Marshawn Lynch may be gone, but don’t underestimate the ability of Seattle Seahawks fans to register another Beast Quake at CenturyLink Field during Saturday’s Wild Card playoff game against the Detroit Lions. And if it happens, scientific equipment has been installed to record it.
Seismologists from the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) installed six sensors around the Seattle football stadium this week. The hope is that testing instruments, collecting data and communicating with the public will help scientists better prepare for actual earthquakes, the Seahawks website reported.
The history of making the earth move at CenturyLink dates back to Lynch’s legendary 67-yard touchdown run in a 2011 playoff win over the New Orleans Saints. Jumping, screaming fans made enough noise and generated enough movement in the stadium to register seismic activity on PNSN instruments in the neighborhood nearby.
Seismometers for Saturday’s game have been placed on the stadium’s 300 and field levels, and PNSN Network Director John Vidale told the Seahawks that up high is where the structure should sway the most.
The fun part for fans will be to monitor seismic activity in real time online via PNSN’s QuickShake website. It’s also an important system to test in order to alert the public during more serious earth-shaking events.
“What we’re developing that’s new is the ability to see the motion on the internet within a second or two,” Vidale told Seahawks.com. “Even last time we were out here, I think it was two years ago, it took three or four seconds to get the signal onto the internet, and that’s important because we’re trying to develop an earthquake early-warning system, so that when we see an earthquake we can tell people before the shaking gets there.”
Here's what one of our instruments looks like when it's all set up! #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/00bq1xMKCo
— PNSN (@PNSN1) January 5, 2017
Final seismometer inside the Hawk's Nest! #pnsn #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/TvCHaufgab
— PNSN (@PNSN1) January 5, 2017
Now all the Seahawks have to do is generate plays and fan reaction worthy of a new Beast Quake. Vidale said plays that take a long time to develop, like Lynch’s original run, are best suited for that because fans get to see it develop and the excitement builds and builds.
The Seahawks and the Lions face off Saturday at 5:15 p.m. PT on NBC. To follow more of PNSN’s recordings, check them out on Twitter and Facebook.
