Strong motion data centre

A Strong Motion Data Centre, for the collection, storage, distribution and preliminary analysis of accelerograms from the Australian and New Guinean regions, has recently been established at Canberra by the Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources. The work undertaken at the Centre is described and examples of the processing facilities available are given. Extensive use is made of computers in the analysis of the accelerograms and the plotting of the results. By December 1970 thirteen accelerographs had been obtained, by several institutions, for installation in the Australian and New Guinea regions and 24 accelerograms had been received at the Centre for analysis. The instruments located on unconsolidated material at Lae, Yonki and Panguna are currently producing about 5 accelerograms per year and the maximum ground acceleration recorded so far, of 0.12g, was obtained at Panguna, where the accelerograph is located on recent unconsolidated volcanic ash.