Seismoscope Research Notes - D.V. Rogers 2012 email: dvr@allshookup.org Zhang's seismometer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Heng#Zhang.27s_seismometer {pronounced Jong Hung} A replica of Zhang Heng's seismometer, the Houfeng didong yi, featured in the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California. From the earliest times, the Chinese were concerned with the destructive force of earthquakes. It was recorded in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian of 91 BCE that in 780 BCE an earthquake had been powerful enough to divert the courses of three rivers.[81] The ancient Chinese did not understand that earthquakes were caused by the shifting of tectonic plates in the Earth's crust; instead, the people of the ancient Zhou Dynasty explained them as disturbances with cosmic yin and yang, along with the heavens' displeasure with acts committed (or the common peoples' grievances ignored) by the current ruling dynasty.[81] These theories were ultimately derived from the ancient text of the Yijing (Book of Changes), in its fifty-first hexagram.[82] There were other early theories about earthquakes, developed by those such as the ancient Greeks. Anaxagoras (c. 500–428 BCE) believed that they were caused by excess water near the surface crust of the earth bursting into the Earth's hollows; Democritus (c. 460–370 BCE) believed that the saturation of the Earth with water caused them; Anaximenes (c. 585–c. 525 BCE) believed they were the result of massive pieces of the Earth falling into the cavernous hollows due to drying; and Aristotle (384–322 BCE) believed they were caused by instability of vapor (pneuma) caused by the drying of the moist Earth by the Sun's rays.[82] During the Han Dynasty, many learned scholars—including Zhang Heng—believed in the "oracles of the winds".[83] These oracles of the occult observed the direction, force, and timing of the winds, to speculate about the operation of the cosmos and to predict events on Earth.[84] These ideas influenced Zhang Heng's views on the cause of earthquakes. Against the grain of earlier theories proposed by his fellow Chinese and contemporary Greeks, Zhang Heng believed that earthquakes were caused by wind and air, writing: The chief cause of earthquake is air, an element naturally swift and shifting from place to place. As long as it is not stirred, but lurks in a vacant space, it reposes innocently, giving no trouble to objects around it. But any cause coming upon it from without rouses it, or compresses it, and drives it into a narrow space ... and when opportunity of escape is cut off, then 'With deep murmur of the Mountain it roars around the barriers', which after long battering it dislodges and tosses on high, growing more fierce the stronger the obstacle with which it has contended.[85] In 132, Zhang Heng presented to the Han court what many historians consider to be his most impressive invention, the first seismometer. It was named Houfeng didong yi (候风地动仪, lit. instrument for measuring the seasonal winds and the movements of the Earth), and it was able to determine the exact direction (out of eight directions) of tremors and earthquakes.[17][71] According to the Book of Later Han (compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century), his bronze urn-shaped device, with a swinging pendulum inside, was able to detect the direction of an earthquake hundreds of miles/kilometers away.[86][87] This was essential for the Han government in sending quick aid and relief to regions devastated by this natural disaster.[3][88][89] The device was considered important enough to be mentioned in the "Annals" chapter of the Book of Later Han, detailing the reign of Emperor Shun.[90] To indicate the direction of a distant earthquake, Zhang's device dropped a bronze ball from one of eight tubed projections shaped as dragon heads; the ball fell into the mouth of a corresponding metal object shaped as a toad, each representing a direction like the points on a compass rose.[91] His device had eight mobile arms (for all eight directions) connected with cranks having catch mechanisms at the periphery.[92] When tripped, a crank and right angle lever would raise a dragon head and release a ball which had been supported by the lower jaw of the dragon head.[92] His device also included a vertical pin passing through a slot in the crank, a catch device, a pivot on a projection, a sling suspending the pendulum, an attachment for the sling, and a horizontal bar supporting the pendulum.[92] Wang Zhenduo (王振铎) argued that the technology of the Eastern Han era was sophisticated enough to produce such a device, as evidenced by contemporary levers and cranks used in other devices such as crossbow triggers.[93] Japanese seismologist Akitsune Imamura, who reconstructed Zhang Heng's seismometer in 1939 while working at Tokyo University Later Chinese of subsequent periods were able to reinvent Zhang's seismometer. They included the 6th-century mathematician and surveyor Xindu Fang of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550–577) and the astronomer and mathematician Lin Xiaogong of the Sui Dynasty (581–618).[94] Like Zhang, Xindu Fang and Lin Xiaogong were given imperial patronage for their services in craftsmanship of devices for the court.[95] By the time of the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), it was acknowledged that all devices previously made were preserved, except for that of the seismometer.[96] This was discussed by the scholar Zhou Mi around 1290, who remarked that the books of Xindu Fang and Lin Xiaogong detailing their seismological devices were no longer to be found.[96] Horwitz, Kreitner, and Needham speculate if Tang Dynasty (618–907) era seismographs found their way to contemporary Japan; according to Needham, "instruments of apparently traditional type there in which a pendulum carries pins projecting in many directions and able to pierce a surrounding paper cylinder, have been described."[97] Hong-sen Yan states that modern replicas of Zhang's device have failed to reach the level of accuracy and sensitivity described in Chinese historical records.[98] Wang Zhenduo presented two different models of the seismometer based on the ancient descriptions of Zhang's device.[99] In his 1936 reconstruction, the central pillar (du zhu) of the device was a suspended pendulum acting as a movement sensor, while the central pillar of his second model in 1963 was an inverted pendulum.[99] While working in the Seismological Observatory of Tokyo University in 1939, Akitsune Imamura and Hagiwara made a reconstruction of Zhang's device based on the work of British historian of science Robert Temple.[93][100] While it was John Milne and Wang Zhenduo who argued early on that Zhang's "central pillar" was a suspended pendulum, Imamura was the first to propose an inverted model.[101] He argued that transverse shock would have rendered Wang's immobilization mechanism ineffective, as it would not have prevented further motion that could knock other balls out of their position.[93] On June 13, 2005, modern Chinese seismologists announced that they had successfully created a replica of the instrument.[102] Anthony J. Barbieri-Low, a Professor of Early Chinese History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, names Zhang Heng as one of several high-ranking Eastern-Han officials who engaged in crafts that were traditionally reserved for artisans (gong 工), such as mechanical engineering.[103] Barbieri-Low speculates that Zhang only designed his seismometer, but did not actually craft the device himself. He asserts that this would most likely have been the job of artisans commissioned by Zhang.[104] He writes: "Zhang Heng was an official of moderately high rank and could not be seen sweating in the foundries with the gong artisans and the government slaves. Most likely, he worked collaboratively with the professional casters and mold makers in the imperial workshops."[104] Google Search Info http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Archaeology/132771.htm http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTOTAL-CSJZ200801012.htm http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/theme.aspx?irn=1350 Video - Han Dynasty Seismograph in 132AD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcVFuIccf5c Guan and Ji (what is this?) Revisiting the Ancient Chinese Seismograph http://www.chinaculture.org/classics/2009-05/31/content_331611.htm Remote detection of impending earthquakes with the use of Zhang Heng Seismograph http://energia.sl.pl/seismograph.htm 4. Telepathic detectors of earthquakes. Such earthquake detectors represent the most advanced application of telepathic waves. Their real operation is based on the principle, that incoming earthquakes generate telepathic waves of an extremely powerful amplitude. So these telepathic waves can be detected long in advance before the earthquake would strike, and utilised for warning people about an incoming disaster. Unfortunately the original such device, in present literature called "Zhang Heng seismograph", was destroyed. But a "look-like" replicas of it were reconstructed in 1951 and now can be seen in Beijing (Peking), China. One such a "look-like" replica of this wonder device is outside of China, exhibited in Wellington, New Zealand. However, because the exact operation of this device was misunderstood, the present replicas have a wrong internal design. Also their explanatory information provides a false description of principles that they employ for the operation. Here is a photograph of the New Zealand "look-like" replica: It detects incoming earthquakes and rises alarms a long time before they strike. According to my personal estimates, it is at least 100 years more advanced than current seismographs, which are able to detect earthquakes only after these strike. You can see and study this extraordinary device in China and in New Zealand. The above one was photographed in New Zealand. The real operation of this device is described on web sites a.1asphost.com/Tapanui and NewZealand.0me.com, and also in subsection N6.1 of monograph [1/4] (which is available free of charge via this web page). Note, however, that in circulation is also a false description of this device. http://tornados2005.narod.ru/telepathy.htm The Zhang Heng seismograph is an extraordinary device. It works by intercepting subtle emissions from earthquakes, which ancient Chinese used to call chi, and which currently can be described as "telepathic waves". It was build almost 2000 years ago, but it still exceeds the present level of science and technology on Earth by at least further 100 years. If it is build, it would open completely new horizons for people and for humanity. After all, it not only allows for remote detection of impending earthquakes and for issuing advanced earthquake warnings. It also assists in learning about telepathy, which so-far is unacknowledged by human science. http://www.totalizm.pl/artefact.htm >> Zhang Heng’s Seismoscope [4, 11-12] (Reconstruction Synthesis) Researches in the relevant literature show that the earliest seismoscope named Hou Feng Di Dong Yi (候風地動儀) was invented by Zhang Heng (張衡) in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). This instrument was designed to indicate not only the occurrence of an earthquake but also the direction to its source. The historic records in the Biography of Zhang Heng in the History of the Later Han Dynasty《後漢書∙張衡傳》 [13] are the most complete ones about Zhang Heng’s seismoscope, such as the following description: “…The instrument was cast with bronze. The outer appearance of it was like a jar with a diameter around eight chi. The cover was protruded and it looked like a wine vessel. … There was a du zhu (a pillar) in the center of the interior and eight transmitting rods near the pillar. There were eight dragons attached to the outside of the vessel, facing in the principal directions of the compass. Below each dragon rested a toad with its mouth open toward the dragon. Each dragon’s mouth contained a bronze ball. The intricate mechanism used was hidden inside the device. When the ground moved, the ball located favorably to the direction of ground movement would drop out of the dragon’s mouth and fall into the mouth of a bronze toad waiting below. … The direction faced by the dragon that had dropped the ball would be the direction from which the shaking came. … ”『… 以精銅鑄成，圓徑八尺，合蓋隆起，形似酒尊，…。中有都柱，傍行八道，施關發機；外有八龍，首銜銅丸，下有蟾蜍，張口承之。其牙機巧制，皆隱在尊中，覆蓋周密無際。如有地動，尊則振、龍機發、吐丸，而蟾蜍銜之。振聲激揚，伺者因此覺知。唯一龍發機，七首不動，尋其方面，乃知震之所在。… 』 However, the records that have passed down through history give a detailed account only of the outside of the instrument, Fig. 5 [14]; and with very few practical details regarding the mechanism inside the instrument, except for noting that inside there was a central pillar named du zhu (都柱) which was capable of lateral displacement along tracks in eight directions, and so arranged that it would operate a closing and opening mechanism. Fig. 5. External appearance of Zhang Heng’s seismoscope [14] Based on the study of historical archives, the design specifications of Zhang Heng’s seismoscope can be defined as: 1. There is one pillar in the center of interior and eight transmitting rods near the pillar. 2. The basic concept that a switch ball located on the top of the pillar is adapted. And, when an earthquake occurs, the switch ball can move on the transmitting rod. 3. The design must detect the direction of the first motion, no matter whether it is compressing or expanding. 4. There are eight devices in the design to detect eight principal directions. Each device has an interior mechanism as a seismometer inside and a recording system outside. 5. Each interior mechanism has a pillar as the ground link, a sensing link to respond to ground shake, a lever mechanism as a magnifier, and a transmitting rod at least. It is a planar mechanism with one degree of freedom. And, the design requirements and constraints are: 1. It has a pillar as the frame in the center of the interior, and it has eight transmitting rods as channels near the pillar. 2. The switch ball which can move on the transmitting rod is held with the eight transmitting rods on the top of the pillar. 3. The design must detect the first motion of P-waves, no matter if it is compressing or expanding. 4. There are eight devices in the eight principal directions of the design. Each device has the interior mechanism as a seismometer and a recording system. 5. Each interior mechanism has at least a ground link, a sensing link, a connecting rod, a lever arm, and a transmitting rod. 6. It is a planar mechanism with one degree of freedom. For the reconstruction synthesis of feasible mechanisms of Zhang Heng’s seismoscope with a rope-and-pulley and with six members and eight joints, the design consists of a ground link (1), a sensing link (2), a pulley (3), a rope (4), a lever arm (5), a transmitting rod (6), a prismatic joint, a wrapping joint, a pin-in-slot joint, and five revolute joints. Based on the procedure of reconstruction synthesis shown in Fig. 1, six interior mechanisms are synthesized, Fig. 6. And, Fig. 7 shows one of the reconstruction designs. >>>>>>>>>>>>> THE REVIEW OF RECONSTRUCTION DESIGNS OF ZHANG HENG’S SEISMOSCOPE http://www.jaee.gr.jp/stack/submit-j/v09n04/hon/090401_paper.pdf The methods and instruments of earthquake detection in ancient times are still quite mysterious to the modern people. It is believed that the design principle of Zhang’s seismoscope and early modern seismograph are based on the principle of inertia. development of reconstruction designs of the lost Zhang Heng’s seismoscope. Zhang was an extremely knowledgeable and learned man. Not only was he a great inventor, engineer and scientist, but also a prolific scholar and artist. In summary, Zhang Heng can be respectfully referred to the Leonardo da Vinci of ancient China. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In the long history of Chinese civilization, many ingenious machines were invented. In AD 132, Zhang Heng (張衡) of the Eastern Han Dynasty invented the earliest seismoscope, named Hou Feng Di Dong Yi (侯鋒迪董毅) >>>> A native of central China, Zhang Heng was an artist, poet, mathematician, geographer, astronomer, and statesman of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 -220 AD). As an artist, he was considered among the four greatest of his time and his poetry was acclaimed by contemporaries and later commentators. Zhang Heng invented an early but efficient seismograph which could detect the direction of an earthquake up to 500 km (310 miles) away. >> Fig. 6 shows the 3D solid models of two possible reconstruction designs of Zhang Heng’s seismoscope with five members and six joints developed by the authors. Figs. 6(a) and (b) show the external shape and the part of the prototype of the interior mechanism, respectively. There are eight mechanisms in the principal directions of the instrument, Fig. 6(c). A switch ball is held with the eight transmitting rods (link 5) on the top of the pillar. The detail interior mechanism is shown in Fig. 6(d). The sensing link (link 2) detects the longitudinal wave of the earthquake, no matter whether it is compressing or expanding. When the wave is compressing, the sensing link 2 topples to the left, the magnifier makes the transmitting rod (link 5) rising. The switch ball loses its equilibrium and drops out of the pillar to move to the wall of the vessel by the transmitting rod. Through the collision between the balls, the ball in the wall will drop out and fall into the mouth of a toad below. The direction of the earthquake can be shown by the dropping ball, Fig. 6(e). Since only one switch ball on the top of the pillar, each earthquake only makes one ball drop. On the contrary, if the wave is expanding, the sensing link 2 topples to the right, Fig. 6(f). Figs. 6(g) and (h) show another possible interior mechanism with link and rope-and-pulley. Similarly, no mater it is compressing or expanding, the sensing link topples to pull the rope-and-pulley. The ball drops out of the pillar to move to the wall of the vessel. http://www.chcp.org/seismo.html >>>> >>>> Additional URL REFERENCES Chang Heng (Zhang Heng) http://www.es.flinders.edu.au/~mattom/science+society/lectures/illustrations/lecture15/changheng.html Historical Record for March 1: Zhang Heng’s Seismometer http://granitestudio.org/2008/03/01/the-historical-record-for-march-1-2008-zhang-hengs-seismometer/ WOLFRAM Demonstrations Program http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/Seismoscope/ Seismoscope Chinese Narration (Youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m30wufb6DVE Han Dynasty Seismograph in 132AD (Youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcVFuIccf5c&feature=related Chinese Seismology (Youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9qhq7MALVU&feature=related Han Dynasty Seismograph in 132AD (Youtube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcVFuIccf5c Scientists Resurrect World's Earliest Seismograph http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Archaeology/132771.htm Science brings back Zhang Heng's seismometer to life http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-WLZZ200907007.htm Systematic Reconstruction Design of the Detecting Mechanism of Zhang Heng's Seismoscope http://etdncku.lib.ncku.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0803107-194934 Journal of Advanced Mechanical Design, Systems, and Manufacturing https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jamdsm/4/4/4_4_773/_pdf Revisiting the Ancient Chinese Seismograph http://www.chinaculture.org/classics/2009-05/31/content_331611.htm Remote detection of impending earthquakes with the use of Zhang Heng Seismograph http://energia.sl.pl/seismograph.htm Scientists Resurrect World's Earliest Seismograph http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Archaeology/132771.htm Zhang Heng’s earthquake recorder (TePapa Museum, NZ) http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/theme.aspx?irn=1350 >> Additional Notes: What frequency amplitude does an earthquae travel at? FFT frequency of an earthquake? Mechanical linkage rejects high frequency disturbances? Low frequency - what frequency do trucks create? What is the quitest part of the seismic spectrum? Is the incident wave a compression wave? Bury the sensing rods? Place the sensing rods away from the drop mechanism. >> Global Network for the Forecasting of Earthquakes http://www.seismonet.org Prof. Dr. Elchin Khalilov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elchin_Khalilov >>>