Hiroo Kanamori, Ph.D.
California Scientist of the Year 1993

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Institution: California Institute of Technology
Department: Geological and Planetary Sciences
Principal research interest: Seismology (earthquake science)

Dr. Kanamori is one of the world's best earthquake scientists. Through his research, Dr. Kanamori has explored the way faults move and has led to a more exact measurement of earthquake size. When Dr. Kanamori was nominated for the California Scientist of the Year award in the early 1990s, he was most known for developing TERRAscope, a network of seismometers that measures ground motion and earthquakes all over Southern California. TERRAscope helps to determine how much damage earthquakes cause, and can even reveal patterns in the way the ground moves during an earthquake. By understanding more about how earthquakes move the ground, we can learn how to prepare for them. Dr. Kanamori also led the development of the Caltech/USGS Broadcast of Earthquakes project (CUBE), which broadcasts earthquake information almost immediately after an earthquake occurs.

Dr. Kanamori's research continues to have an effect on earthquake science, especially in California. In the past several years, the TERRAscope network has been incorporated into a larger earthquake monitoring network called TriNet. TriNet collects even more information about earthquakes in Southern California and also advises emergency management groups and the government about the best places to deploy emergency equipment and supplies after a damaging earthquake. To check up on the latest TriNet reports, please visit http://www.trinet.org/shake.

Dr. Kanamori's website:
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/faculty/kanamori/kanamori.html
Dr. Kanamori's site features more specific details on his work, including references to many articles he has published. For more information on earthquakes, including the latest research, visit the CalTech Seismological Laboratory Web site.