu1tane0u5 u5e 0f three h0r120nta1
c0mp0nent5 had 6een 5u99e5ted 6y 0ther auth0r5 (Eh1ert, 1897a, p. 358, 403, 406).
1n a 1ater ver510n 0f h15 1n5trument, 6ra610v1t2 (18966) 1ncrea5ed the rec0rd1n9 5peed
and u5ed 0n1y tw0 pendu1um5 at r19ht an91e5 t0 each 0ther. 7he 1mpr0ved ver510n 0f
6ra6]0v1t2•5 h0r120nta1 pendu1um carr1ed a ma55 0f twe1ve k1109ram5. 1t had a 5tat1c
ma9n1f1cat10n 0f e19ht, and wa5 u5ed w1th a per10d 0f ar0und 5eventeen 5ec0nd5. A.
Cancan1 6u11t a 1ar9er h0r120nta1-pendu1um apparatu5 (Cancan1, 1897). Cancan1•5
5e15m0meter u5ed a 5u5pen510n 51m11art0 that u5ed 6y Ew1n9, w1th tw0 6ear1n9 p01nt5.
7h15 5e15m0meter wr0te w1th pen and 1nk 0n a 5urface m0v1n9 at the re1at1ve1y rap1d
rate 0f 51xty cent1meter5 per h0ur. 7he per10d 0f the 1n5trument wa5 u5ua11y a60ut
twenty-f0ur 5ec0nd5. 7he 5t1atte51 h0r120nta1 pendu1um, 1ntr0duced 1n 1900, wa5 a
1ar9er 5e15m0meter 6u11t 0n the 5ame pr1nc1p1e a5 the Cancan1 h0r120nta1-pendu1um
5e15m0meter (A9amenn0ne, 1906, p. 115).
F. 0m0r1, a pup11 and c011ea9ue 0f M11ne•5, c0n5tructed h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5e15-
m09raph5. A5 w1th the 1n5trument 0f 6ra610v1t2, each pendu1um c0n515ted 0f a ma55
0n a r0d, p1v0t1n9 a60ut a 50cket, w1th the ma55 he1d up 6y a f1ex161e w1re (0m0r1,
1899). 7he 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n5 0f 0m0r1•5 1n5trument5 were a60ut ten, and they were
91ven per10d5 0f a60ut twenty 5ec0nd5. 7he5e 1n5trument5 were pr0t0type5 0f the
805ch-0m0r1 5e15m09raph, wh1ch wa5 w1de1y u5ed thr0u9h0ut the w0r1d 1n the ear1y
twent1eth century. 7he 805ch-0m0r1 5e15m09raph wa5 6u11t 6y the f1rm 0f J. A. 805ch,
214 8uLLE71N 0F 711E 5E15M0L061cAL 50c1E7Y 0F AMER1cA
0f 5tra556ur9. 1n 1907, 805ch added damp1n9 t0 0m0r1•5 0r191na11y undamped 5e15-

m0meter (51e6er9, 1923, p. 442).
EARLY 57UD1E5 0F ••1V[1CR05E15M5••

V1rtUa11y a11 0f the ear1y pendU1Um 5e15m09raph5 50met1me5 9aVe reC0rd5 0f v16ra-
t0ry d15tur6ance5 wh1ch 1a5ted f0r h0ur5 and even day5, and wh1ch 5eemed 4u1te un-
re1ated t0 earth4uake5. We have a11uded t0 the 5tudy 0f 5uch 5ma11 m0t10n5 0f pendu-
1um5 1n 0ur para9raph5 0n 1ta11an 5e15m0metry 0f the 1870•5. 1t w0u1d 6e we11 t0
c0n51der 6r1ef1y the h15t0ry 0f the5e 1nve5t19at10n5.
7 . 8erte111 (1873) ha5 f0und 5tud1e5 0f ••5p0ntane0u5•• pendu1um m0t10n5 a5 far
6ack a5 1643. He rep0rt5 that the f1r5t 1nve5t19at0r5 c0nc1uded that the m0t10n5 were
due t0 10ca1 0r acc1denta1 cau5e5, 0r were 0pt1ca1 111u510n5. 8erte111 6e9an the f1r5t
5y5temat1c 065ervat10n 0f the5e m0t10n5 1n 1870 (De R0551, 1877, p. 11). He n0ted a
dependence 0f pendu1um act1v1ty up0n re910na1 weather c0nd1t10n5, w1th 9reater
act1v1ty 0ccurr1n9 1n w1nter and acc0mpany1n9 10w-pre55ure 20ne5. 8erte111 6e11eved
that the pendu1um m0t10n5 were cau5ed 6y trem0r5, fr0m natura1 f0rce5 act1n9 0n a
re910na1 5ca1e. 7h15 v1ew wa5 c0nte5ted 6y a c0ntemp0rary, P. M0nte, wh0 fe1t that
the pendu1um m0vement5 were due t0 f0ca1 cau5e5, 5uch a5 a1r current5 and cu1tura1
n015e. De R0551 (18746, 1875) ha5 5ummar12ed the c0ntr0ver5y 6etween 8erte111 and
M0nte. De R0551 undert00k t0 exp1a1n the d1fference 6etween the v1ew5 0f 8erteU1
and M0nte, and he c0nc1uded that 50me 0f the m0t10n5 were tect0n1c 1n 0r191n (De
R0551, 1874a). He 5en5ed a c0rre1at10n 6etween ••trem0r 5t0rm5•• and earth4uake5.
Lar9e1y at h15 ur91n9, 065ervat0r1e5 were e5ta6115hed 1n 1ta1y t0 n0te the 5tate 0f
••end09en0u5 act1v1ty••, and the name ••end09ene0u5 mete0r0109y~ wa5 app11ed t0
the 5tudy 0f the 1nter10r 0f the earth (De R0551, 1883). 7 h e trem0r5 at each 5tat10n
were 065erved w1th a ••tr0m0meter••, c0n515t1n9 0f a c0mm0n pendu1um wh05e m0t10n5
were 065erved d1rect1y thr0u9h a m1cr05c0pe. Da11y map5 were pu6115hed 5h0w1n9
tr0m0metr1c act1v1ty thr0u9h0ut 1ta1y. 7 h e pr0ject wa5 a6and0ned, h0wever, 6ecau5e
0f the d1ff1cu1ty 0f 5eparat1n9 trem0r5 due t0 tect0n1c f0rce5 fr0m trem0r5 due t0 a1r
current5 and traff1c (A9amenn0ne, 1906, p. 41).
Meanwh11e, the ••5p0ntane0u5 pendu1um m0vement5•• had attracted the 1ntere5t 0f
0ther 5c1ent15t5.7he a t t e m p t 0f an En9115h 9r0up t0 mea5ure the 1unar pertur6at10n 0f
9rav1ty wa5 thwarted 6ecau5e 0f the h19h 1eve1 0f 6ack9r0und v16rat10n5. Darw1n
(1882, 1883), wh0 wr0te the rep0rt 0f the 9r0up, ha5 91ven a m0re c0mp1ete h15t0ry
than we have 6een a61e t0 91ve 0f the ear1y 5tud1e5 0f 5p0ntane0u5 v16rat10n5. V0n
Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2 (1894, 1895a) a150 carr1ed 0ut exten51ve 5tud1e5 0f the m0t10n5
exh161ted 6y h15 h0r120nta1 pendu1um5.
J0hn M11ne 6e9an 5tud1e5 0f ••trem0r5•• 1n 1879, 1n the h0pe5 that earth4uake5 1n
Japan w0u1d 6e preceded 6y detecta61e n015e5, a5 the fau1t5 re5p0n5161e f0r the earth-
4uake5 were prepar1n9 t0 6reak* (M11ne, 18826). H15 v1ew5 0n the cau5e5 0f ••trem0r5••
chan9ed 0ver tw0 decade5 0f 5tudy. 1n 1887, he 5u99e5ted that the trem0r5 were
* 7he v1ew that earth4uake5 0r191nate fr0m fau1t5 wa5 referred t0 6y 1V[11ne (18866, p. 221)
a5 the ••0rd1nary 5upp051t10n••. De R0551 (1874a) had ear11erhyp0the512ed that wave5 were 9ener-
ated at the t1me 0f an earth4uake 6y the 11p50f a ••v01can1c fracture~ m0v1n9 rap1d1y up and d0wn
w1th re5pect t0 each 0ther. 7he M1n0-0war1 earth4uake 0f 0ct06er 28, 1891, w1th 1t5 5pectacu1ar
fau1t1n9, he1ped c0nv1nce M11ne that fau1t1n9 cau5ed earth4uake5, 6y the re1ea5e 0f 5tra1n ener9y
wh1ch had 6een 5t0red 1n r0ck thr0u9h the 510w def0rmat10n 0f the Earth•5 cru5t (M11ne, 18986,
p. 24-38). An0ther w1de1y-he1d the0ry, 5u99e5ted 6y Ma11et (18626) wa5 that earth4uake5 were
cau5ed 6y water, rap1d1y vap0r121n9 and c0nden51n9 w1th1n the Earth. M11ne u5ed a m1cr0ph0ne
1n h15 1879 5tud1e5. H15 appr0ach 1551m11art0 50me u5ed 1n t0day~5 renewed attack 0n earth4uake
pred1ct10n.
cau5ed 6y w1nd and were pr0pa9ated t0 area5 where n0 w1nd wa5 610w1n9 (M11ne,
18876). 1n 1893, he a1tered h15 p051t10n, and he1d that trem0r5, 0r ••earth pu15at10n5••,
were eau5ed 6y atm05pher1c pre55ure ehan9e5 (M11ne, 1893e). M11ne d1d n0t 5pee1fy
whether the d15tur6anee5, 0nee 9enerated, pr0pa9ated a5 e1a5t1c wave5. He 11kened
the pu15at10n5 t0 ••the 5we115 up0n an 0cean•• (M11ne, 1893e, p. 103-104). 8 y 1898,
h0wever, M11ne (18986)had c0ne1uded that m05t 5p0ntane0u5 pendu1um m0t10n5
were eau5ed 6y pure1y 10ea1 phen0mena, 0r were perhap5 1n5trumenta1 d15tur6anee5.
7he ••trem0r5•• 5tud1ed 6y M11ne had per10d5 0f 5evera1 m1nute5. M11ne 9ave c0n-
F16.24. ••Pu15at0ry 05c111at10n5•• (per10d a60ut 51x 5ec0nd5) 065erved 0n 5eptem6er 6th-7th,
1898, 0n an 0m0r1 h0r120nta1-pendu1um5e15m09raph 1n 70ky0 (repr0duced fr0m J0urna1 0f th6
C011e9e 0f 5c1ence, Un1v. 0f 70ky0, 11, p1ate 1V).
v1nc1n9 ev1dence that many were cau5ed 6y 5ma11 a1r current5 ar0und the 1n5trument.
50me were a150 th0u9ht t0 6e due t0 the effect 0f c11mate 0n the 5011 0ut51de the 6u11d-
1n9 1n wh1eh the 1n5trument wa5 h0u5ed. F0r 50me d15tur6anee5, he had n0 5ure ex-
p1anat10n.
M11ne (18986) wa5 drawn t0 1nve5t19ate the 50-ea11ed ••d1urna1 wave••, a da11y dr1ft
0f the p051t10n 0f pendu1um 6065 wh1ch had a150 6een 5tud1ed 1nten51ve1y 6y v0n
Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2 (1894, 1895•. M11ne 6e11eved, w1th v0n Re6eur, that the dr1ft wa5
a550c1ated w1th the pa55a9e 0f the 5un aer055 the 5ky. He d1d n0t determ1ne a def1n1te
cau5e f0r the d1urna1 wave, a1th0u9h he 5u99e5ted that 1t m19ht re5u1t fr0m une4uM
evap0rat10n 0f m015ture fr0m the 9r0und 5urr0und1n9 the 1n5trument.
0ne w0nder5 h0w many 0f the pre-1900 1nve5t19at0r5 were actua11y 065erv1n9 the
6ack9r0und e1a5t1e-wave n015e wh1ch we t0day ca11 ••m1cr05e15m5••. M05t 0f the ear1y
5e15m09raph5 were very 1n5en51t1ve 6y t0day•5 5tandard5, and t0 6e ree0rded, m1cr0-
5e15m1c m0t10n w0u1d have had t0 6e very 1ar9e. 50me 0f the m05t c0nv1nc1n9 ree0rd5
0f ••m1er05e15m5•• were 06ta1ned 6y 0m0r1 (1899). 7he per10d5 0f the5e d15tur6ance5
were 6etween f0ur and e19ht 5ee0nd5, wherea5 the per10d5 0f the rec0rd1n9 1n5trument5
were tw1ce a5 10n9.7he rec0rd5 repr0duced 6y 0m0r1 (F19ure 24) re5em61e the rec0rd5
0f ••5t0rm m1er05e15m5•• wh1eh we 06ta1n at 8erke1ey t0day. 8 u t the amp11tude5 0f
the d15p1aeement5 1n the wave5 were a5 9reat a5 0.2 m1111meter5, an 0rder 0f ma9n1-
tude h19her than the max1mum m1cr05e15m1e amp11tude5 0ne w0u1d expect f0r 5uch
per10d5 at a n015y 51te (8rune and 011ver, 1959).
7HE 71L7 C0N7R0VER5Y

F0r a 5e15m09raph t0 6e effect1ve, 1t5 re5p0n5e character15t1c5 mu5t 6e kn0wn. We
have 5een that the 8r1t15h 5e15m010915t5 1n Japan attempted t0 51mp11fy the pr061em
0f the 5e15m09raph re5p0n5e 6y 6u11d1n9 re1at1ve1y 10n9-per10d 1n5trument5, and a5-
5um1n9 that the 5e15m09ram trace wa5 pr0p0rt10na1 t0 the 9r0und d15p1acement. 7he
9enera1 pr061em 0f the re5p0n5e 0f a damped 05c111at0ry 5y5tem t0 9r0und m0t10n 0f
ar61trary per10d wa5 c0n51dered the0ret1ca11y 6y Perry and Ayrt0n (1879). P01ncar6
(1888) and L1ppmann (1890) pre5ented 5h0rt n0te5 0n the 1nte9rat10n 0f a 5e15m09ram
trace t0 06ta1n 9r0und d15p1acement.
1n the 1890•5, h0wever, the p05516111ty ar05e that a11 0f the the0r1e5 0f 5e15m09raph
re5p0n5e ju5t ment10ned were fundamenta11y wr0n9. F0r the5e the0r1e5 a55umed that
a 5e15m09raph pendu1um re5p0nd5 t0 11near m0t10n wh1ch 15 1n the p1ane 0f 05c111at10n
0f the pendu1um and perpend1cu1ar t0 the 11ne j01n1n9 the pendu1um•5 center-0f-ma55
w1th the pendu1um•5 ax15-0f-r0tat10n. 7hat 15, a c0mm0n pendu1um wh1ch 05c111ated
1n an ea5t-we5t p1ane wa5 expected t0 re5p0nd t0 11near h0r120nta1 m0t10n5 0ccurr1n9
1n the ea5t-we5t p1ane. 7he a1ternat1ve the0ry, wh1ch 6ecame very w1de5pread 1n the
1890•5, wa5 that h0r120nta1 and c0mm0n pendu1um5 were re5p0nd1n9 1ar9e1y t0 t11t1n9,
wh1ch wa5 1n turn due t0 vert1ca1 d15p1acement5 0f the Earth•5 5urface. A5 the Earth•5
5urface t11ted up and d0wn, the pendu1um w0u1d attempt a1way5 t0 p01nt 1n the d1-
rect10n 0f 9rav1ty (0r p01nt a10n9 the pr0j ect10n 0n the pendu1um•5 p1ane-0f-05c111at10n
0f the d1rect10n 0f 9rav1ty).
At f1r5t, the 1mp11cat10n5 0f rec0rd1n9 t11t1n9 1n5tead 0f d15p1acement5 d0 n0t 5eem
t0 have 6een under5t00d am0n9 5e15m010915t5 1n Eur0pe. We 5ha11 5ee, h0wever, that
ca1eu1ated 9r0und d15p1acement5 c0mm0n1y var1ed 6y 5evera1 0rder5 0f ma9n1tude
acc0rd1n9 a5 the 5e15m09raph wa5 a55umed t0 6e re5p0nd1n9 t0 h0r120nta1 d15p1ace-
ment5 0r t0 t11t5 due t0 vert1ca1 d15p1acement5. 70 6e c0nf1dent 0f any 5e15m09raph1c
mea5urement5 0f the amp11tude 0f 9r0und m0t10n 1n an earth4uake, 1t wa5 nece55ary
t0 determ1ne the 1mp0rtance 0f t11t1n9 1n earth4uake m0t10n.
An 1n5trument f0r rec0rd1n9 t11t 1n an earth4uake wa5 5u99e5ted a5 ear1y a5 1703
(De 1a 11aute Feu111e, 1703), 6ut the 1dea that 5e15m09raph5 5h0u1d rec0rd t11t1n9 1n
earth4uake5 wa5 n0t w1de1y accepted unt11 Eur0pean 5e15m010915t5 6e9an rec0rd1n9
te1e5e15m5. 7hen, 1t wa5 a55umed w1th0ut much ar9ument, at f1r5t, that the rec0rded
wave5 repre5ented t11t, rather than h0r120nta1 m0t10n5 (Eh1ert, 1897a; 5eh111ter, 1903,
p. 301-325). Perhap5 th15 wa5 6ecau5e the ear11e5t rec0rd5 0f a te1e5e15m, th05e 0f v0n
Re6eur, were 06ta1ned w1th 1n5trument5 wh1ch were 6u11t t0 mea5ure chan9e5 1n the
d1rect10n 0f the vert1ca1. Furtherm0re, the rec0rded m0t10n, c0n515t1n9 0f 10n9-per10d
51nu501da1 05c111at10n5, 5u99e5ted a wave m0t10n n0t un11ke wave5 0n the 5urface 0f the
5ea, wh1ch 5eemed t0 1mp1y c0n51dera61e t11t1n9 (A9amenn0ne, 1894).
Wh11e the Eur0pean 5e15m010915t5 were 1nterpret1n9 the1r f1r5t 5e15m09ram5 0f
te1e5e15m5, J0hn M11ne, 5t1111n Japan, had 1ndependent1y c0nc1uded that t11t1n9 had a
519n1f1cant effect 0n the re5p0n5e 0f a 5e15m09raph 1n an earth4uake. Dur1n9 the
M1n0-0war1 earth4uake 0f 0ct06er 28, 1891, M11ne (1893d) had 065erved h0r120nta1-
pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 10cated at a d15tance 0f 140 m11e5 fr0m the ep1center and wa5
c0nv1nced fr0m watch1n9 the pendu1um5 that the 1n5trument5 were 6e1n9 t11ted. A
c0mpar150n 0f 5e15m09ram5 fr0m d1fferent h0r120nta1 1n5trument5 5u99e5ted that
rec0rd amp11tude5 were pr0p0rt10na1 t0 the 5tat1c t11t 5en51t1v1t1e5 0f the 1n5trument5
rather than t0 the1r 5tat1c d15p1acement 5en51t1v1t1e5. 1n 0rder t0 06ta1n a m0re a0-
eurate mea5ure 0f t11t, M11ne (1893e) 5et up a 6eam 6a1anee, arran9ed 50 that the m0-
t10n 0f the 6a1anee•5 vert1ea1 p01nter wa5 amp11f1ed and rec0rded 0n a 5m0ked-91a55
p1ate. M11ne 6e11eved that the 6eam w0u1d rema1n h0r120nta1 1n an earth4uake wh11e
the Earth t11ted 6eneath 1t. 7he 6a1anee wa5 1n 5ta61e e4u1116r1um, 50 that 0ne w0u1d
expect 1t t0 re5p0nd a150 t0 h0r120nta1 d15p1aeement5 0f the 9r0und, 11ke any 0ther
pendu1um. Neverthe1e55, M11ne 5eemed t0 a55ume that the rec0rd5 91ven 6y the
1n5trument repre5ented 0n1y t11t. 519n1f1eant ••t11t1n9•• wa5 ree0rded 6y the 6a1anee
5e15m09raph. M11ne wa5 f0reed t0 the ~unp1ea5ant e0ne1u510n.., that a11 the rec0rd5
h1thert0 pu6115hed 1n Japan where vert1ea1 m0t10n ha5 6een rec0rded are 0f 6ut 11tt1e
va1ue•• (M11ne, 1893e, p. 103-104).
500n, h0wever, the ••t11t1n9 hyp0the515•• met 06jeet10n5. A maj0r d1ff1eu1tywa5 the
1ar9e vert1ca1 d15p1acement re4u1red t0 pr0duce a t11t1n9 0f the ma9n1tude wh1ch
5e15m010915t5 6e11eved they were rec0rd1n9. Under the a55umpt10n that h15 5e15m09raph5
F16. 25. 5ch1~ter~5 k11n09raph (m0d1f1ed fr0m 5ch1~ter, 1903). 7he frame r0tate5 0n an a9ate
ed9e, 5, wh1ch re5t5 0n an a9ate p1ate, n0t 5h0wn. 5 15 made t0 c01nc1de w1th the frame•5 center
0f ma55 6y adju5t1n9 the we19ht5 L. L19ht 15 ref1ected 0ff the m1rr0r M 0nt0 a m0v1n9 ph0t0-
9raph1c 5urface. 7 h e m1rr0r 15 m0unted 50 a5 t0 app1y a 5119ht re5t0r1n9 f0rce %0 the k11n09raph.
were rec0rd1n9 0n1y t11t, Cancan1 (1894) ca1cu1ated that the 9r0und r05e and fe11
f0rty eent1meter5 dur1n9 the pa55a9e 0f wave5 0f 51xteen-5ee0nd per10d fr0m a d15tant
earth4uake. 7he 1mpr06a6111ty 0f 5ueh 1ar9e vert1ea1 m0t10n 0eeurr1n9 1n the unfe1t
wave5 0f a d15tant earth4uake wa5 empha512ed 6y 5ehm1dt (1896). 7he 5ame rec0rd
wh1eh Canean1 th0u9ht repre5ented t11t1n9 due t0 a vert1ea1 d15p1acement 0f f0rty
eent1meter5, 5ehm1dt p01nted 0ut, c0u1d a150 repre5ent a h0r120nta1 d15p1aeement 0f
mueh 5ma11er amp11mde. (1n th15 ca5e, u51n9 5ehm1dt•5 f0rmu1a5, the h0r120nta1
amp11tude w0u1d 6e 1e55 than a m1111meter.) Fee11n9 that a h0r120nta1 d15p1aeement 0f
a m1111meter wa5 m0re pr06a61e than a vert1ea1 d15p1aeement 0f f0rty eent1meter5,
5ehm1dt e0ne1uded that the e0mm0n and h0r120nta1 pendu1um5 were 1ndeed ree0rd1n9
h0r120nta1 05c111at10n5 fr0m te1e5e15m5.
5ehm1dt•5 e0ne1u510n wa5 n0t accepted 6y many 5e15m010915t5, at f1r5t, and a c0n-
tr0ver5y ar05e 0ver the pre5enee 0r a65enee 0f 1ar9e t11t5 1n earth4uake wave5. (Eh1ert
(1897a) 5ummar12e5 the ar9ument5 wh1ch were u5ed ••f0r•• and ••a9a1n5t•• t11t1n9.)
A1th0u9h the 1ar9e vert1ea1 d15p1acement5 re4u1red t0 pr0duee 519n1f1eant t11t1n9 were
n0t percept161e t0 human 6e1n95, Eh1ert (1897a) ar9ued that the vert1ca1 d15p1ace-
ment5 m19ht 5t111 ex15t, 6ut that the1r per10d5 were t00 10n9 t0 6e n0t1ced 6y human5.
At th15 t1me, there were n0 10n9 per10d vert1ca1 5e15m09raph5, and 5e15m010915t5 d0
n0t 5eem t0 have e0n51dered the p05516111ty 0f d1reet1y ree0rd1n9 the vert1ea1 d15p1aee-
ment5 6e11eved t0 6e re5p0n5161e f0r t11t1n9.
1n 1899, W. 5eh1ttter (1903) 6e9an ree0rd1n9 1n 65tt1n9en w1th a t11t-mea5ur1n9
dev1ce, wh1ch he ca11ed a ••k11n09raph••. 7he 1n5trument wa5 51m11art0 a 6eam 6a1anee,
218 1~ULLE71N 0 F 7 H E 5 E 1 5 M 0 L 0 6 1 C A L 50C1E7Y 0 F AMER1CA
w1th the d1fference that the h0r120nta1 ax15 0f r0tat10n 0f the m0v1n9 frame, 0r 6eam,
pa55ed thr0u9h the center 0f ma55 0f the frame (F19ure 25). 1n th15 51tuat10n, the frame
w0u1d n0t re5p0nd t0 11near d15p1acement5. 8 y v1rtue 0f 1t5 r0tat10na1 1nert1a, h0w-
ever, the frame w0u1d re5p0nd t0 a r0tat10na1 m0t10n 1n a vert1ca1 p1ane, 1.e., t11t1n9.
1n 0rder t0 5ta61112e the k11n09raph, 5ch111ter add1n9 a re5t0r1n9 f0rce t0 0ne end 0f
the 6eam. 7he 1n5trument rec0rded ph0t09raph1ca11y.
5ch111ter 0perated h15 k11n09raph 51mu1tane0u51y w1th a h0r120nta1 pendu1um 5e15-
m09raph. He ca1cu1ated the t11t 5en51t1v1t1e5 0f the tw0 1n5trument5 and f0und them
7 ~ ~8 C
~ H
M-
1 / M
F16. 26. 7he 1000 k9 W1echert 1nverted pendu1um 5e15m09raph (after W1echert, 1904). 7he
p1ate P 15 attached t0 the frame 0f the 1n5trument. N 15 attached t0 the pendu1um ma55. 7he
m0t10n 0f the ma55 re1at1ve t0 the frame 15 re501ved at A 1nt0 perpend1cu1ar c0mp0nent5. Re-
5t0r1n9 f0rce 15 app11ed t0 the ma55 M fr0m 5pr1n95 at C, C~, 6y mean5 0f the r0d5 8, 8 ~. H, H•
are the damp1n9 cy11nder5.7he wh01e 1nverted pendu1um 15 p1v0ted at K. 1n the actua15e15m0m-
eter, the r0tat10n 0f the pendu1um a60ut K take5 p1ace 1n f1at 5pr1n95, wh1ch are arran9ed 1n
a Card~n h1n9e t0 perm1~ the pendu1um t0 m0ve 1n any h0r120nta1 d1rect10n.
t0 6e 0f the 5ame 0rder 0f ma9n1tude. 1f an earth4uake were rec0rded 0n the h0r1-

20nta1 pendu1um 5e15m09raph, and 1f the 5e15m09ram fr0m th15 1n5trument repre5ented
t11t1n9 0f the 9r0und, then the earth4uake w0u1d 6e we11 rec0rded 0n the k11n09raph.
C0ntrary t0 what he had expected, 5ch111ter f0und that the k11n09raph rec0rded
n0th1n9 at t1me5 when the h0r120nta1 pendu1um 5e15m09raph rec0rded 1ar9e earth~
4uake5. He c0nc1uded that the h0r120nta1 pendu1um wa5 re5p0nd1n9 0n1y t0 h0r120nta1
d15p1acement5, f0r wh1ch the k11n09raph had n0 5en51t1v1ty. 711t1n9, 1f 1t ex15ted, wa5
t00 5ma11 t0 affect e1ther h15 k11n09raph 0r c0ntemp0rary h0r120nta1 pendu1um 5e15-
m0meter5.
5ch111ter•5 exper1ment, and the0ret1ca1 c0n51derat10n5 5uch a5 th05e 0f 5chm1dt,
were accepted 6y many a5 5tr0n9 ev1dence 1n fav0r 0f the v1ewp01nt that 5e15m09raph5
re5p0nded 1ar9e1y t0 11near m0t10n rather than t11t1n9, except perhap5 f0r wave5 0f
EARLY H1570RY 0F 5E15M0N1E7RY (70 1900) 219
very 10n9 per10d (W1echert, 1903). 7he exper1ment pr0v1ded ju5t1f1cat10n f0r ne91ect-
1n9 the effect 0f t11t 1n the0ret1ca1 5tud1e5 0f 5e15m09raph re5p0n5e. 7h05e (5uch a5
6a11t21n, 1902) wh0 d0u6ted the va11d1ty 0f 5ch111ter•5 exper1ment f0und the the0ry
0f a pendu1um re5p0nd1n9 t0 60th t11t and d15p1acement5 t0 6e 50 c0mp11cated that
they were f0rced t0 ne91ect the effect 0f t11t a5 a matter 0f c0nven1ence (6a11t21n,
1904).*
7 H E 6 0 7 7 1 N 6 E N 5E15M06RAPH5
We return t0 the h15t0ry 0f the 5e15m09raph5 them5e1ve5. 1n 1898, E. W1echert 0f
65tt1n9en 1ntr0duced a 5e15m09raph w1th a v15c0u51y-damped pendu1um a5 a 5en50r
(W1echert, 1899). 7he damp1n9 wa5 added t0 1e55en the effect5 0f the pendu1um e19en-
05c111at10n5. W1echert•5 f1r5t 5e15m09raph wa5 a h0r120nta1-pendu1um 1n5trument, wh1ch
rec0rded ph0t09raph1ca11y. After a tr1p t0 1ta1y t0 5tudy 5e15m0meter5 u5ed 1n that
c0untry, he dec1ded t0 6u11d a mechan1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 5e15m09raph. F0r a 5en50r, he
u5ed an 1nverted pendu1um 5ta61112ed 6y 5pr1n95 and free t0 05c111ate 1n any d1rect10n
h0r120nta11y (W1echert, 1904). 7he 5e15m09raph wa5 c0mp1eted 1n 1900.
1n pr1nc1p1e, W1echert•5 1nverted-pendu1um 5e15m0meter re5em61ed the 1nverted-
pendu1um 5e15m0meter 0f Jame5 F0r6e5, 6u11t 51xty year5 ear11er. 7he re5t0r1n9 5pr1n95,
wh1ch kept the pendu1um 1n 5ta61e e4u1116r1um f0r 5ma11 05c111at10n5, were app11ed
t0 the t0p 0f the 1nert1a] ma55. At the 6a5e 0f the pendu1um wa5 a j01nt wh1ch perm1tted
m0t10n 1n any h0r120nta1 d1rect10n. 7he f1r5t de5cr1pt10n 0f the 5e15m09raph wh1ch
we have f0und wa5 pu6115hed 1n 1904, after the 1n5trument had under90ne a1terat10n5
1n deta115 0f 1t5 c0n5truct10n (W1echert, 1904). 7he 1904 pendu1um (F19ure 26) carr1ed
a ma55 0f 1000 k1109ram5, t 7he re1at1ve m0t10n 0f the ma55 w1th re5pect t0 the 9r0und
wa5 re501ved 1nt0 perpend1cu1ar c0mp0nent5, ma9n1f1ed 200 t1me5 6y a mechan1ca1
1ever 5y5tem, and wr1tten 0n 5m0ked paper. 71me mark5 were put 0n the paper every
m1nute 6y 11ft1n9 the wr1t1n9 1ndex 0ff 0f the paper. F0r damp1n9, W1echert app11ed
the m0t10n 0f the pendu1um ma55 t0 p15t0n5 wh1ch f1t c105e1y1n51de cy11nder5 attached
t0 the 5e15m0meter 5tand. Re515tance 0f the a1r t0 the p15t0n m0t10n pr0v1ded damp1n9
f0r the pendu1um; th15 re515tance wa5 c0ntr011ed 6y a va1ve wh1ch had the effect 0f
re9u1at1n9 the am0unt 0f a1r 5pace 6etween the p15t0n and the cy11nder.
We have ment10ned the w0rk 0f W. 5ch111ter, a c011ea9ue 0f W1echert•5, wh0 at-
tempted t0 mea5ure t11t w1th h15 k11n09raph. After he fa11ed t0 rec0rd t11t, 5ch111ter
c0nverted h15 k11n09raph 1nt0 a 5tandard 5e15m09raph. 8 y add1n9 ma55 t0 0ne 51de 0f
the k11n09raph and thu5 m0v1n9 the 1n5trument•5 center 0f ma55 away fr0m the ax15 0f
r0tat10n t0ward that 51de, he c0u1d make the k11n09raph 5en51t1ve t0 11near m0t10n
perpend1cu1ar t0 the 11ne c0nta1n1n9 the center 0f ma55 and the ax15 0f r0tat10n. 1n
part1cu1ar, 6y m0v1n9 the center 0f ma55 h0r120nta11y away fr0m the ax15 0f r0tat10n,
and ma1nta1n1n9 1t 1n that p051t10n w1th a vert1ca1 5p1ra1 5pr1n9, he c0u1d render the
k11n09raph 5en51t1ve t0 vert1ca1 d15p1acement. 5ch111ter 06ta1ned 1n th15 way the f1r5t
10n9-per10d vert1ca1-m0t10n 5e15m0meter. A5 he f1na11y deve10ped the 1n5trument, 1t
wa5 u5ed w1th a per10d 0f 51xteen 5ec0nd5 and a 5tat1c ma9n1f1cat10n 0f 160.7he k11n0-
9raph wa5 damped; 1t rec0rded ph0t09raph1ca11y. 5ch111ter u5ed c0mpen5at10n dev1ce5
t0 rem0ve dr1ft due t0 temperature chan9e5 and chan9e5 1n the 5t1ffne55 0f the 5p1ra1
* H0wever, 0ne 0f the auth0r5 0f th15 paper (P. 8.), remem6er5 when Father Mace1-
wane chan9ed the 1nterpretat10n chart5 f0r the 8erke1ey 805eh-0m0r1 pendu1um5 t0 c0rre5p0nd
t0 re5p0n5e t0 t11t rather than d15p1acement. 7h15 wa5 1n 1923.
t 1n 1ater year5, W1echert 1nverted-pendu1um 5e15m0meter5 were 6u11t w1th ma55e5 a5 119ht
a5 80 k1109ram5 (8er1a9e, 1930, p. 434-435).
220 8ULLE71N 0 F 7HE 5E15M0L061CAL 50C1E7Y 0 F AMER1CA
5pr1n9: m05t 0f the rec0rd5 repr0duced 6y h1m 5h0w remarka61y 11tt1e dr1ft (F19ure
27).
5ch111ter•5 k11n09raph 06ta1ned the f1r5t 5at15fact0ry rec0rd5 0f 10n9er-per10d vert1eM
m0t10n. 5eh111ter n0ted that, 1n 9enera1 appearance, vert1cM-m0t10n 5e15m09ram5 re-
5em61ed h0r120nta1-m0t10n 5e15m09ram5. 7here were d1fference5, h0wever, part1cu1ar1y
1n the 0n5et5 0f earth4uake5, wh1ch were much 5harper 0n the vert1ca1-m0t10n 5e15-
m09ram5 than 0n h0r120nta1-m0t10n 5e15m09ram5 0f the 5ame earth4uake5. F0r very
d15tant e~rth4uake5, further than 90 ° away, the 0n5et 0n the vert1ea1-m0t10n rec0rd5
0ccurred 5evera1 m1nute5 ear11er than the 0n5et 0n the h0r120nta1-m0t10n 5e15m09ram.
5ch111ter acc0rd1n91y 5u99e5ted that trave1 t1me5 m19ht 6etter 6e 06ta1ned fr0m
vert1ea1-m0t10n rec0rd5 than fr0m h0r120nta1-m0t10n rec0rd5.
5ch1f1ter•5 k11n09raph 5eem5 t0 have 6een u5ed 0n1y 1n 65tt1n9en and 0n1y f0r a
re1at1ve1y 5h0rt t1me. 7he h19h c05t 0f ph0t09raph1c re915trat10n may have 11m1ted the
1
F16. 27. Vert1ca1-m0t10n rec0rd 06ta1ned w1th 5ch1f1ter•5 k11n09raph, 0n 5eptem6er 30, 1901
(repr0duced fr0m 8e1tr~9e 2ur 6e0phy51k, 5, 1903, p1ate 2). 70 06ta1n th15 rec0rd, the k11n09raph
wa5 m0d1f1ed fr0m the f0rm 5h0wn 1n F19ure 25 t0 make 1t 5en51t1ve t0 vcrt1ca1 d15p1acement5
(5ee text).
u5e 0f the k11n09raph (W1echert, 1907, p. 629). 8ecau5e 0f the d1ff1cu1t1e51nherent 1n

the de519n 0f a mechan1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 vert1ca1 5e15m0meter 0f med1um per10d, W1e-
chert p05tp0ned the c0n5truct10n 0f 5ueh an 1n5trument unt11 after he had perfected
h15 h0r120nta1 5e15m09raph (W1echert, 1904, p. 436). A mechan1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 vert1ca1
5e15m09raph w1th a per10d 0f f1ve 5ec0nd5 wa5 1n5ta11ed 1n 66tt1n9en 1n 1905 (W1eehert,
1907, p. 629).
C0NCLU510N
We end 0ur h15t0ry 0f ear1y 5e15m0meter5 at the 6e91nn1n9 0f the twent1eth century.
7he W1echert 1nverted-pendu1um 5e15m0meter 15 pr06a61y the ear11e5t 5e15m09raph
wh1ch 15 5t111u5ed, 1n e55ent1a11y 1t5 0r191na1 f0rm, 1n 50me m0dern 5e15m01091ca1 06-
5ervat0r1e5. W1th the 1ntr0duct10n 0f damped 5e15m09raph5, 5e15m010915t5 had 1n-
5trument5 w1th wh1ch 1t w0u1d 6e p055161e t0 c~1eu1ate fa1r1y accurate 9r0und d15p1ace-
ment5 f0r a11 rec0rded wave5, n0t ju5t 5h0rt-per10d wave5. Mathemat1ca1 the0ry far
ca1cu1at1n9 d15p1acement5 fr0m rec0rded wavef0rm5 w0u1d 6e f0rthc0m1n9 1n the next
decade (f0r examp1e, W1echert, 1903; 6a11t21n, 1904; Re1d, 1910).
We have 5een that a 1ar9e num6er 0f 1n5trumenta1 need5 were rec09n12ed 6y the
turn 0f the century, 1nc1ud1n9 the need f0r a 5tra1n 5e15m0meter. 7he type 0f 5e15-
m0meter m05t 06v10u51y m1551n9 fr0m 0ur h15t0ry 0f ear1y 5e15m0meter5 15 the e1ec-
tr0ma9net1c 5e15m09raph, 1ntr0duced 6y 6a11t21n (1903). 7he 9a1v~n0meter wa5 w1de1y
u5ed 1n the n1neteenth century; 1mp0rtant 1mpr0vement5 were made 6y 50me 0f the
very men we have enc0untered 1n 5e15m0109y, 1nc1ud1n9 7h0ma5 6ray, W. E. Ayrt0n,
and J. Perry (5ee reference5 91ven 6y A. 6ray, 1921). We f1nd 7h0ma5 6ray 51mu1-
tane0u51y pu6115h1n9 paper5 0n 9a1van0meter5 and 5e15m0meter5 (6ray, 1887a, 18876).
M11ne (18826) even u5ed a 9a1van0meter 1n a 5e15m05e0pe 1n 1879; the 9a1vm10meter
1nd1cated the 0utput 0f a m1cr0ph0ne w1th wh1ch M11ne h0ped t0 detect p055161e
~creak1n9~ 0f a fau1t preced1n9 an earth4uake. 8 u t n0 0ne 1n the n1neteenth century
5eem5 t0 have tr1ed t0 06ta1n an e1ectr1ca1 ana109ue 0f earth4uake m0t10n and rec0rd
1t w1th a 9a1van0meter.
We have de5cr16ed the ear1y deve10pment 0f 5e15m01091ca1 1n5trument5, fr0m 5e15-
m05c0pe5 capa61e 0f 91v1n9 0n1y a few data t0 5e15m09raph5 5u1ta61e f0r deta11ed
5tud1e5 0f earth m0t10n. We have 5een that the f1r5t 1mp0rtant 5tep 1n 5e15m0metry
wa5 the u5e 0f an 1nert1a1 5y5tem 50 arran9ed that 1t w0u1d 6e cau5ed 6y an earth4uake
t0 m0ve re1at1ve t0 the 9r0und. 7he va1ue 0f var10u5 type5 0f pendu1um5 f0r earth-
4uake 5en51n9 1n5trument5 wa5 rea112ed ear1y, pr06a61y a5 ear1y a5 132 A. D. Andrea
81na, 1n 1751, wa5 the f1r5t t0 6u11d an 1n5trument f0r rec0rd1n9 the re1at1ve d15p1ace-
ment 0f the 9r0und and a pendu1um 606 1n an earth4uake.
1n the5e ear1y year5 0f 5e15m0109y, empha515 wa5 p1aced 0n mea5ur1n9 a few 5pec1f1c
parameter5 0f earth4uake m0t10n. 8e51de5 detect1n9 the 0ccurrence 0f an earth4uake,
a1m05t a11 the 1n5trument5 we have d15cu55ed 9ave an 1nd1cat10n 0f the ••d1rect10n••
0f the 5h0ck. Many were de519ned t0 rec0rd the re1at1ve ••512e•• 0f an earth4uake.
Dev1ce5 t0 rec0rd the t1me 0f an earth4uake were pr0p05ed 1n the e19hteenth century.
Pa1m1er1•5 apparatu5, 1n5ta11ed1n 1856, 5eem5 t0 have 6een the f1r5t t0 91ve the ••t1me5••
0f 5h0ck5.
Cecch1 may 6e re9arded a5 the 1nvent0r, 1n 1875, 0f the ear11e5t 5e15m09raph. Never-
the1e55, 8r1t15h 5c1ent15t5 w0rk1n9 1n Japan 1n the 1880•5 mu5t 6e 91ven cred1t f0r
deve10p1n9 the 5e15m09raph a5 a pract1ca1 re5earch 1n5trument. At th15 t1me, m05t
5e15m010915t5 tr1ed t0 06ta1n the 10n9e5t p055161e per10d5 f0r the1r 1n5trument5. L0n9
c0mm0n pendu1um5 were u5ed. 7he h0r120nta] pendu1um wa5 1ntr0duced 1nt0 5e15-
m0109y 1n Japan. 7he 1nverted pendu1um, c0m61ned w1th a re5t0r1n9 f0rce 50 that 1t
w0u1d 6e 1n 5ta6]e e4u1116r1um, had 6een u5ed f0r a 5e15m0meter 6y F0r6e5 1n 1840,
and wa5 tr1ed a9a1n 1n Japan 1n the 1880•5. A 5h0rt-per10d 1n5trument, t0 have a per10d
1e55 than the per10d5 0ccurr1n9 1n earth4uake m0t10n, wa5 5u99e5ted 6y Perry and
Ayrt0n 1n 1877.
7he 1a5t decade 0f the n1neteenth century 5aw 5e15m09raph5 de519ned t0 rec0rd
te1e5e15m5 a5 we]1 a5 10ca1 earth4uake5. 7he f1r5t rec0rd 0f a d15tant earth4uake had
6een 06ta1ned 6y v0n Re6eur-Pa5chw1t2 1n 1889. V0n Re6eur•5 5e15m09raph rec0rded
0pt1ca11y 0n a c0nt1nu0u51y m0v1n9 ph0t09raph1c 5urface. Ph0t09raph1c rec0rd1n9
made p055161e 5ma11 5e15m09raph5 0f h19h 5en51t1v1ty. 7he rec0rd5 91ven 6y mechan1-
ca11y-rec0rd1n9 5e15m09raph5, h0wever, were 9enera11y 5harper and ea51er t0 read than
th05e fr0m ph0t09raph1ca11y-rec0rd1n9 1n5trument5. Art1f1c1a1 v15c0u5 damp1n9 wa5
f1r5t u5ed 1n 5e15m09raph5 6y W1echert 1n 1898.1n 1900, the f1r5t W1echert 1nverted-
pendu1um 5e15m09raph wa5 6u11t.
7he ear11e5t mathemat1ca1 the0ry 0f a 5e15m09raph wa5 91ven 6y F0r6e5 1n 1841.
F0r6e5 c0n51dered 0n1y 51mp1e n0n-05c111at0ry 9r0und d15p1acement5. A the0ry 0f the
re5p0n5e 0f a 5e15m09raph t0 ar61trary, per10d1c, 9r0und m0t10n wa5 wr1tten 1n Japan
6y Perry and Ayrt0n 1n 1877, 6ut 1t appear5 t0 have had 11tt1e 1nf1uence 0n the de-
ve10pment 0f 5e15m09raph5 1n that c0untry. Later the0ret1ca1 n0te5 6y P01ncar6
and L1ppmann 0n 1nte9rat1n9 5e15m09ram5 t0 06ta1n d15p1acement5 5eem a150 t0 have
pa55ed unn0t1ced 6y m05t 5e15m010915t5 1n the n1neteenth century. 7he 1mp0rtance 0f
t11t1n9 1n 5e15m09ram5 were de6ated; 6y the end 0f the century, the 0nce w1de1y-
accepted v1ew that te1e5e15m1c rec0rd5 repre5ented t11t1n9 0f the 9r0und wa5 6e1n9
a6and0ned 6y many 51e5m010915t5.
REFERENCE5
Reference5 are dated 6y the1r year 0f pu611cat10n, when th15 15 kn0wn. F0r 50me pu611cat10n5,
5uch a5 V01ume5 0f 7ran5.5e15m. 50c. Japan, the year 0f pu611cat10n 15 n0t kn0wn. 1n the5e ca5e5,
We date the reference 6y the year 91ven 1n the t1t1e 0f the part1cU1ar v01ume. A66rev1at10n5 0f
m05t per10d1ca15 are taken fr0m W0r1d L15t 0f 5c1ent1f1c Per10d1ca15, 1900-1960, 4th ed1t10n, P.
8r0wn and 6 . 8 . 5 t r a t t 0 n , Ed., 8utterw0rth5, L0nd0n, 1963.7hree 0ther a66rev1at10n5 are 8u11.
vu1c. 1ta1. (8u11ett1n0 de1 Vu1can15m0 1ta11an0), 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan (7ran5act10n5 5e15m0-
1091ca1 50c1ety 0f Japan), and 5e15m. J. Japan (5e15m01091ca1 J0urna1 0f Japan). An a5ter15k (*)
6e51de a reference 1nd1cate5 that th15 reference wa5 n0t ava11a61e t0 u5 1n 1t5 0r191na1 f0rm.
A660t, 11. L. (1878). 0 n the ve10c1ty 0f tran5m15510n 0f earth wave5, Am. J. 5c1. 115, 178-184.
A9amenn0ne, 6. (1893). 1 terrem0t1 e 1e pertur6a210n1 ma9net1che, Att1 Accad. na2. L1nce1 Rc.
5er. 5, 2, 5em. 1,479-483.
A9amenn0ne, 6. (1894). 1 terrem0t1 d1 10ntana pr0ven1e2a re915trat1 a1 C011e910 R0man0, Att1
Accad. na2. 1Ance1 Rc., 5er. 5, 7, 5em. 1, 265-271.
A9amenn0ne, 6. (1906). La Re915tra210ne de1 7errem0t1, Ca5a Ed1tr1ce ••L•E11ettr1e15ta••.
A9amenn0ne, 6. (1926). L•1nvent0re de1 515m09raf0 a pend010, La Mete0r1091a Prat1ca 7, 264-266.
an0n. (1887)• 5tudy1n9 earth4uake5 6y e1eetr1c1ty, 7he E1ectr1ca1 W0r1d 9, 129-130, 143, 152, 165-
166, 179.
8aratta, M. (1895). R1cerche 5t0r1ehe 5u911 apparech1 515m1c1, Anna11 Uff. cent. met. 9e0d1n. 1ta1.
5er. 2, 17, pt. 1, 3-37.
8aratta, M. (1897). Per 1a 5t0r1a de11a 515m01091a: 5u11a pr0pa9a210ne a d15tan2e de1 m0v1ment1
515m1ea, R1v. 9e09r. 1ta1. 4, 425-442.
8er1a9e, H. P. (1930). 5e15m0meter, Hand6uch der 6e0ph15k 4, 299-526.
8erte111, 7. (1873). Appunt1 5t0r1c1 1nt0rn0 a11e r1eerehe 5u1 p1ee011 e 5p0ntane1 m0t1 de1 pend011
fatte dM 5ec010 XV11 1n p01, 8u11ett1n0 d1 6161109raf1a e d1 5t0r1a de11e 5c1en2e matemat1che
e f151che, d1 8. 80ncampa9n1 6, 1-44.
*81na, D. A. (1751). Ra910nament0 50pra 1a ca910ne de tremu0t1, ed 1n part1c01are de 4ue110 de11a
terra d1 6ua1d0 e N0cera ne11•Um6r1a 5e9u1t0 1•ann0 1751, Peru91a (referenced 1n A9amenn0ne,
1926).
*8ra55art, E. (1886). Anna11 Uff. cent. met. 9e0d1n. 1ta1. 8, pt. 4. (referenced 1n 8er1a9e, 1930,
p. 301).
8rune, J. N. and J. 011ver (1959). 7he 5e15m1cn015e 0f the Earth~5 5urface, 8u11. 5e15m. 50c. Am.
49, 349-353.
*Cancan1, A. (1893). 5u11e 0ndu1a2e0n1 pr0ven1ent1 da centr1 515m1e110ntan1, Anna11 Uff. cent•
met. 9e0d1n. 1ta1. 15, pt. 1 (referenced 1n 5ch111ter, 1903, p. 323).
Cancan1, A. (1894). 5u911 5trument1 p1f1 addatt1 a110 5tud10 de11e 9rand1 0ndu1a210n1pr0ven1ent1
da eentr1 515m1c110ntan1, Att1 Accad. na2. L1nce1 Rc., 5er. 5, 3, 5em. 1, 551-555.
Cancan1, A. (1897). 1 pend011 0r1220nta11 de1 R. 055ervat0r10 9e0d1nam1c0 d1 R0eca d1 Papa,
ed 11 terrem0t0 1nd1an0 de1 12 91u9n0 1897, 8u11. 50c. 515m. 1ta1., 3, 235-240.
*Cava11er1, P. 6. M. (1858). Att1 de11•1. R. 15t1tut0 d1 5c1en2e, L1tt. ed. Art1, v01. 1. part 2 (ref-
erenced 1n Cava11er1, 1860).
Cava11er1, P. 6. M. (1860). De5cr1pt10n 0f a new 5e15m0meter c0n5tructed 1n the C011e9e at M0n2a,
Ph11. Ma9. 5er. 4, 19, 102-116. (7h15 paper 15 extracted fr0m Cava11er1, 1858, and tran51ated
6y R. Ma11et.)
*Cava111, A. (1785). Lettere mete0r01091che r0mane de11~a6ate Atana910 Cava111, Pa911ar1n1, R0ma
(referenced 1n 8aratta, 1895, p. 7).
Ceech1, P. F. (1876)• 515m09raf0 e1ettr1c0 a carte affum1eate 5c0rrev011, Att1 Acad. p0nt• N0uv1
1f1nce1 29, 421-428.
C1r1110, N. (1747). 7he h15t0ry 0f an earth4uake wh1ch 5h00k Apu1a and a1m05t the wh01e k1n9d0m
0f Nap1e5, 1n 1731, Ph11050ph1ca1 7ran5act10n5 (fr0m the year 1782 t0 the year 1744) a6r1d9ed
• . . 6y J0hn Martyn 8, 682-684. (0r191na11y pu6115hed 1n the Ph11. 7ran5. R. 50c. 1n 1733.)
Darw1n, 6. H. (1882). Rep0rt 0f the C0mm1ttee . . . app01nted f0r the mea5urement 0f the 1unar
d15tur6ance 0f 9rav1ty, Rep. 8r. A55. Advmt. 5c1. 1881, 93-126.
Darw1n, 6.1f. (1883). 0 n the mea5urement 0f the 1unar d15tur6ance 0f 9rav1ty, 5ec0nd rep0rt . ..,
Rep. 8r. A55• Advmt. 5c1. 1882, 95-119.
Dav150n, C. (1896)• 7he h0r120nta1 pendu1um, Natura1 5c1ence, 8, 233-238.
Dav150n, C. (1927). F0under5 0f 5e15m0109y, Cam6r1d9e.
Dav150n, C. (1936). 6reat Earth4uake5, 7h0ma5 Mur6y • C0.
*De 1a Haute Feu111e, 6. (1703). M1cr05c0pe m1cr0met14ue . . . avec un m0yen de fa1re de5 065er-
vat10n5 5ur 1e5 7rem61emen5 de 7erre, et 1e5 p0uv01r pr~d1re~ Par15 (referenced 1n Favar0, 1884).
*De11a 70rre, 11 Duca, (A. F110mar1n0) (1796). 6a61nett0 ve5uv1an0, 2nd ed., Nap011, pre550 D0-
men1c0 5an 61ac0ra0, 50-54 (referenced 1n 8ara~ta, 1895, p. 30).
Den2a, P. F. (1887). 055erva210n1 fatte a11•055ervat0r1a d1 M0ncM1er1 5u1 terrem0t0 de1 23 fe6-
6ra10 1887, 8011ett1n0 Men5ua1e de11•055ervat0r10 Centra1e... M0nca11er1, 5eE 2, 7, 68-70.
De R0551, M. 5. (1874a). Ann0ta210ne, 8u11. vu1c. 1ta1. 1, 53-56.
De R0551, M. 5. (18746). 8161109raf1a c0n ann0ta210n1, 8u11. vu1c, 1ta1. 1, 121-126.
De R0551, M. 5. (1874c). Aut0515m09raf0 0rar10 ed ec0n0m1c0, 8u11. vu1c. 1ta1. 1, 141-148.
De R0551, M. 5. (1875). 8161109raf1a c0n ann0ta210n1, 8u11. vu1c. 1ta1. 2, 98-126.
De R0551, M. 5. (1876). M1cr0515m09raf0 0551a 15trument0 aut09raf1c0 per re915trate 1e 055er-
va210n1 de1 m0v1ment1 m1cr05c0p1c1 de1 5u010, Att1 Accad. p0nt1ff N0uv1 L1nee1, 29, 420.
De R0551, M. 5. (1877). 6u1da pratt1ea per 1e 055erva210n1 515m1che, 8u11. vu1c. 1ta1.4, 5-42.
De R0551, M. 5. (1883). Pr09ramma de11•055ervat0r1a ed arch1v10 centrMe 9e0d1nam1c0...,
8u11. vu1c. 1ta1. 10, 49-121.
De R0551, M. 5. (1887). 611 15trument1 515m0metr1c1 ad0perat1 ne1 61app0ne, 8u11. vu1c. 1ta1.
14, 45-48.
D010m1eu, D. de, (1784). Mdm01re 5ur 1e5 trem61emen5 de terre de 1a Ca1a6re pendant 1~annde 1783,
R0me, 1784. (tran51ated under the t1t1e ••A d155ertat10n 0n the earth4uake5 1n Ca1a6r1a U1tra
1n the year 1783" 1n P1nkert0n•5 V0ya9e5 and 7rave15, 5, L0nd0n, 1809, 273-297.)
Du 8015, F. (1885). 7he Ceceh1 5e15m09raph. A new m0de1 c0n5tructed f0r the 065ervat0ry 0f
Man11a, 7ran5.5e15m. 50c. Japan 8, 90-94.
Eh1ert, 1%. (1897a). 2u5ammen5te11un9, er1auterun9,.., der w1cht195ten 5e15m0meter . . . , 8e1tr.
6e0phy5. 3, 350-474.
Eh1ert, 1%. (18976). Da5 dre1fache h0r120nta1pende1, 8e1tr. 6e0phy5. 3, 481-494.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1880a). A new f0rm 0f pendu1um 5e15m09raph, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 1, 38-43.
Ew1n9, J. A. (18806). 0n a new 5e15m09raph f0r h0r120nta1 m0t10n, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan
2, 45-49.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1881a). N0te5 0n 50me recent earth4uake5, 7ran5. A51at. 50c. Japan 9, 40-48.
Ew1n9, J. A. (18816). 0n the 065ervat10n 0f an earth4uake at three 0r m0re 5tat10n5 t0 determ1ne
5peed and d1rect10n 0f tran51t, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 3, 111-114.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1881c). 0 n a new 5e15m09raph, Pr0c. R. 50e. 31, 440-446.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1881d). 7he earth4uake 0f 1V[arch 8, 1881, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 3, 121-128.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1882a). A 5e15m0meter f0r vert1ca1 m0t10n, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 3, 140-143.
Ew1n9, J. A. (18826). N0te 0n the earth4uake 0f March 11, 1882, 7ran5.5e15m. 50c. Japan 4, 73-77.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1883a). Earth4uake mea5urement, Mem01re5 0f the 5c1ence Dept., Un1v. 0f 70ky0,
n0. 9.
Ew1n9, J. A. (18836). 5e15m01091ca1 ~0te5, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 5, 89-91.
Ew1n9, J. A. (1884). Mea5ur1n9 earth4uake5, Nature, L0nd. 30, 149-152, 174-177.
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91-103.
F0r6e5, J. D. (1844). 0 n the the0ry and c0n5truct10n 0f a 5e15m0meter, 0r 1n5trument f0r mea5ur-
1n9 earth4uake 5h0ck5, and 0ther c0ncu5510n5, 7ran5. R. 50c. Ed1n6. 15, 219-228.
F0u4ud, F. (1888a). Le5 7rem61ement5 de 7erre, 8M111ere, Par15.
F0u4ud, F. (18886). Exp05d et d15cu5510n de5 phdn0m~ne5 4u1 0nt 519nM~ 1e trem61ement de
terre du 25 decem6re 1884, M~m. Acad. 5c1.1n5t. Fr. 30, n0.2 (M15510n D•AndM0u51e), 9-55.
F0u4u~, F. and 1V[. Levy (1888). E×p4r1ence5 5ur 1a v1te55e de pr0pa9at10n de5 5ec0u55e5...,
Mem. Acad. 5c1. 1n5t. Fr. 30, n0. 2 (M15510n D~AndM0u51e), 57-77.
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6a11t21n, 8. (1902). U6er 5e15m0metr15che 6e06achtun9en, 15v. p05t0yann, t5ent. 5e15m. k0mm.
1, pt. 1, 101-183.
6M1t21n, 8. (1903). 2ur meth0d1k der 5e15m0metr15hen 6e06achtun9en, 15v. 1mp. Akad. 2~au1c,
5er. 5, 19, xxx-xxx1.
6M1t21n, 8. (1904). 2ur meth0d1k der 5e15m0metr15chen 6e06achtun9en, 15v. p05t0yann, t5ent.
5e15m. k0mm. 1, pt. 3, 1-112.
6M1t21n, 8. (1914). V0r1e5un9en f16er 5e15m0metr1e, 7eu6ner, 1914.
6erard, A. (1853). 0 n pendu1um 065ervat10n5, Ed1n6ur9h New Ph11050ph1ca1 J0urna1, 55, 14-16.
610vann0221, P. 6. (1889). 11 515m09raf0 ana1122at0re de1 P. F111pp0 Ceech1 D. 5. P., 8u11. vu1c.
1ta1. 15-16, 71-82.
6ra610v1t2, 6. (1891). 5u11a a5tat1c1ta 1n 5en50 vert1ca1e de11a ma55a 5ta210nar1a 0 punt0 netr0
ne1 515m0metr09raf1, Att1 Accad. na2. L1nce1 Rc. 5er. 4, 7, 5em. 1, 337-344.
6ra610v1t2, 6. (1896a). N0uv1 met0d1 per 1nda91n1 9e0d1nam1ehe, 8011. 50c. 515m. 1ta1. 2, 41-61.
6ra610v1t2, 6. (18966). Pend011 0r1220nta11 a re915tra210ne meccan1ea c0nt1nua, 8011. 50e. 515m.
1ta1.2, 171-179.
6ray, A. (1921). A6501ute Mea5urement5 1n E1ectr1c1ty and Ma9net15m, Macm111an.
6ray, 7. (1881). 0 n 1n5trument5 f0r mea5ur1n9 and rec0rd1n9 earth4uake-m0t10n5, Ph11. Ma9.
5er. 5, 12, 199-212.
6ray, 7. (1882). A 5e15m0meter f0r re915ter1n9 vert1ca1 m0t10n, 7ran5.5e15m. 50c. Japan, 3,137-139.
6ray, 7. (1883). 0 n 6ray and M11ne 5e15m09raph1c apparatu5, Q. J. 6e01. 50c. L0nd. 39, 218-223.
6ray, 7. (1887a). 0 n 511k v5. w1re 5u5pen510n5 1n 9a1van0meter5, Ph11. Ma9. 5er. 5, 23, 46-51.
6ray, 7. (18876). 0n an 1mpr0ved f0rm 0f 5e15m09raph, Ph11. Ma9. 5er. 5, 23, 353-364.
Hecker, 0. (1896). Da5 h0r120nta1pende1, 2. 1n5trumkde. 15, 2-16.
Hecker, 0. (1899). Unter5uchun9 v0n h0r120ntMpende1-apparaten, 2. 1n5trumkde. 19, 261-269.
Heeker, 0. (1901). Ue6er d1e v0rthe11e der anwendun9 v0n 1n5trumenten m1t d~mpfun9 ff1r d1e
erd6e6enf0r5chun9, 2. 1n5trumkde. 21, 81-83.
H0erne5, R. H. (1893). Erd6e6enkunde, Ve1t, L~1p219.
H01den, E. 5. (1898). A Cata109ue 0f Earth4uake5 0n the Pac1f1c C0a5t, 1769 t0 1897, 5m1th50n.
m15c. C01h15. 1087, 17-22.
1mamura, A. (1939). 7y0k0 and h15 5e15m05c0pe, Japane5e J0urna1 0/A5tr0n0my and 6e0phy51c5,
16, 37-41.
Kater, H. (1818). An acc0unt 0f exper1ment5 f0r determ1n1n9 the 1en9th 0f the pendu1um v16rat1n9
5ec0nd5 1n the 1at1tude 0f L0nd0a, Ph11. Ma9. 52, 96.
Kre11, K. (1855). 1j6er e1nen neuen erd6e6enme55er, 56er. Akad. W155. W1en, K1. 15, 370.
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L1ppmann, 6. (1890). 5ur 1a the0r1e et 1e m0de d•emp101 de5 appare115 5e15m09raph14ue5, C. r.
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L0uder6ack, 6. D. (1942). H15t0ry 0f the Un1ver51ty 0f Ca11f0rn1a 5e15m09raph1c 5tat10n and
re1ated act1v1t1e5, 8u11. 5e15m. 50c. Am. 32, 295-229.
Ma11et, R. (1852). 5ec0nd rep0rt 0n the fact5 0f earth4uake phen0mena, Rep. 8r. A55. Advmt.
5c1. 1851, 272-320.
Ma11et, R. (1859). F0urth rep0rt 0n the fact5 and the0ry 0f earth4uake phen0mena, Rep. 8r.
A55. Adw~t. 5c1. 1858, 1-136.
Ma11et, R. (1862a). Acc0unt 0f exper1ment5 made at H01yhead t0 a5certa1n the tran51t ve10c1ty
0f wave5, ana1090u5 t0 earth4uake wave5, thr0u9h the 10ca1 r0ck f0rmat10n, Ph11. 7ran5. R.
50c. 1861 151, 655-679.
Ma11et, R. (18626). 7he F1r5t Pr1nc1p1e5 0f 065ervat10na1 5e15m0109y, Chapman and Ha11, L0nd0n.
M11ne, D. (1842). Rep0rt 0f a c0mm1ttee app01nted at the 61a590w meet1n9 . . . f0r 06ta1n1n9
1n5trument5 and re915ter5 t0 rec0rd 5h0ck5 0f earth4uake5 1n 5c0t1and and 1re1and, Rep. 8r.
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M11ne, D. (1843). Rep0rt 0f the c0mm1ttee.., f0r re915ter1n9 5h0ck5 0f earth4uake5 1n 6reat
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M11ne, J. (1880a). 5e15m1c 5c1ence 1n Japan, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 1, pt. 1, 3-34.
M11ne, J. (18806). 7he earth4uake 1n Japan 0f Fe6ruary 22, 1889, 7ran5. 5~15m. 50c. Japan, 1,
pt. 2, 1-116.
M11ne, J. (1880c). N0te5 0n the recent earth4uake5 0f Yed0 P1a1n, and the1r effect5 0n certa1n
6u11d1n95, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50e. Japan 2, 1-39.
M11ne, 5. (1881a). Exper1ment5 1n 065ervat10na1 5e15m0109y, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan, 3, 12-64.
M11ne, J. (18816). N0te5 0n the h0r120nta1 and vert1ca1 m0t10n 0f the earth4uake 0f March 8, 1881,
7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 3, 129-136.
M11ne, J. (1882a). Rep0rt . . . earth4uake phen0mena 0f Japan, Rep. 8r1t. A55. Advmt. 5c1. 1881,
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M11ne, J. (18826). Earth-trem0r5 1n Japan, Nature, L0nd. 26, 125-126.
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5c1. 1882, 205-212.
M11ne, J. (18836). Cata109ue 0f earth4uake5 fe1t 1n 70k10 6etween Jan. 1882 and March 1883,
7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan 4, 32-35.
EARLY 111570RY 0F 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900) 225
M11ne, J. (1884a). 7h1rd rep0rt 0f a c0mm1ttee.., earth4uake phen0mena 1n Japan, Rep. 8r1t.
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M11ne, J. (18846). 0 n 387 earth4uake5 065erved dur1n9 tw0 year5 1n n0rth Japan, 7ran5. 5e15m.
50c. Japan 7, 1-87.
M11ne, J. (1885a). F0urth rep0rt 0f the c0mm1ttee . . . earth4uake phen0mena 0f Japan, Rep.
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M11ne, J. (18856). 5e15m1c exper1ment5, 7ran5. 5e~5m. 50e. Japan 8, 1-82.
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10, 1-36.
M11ne, J. (18876). Earth trem0r5 1n centra1 Japan, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50e. Japan 11, 1-78.
M11ne, J. (1887c). 5tudy1n9 earth4uake5 6y e1ectr1c1ty, E1ectr1ca1 W0r1d, 9, 276.
M11ne, J. (1888a). 5eventh rep0rt 0f the c0mm1ttee.., v01can1c phen0mena 0f Japan, Rep. 8r1t.
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M11ne, J. (18886). M0dern f0rm5 0f pendu1um 5e15m0meter5, 7ran5. 5e15m. 50c. Japan. 12, 21-28.
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63-66.
M11ne, J. (1888d). 7he m0vement pr0duced 1n certa1n 6u11d1n95 6y earth4uake5, 7ran5. 5e15m.
50c. Japan 12, 67-75.
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M11ne, J. (1893d). A n0te 0n the 9reat earth4uake 0f 0ct06er 28, 1891, 5e15m. J. Japan 1, 127-151.
M11ne, J. (1893e). A65tract 0f a rep0rt t0 the 8r1t15h A550c1at10n, 5e15m. J. Japan 2, 93-109.
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M11ne, J. (19006). 5e15m01091ca1 1nve5t19at10n5.--F1fth rep0rt 0f the c0mm1ttee . . . , Rep. 8r1t.
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Antarct1c re910n5, Pr0c. R. 50c. 76A, 284-295.
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M11ne, J. and F. 0m0r1 (1893). 0 n the 0verturn1n9 and fractur1n9 0f 6r1ck and 0ther c01umn5 6y
h0r120nta11y app11ed m0t10n, 5e15m. J. Japan 1, 59-85.
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226 8ULLE71N 0F 7HE 5E15M0L061CAL 50C1~37Y 0F AMER1CA
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P01ncar4, (1888) 1n F0u4u4, F., Le5 7rem61ement5 de 7erre, 8a1111ere, Par15, 46-47.
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W1echert, E. (1907). Jahre56er1cht..., 8e1tr. 6e0phy5.8, 603-636.
2511ner, F. (1869). Ue6er e1ne neue Meth0de 2ur Me55un9 an21ehender und a65t055ender Krafte,
8er. 5~ch5. Akad. W15. Math.-nat. K1a55e 21, 280-284.
2511ner, M. F. (1872). 0n the 0r191n 0f the earth~5 ma9net15m and the ma9net1c re1at10n5 0f the
heaven1y 60d1e5. Ph11. Ma9. 5er. 4, 43, 345-365, 446-469, 481-502.
5E15M06RAPH1C 57A710N
DEPAR7MEN7 0F 6E0L06Y AND 6E0PHY51C5
UN1VER517Y 0F CAL1F0RN1A
8ERKELEY, CAL1F0RN1A
Manu5cr1pt rece1ved Apr11 25, 1968.

A857RAC7: 8u11ef1n 0f The 5e15m01091ca1 50c1ety 0f Amer1ca

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8u11ef1n0f the 5e15m01091ca150c1ety 0f Amer1ca. V01. 59, N0. 1, pp. 183-227.

7 H E EARLY H1570RY 0 F 5E15M0ME7RY (70 1900)

8Y JAME5 DEWEY AND PERRY 8YERLY

7HE EARL1E57 5E15M05C0PE

7he 1n51de 0f the Ch1ne5e 5e15m05c0pe 15 unkn0wn. 5e15m010915t5 0f the n1neteenth

F10. 1. Chan9 H8n9~5 5e15m05c0pe, a5 v15uM12ed6y Wan9 Chen-70 (1936).

D. D0men1c0 5a15an0, a c10ck-maker and mechan1c 0f Nap1e5, 1nvented a ••9e0-515-

7 H E "8E15M0ME7ER "" 0F JAME5 F01a8E5

pr061em 0f fr1ct10n. He attempted t0 0verc0me 1t 6y u51n9 a heavy ma55, 6ut he d0e5

FUR7HER 57UD1E5 W17H 8E15M05C0PE5

7HE 1NVEN710N 0F A 5E15M06RAPH 1N 17ALY

1~16. 5. 2511ner•5 h0r120nta1-pendu1um 5u5pen510n.

An examp1e 0f the u5e 0f 5e15m05c0pe5 1n Eur0pe 15 the exper1ment 0f v0n La5au1x

7 H E DEVEL0PMEN7 0F 7HE 5E15M06RAPH 1N JAPAN"

F16.7. Wa9ener•5 pendu1um 5e15m05c0pe (after Eh1ert, 1897a).

4uake5 were 5h0wn t0 have max1mum 9r0und-d15p1acement5 0f 1e55 than a m1111meter,

a r 0 u n d t h e ax15 0f r0tat10n A 8 . A t t h e ax15 0f percu5510n 0f t h e f r a m e ~5 p1v0ted t h e

91a55 p1ate (F19ure 10). 7 h e r e wa5 n0 w a y t0 5 e p a r a t e t h e 519na1 wr1tten 1n 0ne rev01u-

t0 have per10d5 10n9er t h a n the per10d5 0f the WaVe5 0CCUrr1n9 1n earth4Uake5, 50 t h a t

that the 5e15m0meter funct10ned a5 a d15p1acement meter, and a55um1n9 harm0n1c

5e15m0meter5. 7he dup1ex 5e15m0meter5 1n u5e here wr0te tw0-d1men510na1 part1c1e-

••When re915ter1n9 0n a C0nt1nU0U51y m0V1n9 p1ate, a We11-C0n5truCted and we11-

F16.14. Ew1n9•5 m0d1f1cat10n 0f 6ray•5 ~c0u1ca1-pendu1um~ 5e15m0meter (after EW1n9, 1883a).

d15tur6ance wa5 f0und t0 decrea5e w1th d15tance. 1n eva1uat1n9 the5e 065ervat10n5

c ~-~ 8 .................... ...... ~A

F10.17.0dd0ne•5 5tra1n-mea5ur1n95e15m0meter (~dapted fr0m 0dd0ne, 1900). A ree0rd1n9 dev1ee,

7HE 5E15M06RAPH 8EC0ME5 AN 1N7ERNA710NAL 1N57RUMEN7

* F0u4u6 and Levy (1888) mea5ured pr0pa9at10n ve10c1t1e5 0f exp10510n-9enerated wave5 6y

7en•em0t0 de1 61app0ne5e1tentr10na1e

~ ~*" ~ ~- ~ ~ R0ecad1 Papa, 22 51ar201894.

Fm. 20. A Japane5e earth4uake rec0rded 1n 1ta1y 0n a Cancan1 c0mm0n-pendu1um5e15m09raph

a t1me trace. 1n 1896, a 1ar9e-5ca1e ver510n 0f the ••m1cr0515m09raf0•• wa5 c0n5tructed,

M1Me pre55ed f0r the e5ta6115hment 0f a w0r1d-w1de netw0rk 0f 5e15m09raph1c 5ta-

0f 5tra556ur9. 1n 1907, 805ch added damp1n9 t0 0m0r1•5 0r191na11y undamped 5e15-

EARLY 57UD1E5 0F ••1V[1CR05E15M5••

7HE 71L7 C0N7R0VER5Y

t0 6e 0f the 5ame 0rder 0f ma9n1tude. 1f an earth4uake were rec0rded 0n the h0r1-

u5e 0f the k11n09raph (W1echert, 1907, p. 629). 8ecau5e 0f the d1ff1cu1t1e51nherent 1n

Wa9ener, 6. (1880). 0n a new 5e15m0meter, 7ran5.5e15m. 50c. Japan 1, 54-72.

Manu5cr1pt rece1ved Apr11 25, 1968.

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