EarthScope USArray seismic stations create a dense array of detectors that can collect high-resolution data from earthquakes worldwide. Local earthquakes provide sources that allow for better mapping of known faults and the discovery of unknown faults.
The movie shows the actual seismic data collected from the August 11, 2011 magnitude 5.8 Mineral, Virginia earthquake. Each of the dots is a seismometer. As the seismic waves pass, the instruments move up and down (indicated by the changing colors).