gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.hazards:G01145 eng; USA utf8 dataset NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information pointOfContact 2025-05-08 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994 (Superseded Version) 1996-04-13 publication International DOI Foundation (IDF) doi:10.25921/4ac6-8z18 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information NCEI Metadata ID: gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.hazards:G01145 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact HTTPS NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information publisher tableDigital The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information decommissioned the Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994 on May 05, 2025 with no further updates. Upon termination, the underlying data will be available from https://doi.org/10.25921/4ac6-8z18. Comments and questions may be sent to: ncei.info@noaa.gov. Note this metadata record is accompanied by another newer version of metadata for the same product. The Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms is a database of over 15,000 digitized and processed accelerograph records from 1933 to 1994. Data were obtained from a variety of structural and geologic environments. Most of the data are available in three levels of processed files. The first type of file contains raw (uncorrected) time, history data points digitized from the analog accelerogram. The second is a filtered, instrument corrected version of the time, history data. This file also contains calculated velocities and displacements obtained by the integration and double integration of the corrected accelerations. The third type of file includes the calculated Fourier and response spectra data. The data are from the United States, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, El Salvador, Fiji, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. This database is static and is no longer being updated. Provide strong motion earthquake data for engineering research completed NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information pointOfContact notPlanned There are no plans to update the data in this collection. https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/img/accel.gif Accelerograph image of the Imperial Valley Aftershock May 19, 1940 at El Centro, California. jpg Earth Science > Solid Earth > Seismology > Earthquake Dynamics Earth Science > Solid Earth > Seismology > Earthquake Occurrences theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 2024 revision 19 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Accelerographs Accelerometers Digitizer instrument Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords 2020-01-09 publication 9.1 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System project Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords 2020-01-09 publication 9.1 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Global place Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords 2024 revision 19 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2020-01-09 publication 9.1 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian otherRestrictions Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives. otherRestrictions Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose. otherRestrictions Cite as: US National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) (2025). Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994 (NCEI Accession 0303927). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/4ac6-8z18. Accessed [date]. eng; USA geoscientificInformation -178. 178. -45. 62. 1933-03-11 1994-01-17 Event Date physicalMeasurement Earthquake Parameters physicalMeasurement Earthquake Name The name of the earthquake, usually associated with the geographic location, such as Valparaiso Earthquake. State The State abbreviation where the earthquake occurred. Country The Country where the earthquake occurred. Latitude Distance measured north or south from the equator. Distance north is positive, distance south is negative. 90.00000 -90.00000 decimal degrees decimal degrees Longitude Longitude is measured from the Prime Meridian (which is the north/south line that runs through Greenwich, England), values measured east are positive and values measured west are negative. 180.00000 -180.00000 decimal degrees decimal degrees Focal Depth The depth of the earthquake is given in kilometers, positive downward. 0 700 kilometers kilometers Magnitude The value in this column contains the earthquake magnitude. The type of magnitude (Ms, mb, etc.) is in the Mag Type column. The magnitude is a number that characterizes the relative size of an earthquake. Magnitude is based on measurement of the maximum motion recorded by a seismograph. Several scales have been defined, but the most commonly used in the earthquake strong motion database are local magnitude (ML), commonly referred to as "Richter magnitude," surface-wave magnitude (Ms), and body-wave magnitude (Mb). 0.0 9.9 Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) The Modified Mercalli Intensity (Int) is given in Roman Numerals (converted to numbers in the digital database). I. Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable circumstances. II. Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings. Delicately suspended objects may swing. III. Felt quite noticeably indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings, but many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration like passing truck. Duration estimated. IV. During the day felt indoors by many, outdoors by few. At night some awakened. Dishes, windows, and doors disturbed; walls make creaking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking building. Standing motorcars rock noticeably. V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows, etc., broken; a few instances of cracked plaster; unstable objects overturned. Disturbance of trees, poles, and other tall objects sometimes noticed. Pendulum clocks may stop. VI. Felt by all; many frightened and run outdoors. Some heavy furniture moved; a few instances of fallen plaster or damaged chimneys. Damage slight. VII. Everybody runs outdoors. Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction slight to moderate in well built ordinary structures; considerable in poorly built or badly designed structures. Some chimneys broken. Noticed by persons driving motor cars. VIII. Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable in ordinary substantial buildings, with partial collapse; great in poorly built structures. Panel walls thrown out of frame structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture overturned. Sand and mud ejected in small amounts. Changes in well water. Persons driving motor cars disturbed. IX. Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb; great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations. Ground cracked conspicuously. Underground pipes broken. X. Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame structures destroyed with foundations; ground badly cracked. Rails bent. Landslides considerable from river banks and steep slopes. Shifted sand and mud. Water splashed over banks XI. Few, if any (masonry), structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Broad fissures in ground. Underground pipelines completely out of service. Earth slumps and land slips in soft ground. Rails bent greatly. XII. Damage total. Waves seen on ground surfaces. Lines of sight and level distorted. Objects thrown upward into the air. Magnitude Type The type of earthquake magntitude. MB = Body-wave magnitude MC = Coda or duration magnitude MJ = Probably MS magnitude M = Unknown magnitude MS = Surface wave magnitude ML = Local magnitude Station Geographic Parameters physicalMeasurement Station Name The name of the acclerograph station. Station Name The name of the acclerograph station. Station Name The name of the acclerograph station. Station Latitude Distance measured north or south from the equator. Distance north is positive, distance south is negative. 90.00000 -90.00000 decimal degrees decimal degrees Station Longitude Longitude is measured from the Prime Meridian (which is the north/south line that runs through Greenwich, England), values measured east are positive and values measured west are negative. 180.00000 -180.00000 decimal degrees decimal degrees Epicentral Distance The distance from the earthquake source to the accelerograph station location. kilometers kilometers Station Site Parameters physicalMeasurement Component Description not provided. Floor The Floor number where the accelerograph is located. -1 is the basement and 99 is the roof. 99 -1 Site Geology The site geology of the accelerograph station. Structure The type of structure the accelerograph is housed in. B = BUILDINGS D = DAMS BR = BRIDGES U = UTILITIES F = FREE FIELD M = MISCELLANEOUS Site Geology Coefficient A general description of the accelerograph station Site Geology. S1 = BEDROCK AND HARD ROCK S2 = SEDIMENTARY AND CONGLOMERATED ROCK S3 = SOIL AND GLACIAL TILL S4 = ALLUVIUM AND UNCONSOLIDATED DEPOSITS Ground Motion Parameters physicalMeasurement Uncorrected Acceleration The peak uncorrected or raw acceleration value in cm/sec2. The term "uncorrected" indicates that a digitized or digitally recorded time series has received no processing that involves any hypotheses as to the character or frequency content of the ground motions or recording instruments. An "uncorrected" analog-recorded time series has been corrected only for uneven film transport with time, for transverse motion of the film as it moved longitudinally through the recorder, and for angular tilts between the baselines of adjacent scan segments of long records. Time series derived from both analog and digitally recorded data have been shifted to have zero mean; and have been converted from digitization units or volts to units of cm/sec/sec (ordinates) and seconds (abscissas). cm/sec2 cm/sec2 Corrected Acceleration The peak corrected acceleration value in cm/sec2. The "correction" process may apply baseline corrections, bandpass filters (removing noise contamination) and instrument correction (as necessary, to remove the effects of frequency-dependent instrument response) to a time series. cm/sec2 cm/sec2 Maximum Velocity The maximum velocity in cm/sec. For analog data and some of the digitally recorded data, the velocity time series are derived by integrating the corrected acceleration time series. For some digitally recorded data, the velocity is derived by integrating the baseline-corrected but unfiltered acceleration time series and then filtering the velocity. cm/sec cm/sec Maximum Displacement The maximum displacement in cm. For analog data and some of the digitally recorded data, the displacement time series are derived by integrating the velocity time series. For some of the digitally recorded data, the displacement time series are derived by doubly integrating the baseline-corrected but unfiltered acceleration time series and then filtering the displacement. centimeter centimeter Tape Files referenceInformation Uncorrected Tape All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Uncorrected File All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Corrected Tape All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Corrected File All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Response Tape All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Response File All of the digitized strong motion data are arranged into sets grouped by either triggering events or geographic regions. These sets are identified by a particular data set number (such as SM-USACA01 or SM-TAI04). Most of the data sets include three types of processed records: uncorrected (raw), corrected (filtered), and response spectra (includes Fourier spectra). Each data set is distributed with documentation containing (when available) information on the triggering earthquakes, recording stations, record processing procedures, and data format. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. The UNC TAPE column indicates the directory the dataset of interest is located. The datasets are listed in the /data directory and the files are located in the /records directory under the dataset directory. The UNC FILE column indicates the file number for a particular record. Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Volume 3: Non-USA records Originator data format NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information pointOfContact In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media. Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions. 187.3 https://doi.org/10.25921/4ac6-8z18 HTTPS Web browser NCEI Dataset Landing Page Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. information https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/data/publications/NCEI-strong-motion.xlsx HTTP Complete NCEI Earthquake Strong Motion Database Excel Spreadsheet Direct file download link for NGDC's Strong Motion Earthquake database. download https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/data/cdroms/EQ_StrongMotion_v1/ HTTP Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records Download link for Volume 1: California records for 1933-1988, Montana, Nevada, and Washington records. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. download https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/data/cdroms/EQ_StrongMotion_v2/ HTTP Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records Download link for Volume 2: California records for 1989-1994 and all other non-California USA records. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. download https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/data/cdroms/EQ_StrongMotion_v3/ HTTP Volume 3: Non-USA records Download link for Volume 3: Non-USA records. These data were originally available on a three-volume CD collection. The contents of each volume are available for download. download https://doi.org/10.25921/4ac6-8z18 HTTPS Web browser NCEI Dataset Landing Page Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. download dataset The database was started in the 1970s. The purpose was to provide access to raw and processed earthquake strong motion data to earthquake engineers. The database was started in the 1970s. Natural Hazards Data Manager DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce custodian The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information decommissioned the Strong Motion Earthquake Data Values of Digitized Strong-Motion Accelerograms, 1933-1994 on May 05, 2025 with no further updates. Upon termination, the underlying data will be available from https://doi.org/10.25921/4ac6-8z18. Comments and questions may be sent to: ncei.info@noaa.gov 2025-05-05T00:00:00Z dataset The data are high quality and many of the records are considered “design records” and are still used by earthquake engineers today. The National Geophysical Data Center, as the World Data Center, collected US as well as non-US records. The database is complete through 1994. repository NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015. 2015-04-22T00:00:00 unknown This record was automatically modified on 2015-10-01 to include references to NCEI where applicable. Updated 2022-06-14 to replace broken IDB link with HTML web page URL. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Metadata Specialist editor