Junior College Seismic Monitoring Group

On July 30th, 2025, at 1:24 PM local time (July 29th, 2025, at 23:24 UTC), an 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, prompting a tsunami warning across the Pacific. Our station at Junior College - University of Malta recorded the initial seismic waves approximately 13 minutes later.

New seismic station installed on the Gozo Campus The ninth seismic station has been installed in Gozo

I would like to thank all the students who participated during the Open Day 2024 Junior College - University of Malta. Many people visited our lab and had the opportunity to 'Have a Peek' in what we do during our meetings @ Junior College Seismic Monitoring Group. For sure it was a positive experience for these students sharing what they've learnt to the public. All this couldn't be possible without the full cooperation of the Physics Department especially the Head of Department, Ms. Antonia Vella, our two incredible and hard working technical officers who helped me to set up the lab and the Junior College administration.

Next Friday 1st March 2024 during the Junior College - University of Malta Open Day, the Junior College Seismic Monitoring Group will be organising an exhibition in the 1st year Physics lab, D118 at the Physics Department. Come and join our students who will be performing experiments and using models to explain how earthquakes are used to understand our Earth. You are most welcome to come with family and friends between 17:30 and 21:00.

Let's investigate how seismometers measure ground motion and discover how these instruments evolved through the ages. We will also discuss the physics principles governing the seismometer we have at Junior College - University of Malta - How do we manage to fit a 100 m pendulum in a 50 cm wide box?

During out next meetings we will discuss the plate tectonic mechanisms shaping the Mediterranean area. We will also discuss how the Maltese islands formed and the present situation around us.

Magnitude 7.0 Quake Rattles Kyrgyzstan-China Border - Eos The quake struck in the remote Tien Shan mountains.

Yesterday, 15th November 2023 the students making part of the Junior College - University of Malta Enrichment Programme, JC Seismic Monitoring Group visited the Seismic Monitoring and Research Group SMRG at UM within the Department of Geosciences at UM (University of Malta). Dr. Matthew Agius showed us around the department offices and facilities. We visited the SMRG lab where seismologists daily analyse seismic data recorded from the eight seismographs making part of the Malta Seismic Network as well from those around the world. We were also shown models of tsunamis' propagation in the Mediterranean which could be used for early warning systems. Dr. Agius also showed the students different instruments like accelerometers and Raspberry Shake seismometers which can be used in research and explained past research in which the SMRG was involved. We also visited the site where the seismometer is installed on the University grounds.

On behalf of the students and the college I would like to thank Dr. Matthew Agius and his team namely Dr. Daniela Farrugia and Dr. Sebastiano D'Amico for welcoming us and giving our students the opportunity to experience how seismologists work.

We look forward for further collaboration between our two groups to further enhance scientific outreach with regards to seismicity and geophysics.

How can we use seismic data to explore the interior of the earth? Join us for our next meeting on Wednesday 8th November in the Physics lab.

Let's discover how energy released during earthquakes travels through the earth. Next meeting is on Wednesday 25th October, in the JC physics lab. See you.