PNSN to measure seismic activity during Saturday's Seahawks playoff game
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SEATTLE - The Seattle Seahawks are once again teaming up with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) to monitor how much the ground shakes when fans cheer during Saturday’s divisional round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field.
The PNSN field operations team installed six seismic sensors throughout the stadium Monday to capture the energy generated by the "12s." The project aims to measure fan-generated ground motion in real-time, building on a tradition that began with the legendary "Beast Quake" triggered by running legendary running back Marshawn Lynch in 2011.
On Monday, January 12, the PNSN Field Operations Team installed six stations throughout Lumen Field. ( Pacific Northwest Seismic Network )
"With these six seismometers, we have Lumen Field ‘wired up’ and we can record exactly how the excitement of the crowd leads to shaking of the ground, much like an earthquake does," said Harold Tobin, PNSN director at the University of Washington.
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Tobin said the project is a "fun way" to provide scientific data on how crowd energy translates into measurable seismic waves. While the data highlights the passion of the fanbase, it also serves the network’s broader mission to increase earthquake awareness across the region.
Pacific Northwest Seismic Network installing measuring stations throughout Lumen Field to measure seismic activity. (Pacific Northwest Seismic Network)
Fans can track the shaking as it happens. PNSN plans to stream real-time seismograms on its website and share updates across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X and Bluesky throughout the game. Seismologists also installed the stations during the 2014, 2015 and 2017 postseason runs.
A general view of a during an NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on December 15, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Based at the University of Washington, the PNSN operates more than 700 stations across Washington and Oregon to monitor earthquake hazards and provide data to emergency managers and the public.
The Seahawks and 49ers meet again Saturday just two weeks after Seattle’s Week 18 victory clinched them the No. 1 seed. Having used their first-round bye to rest, the Seahawks host their rivals once more with the winner advancing to the NFC Championship. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. on FOX.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.