Seismotectonic maps in the vicinity of the lower Wabash Valley, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky - Digital Spatial Database: Reported Modified Mercalli Intensity values

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Seismotectonic maps in the vicinity of the lower Wabash Valley, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky - Digital Spatial Database: Reported Modified Mercalli Intensity values
Abstract:
This cover contains locations with intensity values associated with felt reports from damaging earthquakes in the lower Wabash Valley occurring from 1811 through 1987. Margaret Hopper collated these data from historical data gathered from previous researchers, personal letters, newspaper accounts, official correspondence, and from mailed responses to queries on damage effects from modern earthquakes. She examined all reports and assigned a Modified Mercali Intensity (MMI) value to each report.
The values for intensity reported in these data are consistent with the MMI scale used for describing damage from earthquakes. For historical earthquakes, these values are gathered in the 4 - 10 range. In the central U.S., historical earthquakes have caused damage in the 4 - 8 range only.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Rhea, Susan, 1997, Seismotectonic maps in the vicinity of the lower Wabash Valley, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky - Digital Spatial Database: Reported Modified Mercalli Intensity values: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-0681, US Geological Survey, Denver.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -104.984
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -68.426
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 46.250
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.954
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date:
    Ending_Date: 31-Dec-1987
    Currentness_Reference:
    all data are included that were available to Hopper as of Jan. 1995
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (4897)
      • String (0)
      • GT-polygon composed of chains (0)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest .1. Longitudes are given to the nearest .1. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal Degrees. The horizontal datum used is Unknown.
      The ellipsoid used is Clarke 1866.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378206.4.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/294.98.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    ISOPTS.PAT
    damage location, time, and intensity reported from earthquake (Source: Hopper)
    LONG
    longitude where damage reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-104.9840
    Maximum:89.34
    LAT
    latitude where damage reported (Source: Hopper)
    ValueDefinition
    0 
    Range of values
    Minimum:29.9544
    Maximum:46.25
    MMI
    Modified Mercalli Intensity assigned to damage report (Source: Hopper)
    ValueDefinition
    (blank)unassigned
    Ffelt report, no damage
    G 
    Nno data
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:8
    ST
    state from where damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    ValueDefinition
    (blank) 
    AL 
    AR 
    CO 
    DC 
    FL 
    GA 
    IA 
    IL 
    IN 
    KS 
    KY 
    LA 
    MA 
    MI 
    MN 
    MO 
    MS 
    NC 
    NE 
    NY 
    OH 
    OK 
    ON 
    PA 
    SC 
    TN 
    TX 
    VA 
    WI 
    WV 
    CITY
    nearest city from where damage was reported (text) (Source: Hopper)
    YEAR
    year of earthquake occurrence for which damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1827
    Maximum:1987
    MO
    month of earthquake occurrence for which damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:01
    Maximum:12
    DAY
    day of earthquake occurrence for which damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:01
    Maximum:31
    HR
    hour of earthquake occurrence for which damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:00
    Maximum:23
    MIN
    minute of earthquake occurrence for which damage was reported (Source: Hopper)
    Range of values
    Minimum:00
    Maximum:59

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Rhea, Susan
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Susan Rhea
    US Geological Survey
    Geophysicist
    MS966, Box 25046, Federal Center
    Denver, CO
    USA

    303-273-8639 (voice)
    303-273-8600 (FAX)
    rhea@usgs.gov
    Hours_of_Service: Mon-Thurs, 8 - 5
    Contact_Instructions: email is the best way to make contact

Why was the data set created?

The data was generated to help in understanding the seismotectonic hazards in the vicinity of the lower Wabash Valley. This data complements similar data collected in the vicinity of New Madrid, MO US Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-0574, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1995/0574/

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    (source 1 of 1)
    Hopper, Margaret, in prep 1994, Atlas of Earthquake Damage in the Central US: U.S. Geological Survey.

    Other_Citation_Details: written communication 1995
    Type_of_Source_Media: electronic
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 10,000,000
    Source_Contribution: locations and intensity data in ascii files
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 15-Jan-1995 (process 1 of 2)
    Locations and intensity were determined by Hopper and tabulated on computer spreadsheet software. Location, intensity, and associated earthquake occurrence data were extracted from the database and sent via ftp to Rhea. Rhea converted the digital data to an arc/info point cover. Data sources used in this process:
    • see Procedures
    Date: 08-Jun-1998 (process 2 of 2)
    Creation of original metadata record Person who carried out this activity:
    Susan Rhea
    US Geological Survey
    Geophysicist
    MS966, Box 25046, Federal Center
    Denver, CO
    USA

    303-273-8639 (voice)
    303-273-8600 (FAX)
    rhea@usgs.gov
    Contact_Instructions: email is the best way to make contact
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Rhea, Susan, Wheeler, Russell L., and Hopper, M.G., 1996, Maps showing earthquake intensities in the vicinity of lower Wabash Valley, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-Map 2583-B, US Geological Survey, Denver.

    Other_Citation_Details: pamplet accompanies map

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Data were collected from previous authors and interpretations of collections of letters, newspaper clippings, and personal histories.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    felt reports are given to the nearest named city or town
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    data are complete as of Jan. 1995
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Point features present.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints: none
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Susan Rhea
    US Geological Survey
    Geophysicist
    USGS Mail Stop 966
    Box 25046, Federal Center
    Denver, CO
    USA

    303-273-8639 (voice)
    303-273-8600 (FAX)
    rhea@usgs.gov
    Contact_Instructions: Email is the best way to make contact.
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? USGS Open-File Report 97-0681
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature. Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the USGS.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    ARC/INFO version 7.0.3 or later or ArcView 3.0 or later

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 10-Jun-2016
Metadata author:
Peter N Schweitzer
USGS Midwest Area
Collection manager, USGS Geoscience Data Clearinghouse, http://geo-nsdi.er.usgs.gov/
Mail Stop 954
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA
USA

703-648-6533 (voice)
703-648-6252 (FAX)
pschweitzer@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://geo-nsdi.er.usgs.gov/metadata/open-file/97-681/isopts.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.48 on Tue Jul 03 20:06:56 2018