My daughter has an earth science report due on seismoscopes.  She and
her father actually built a model but cannot seem to find extensive
information relevant to the research paper due.  We have also been to
several libraries.  Any suggestions?

Debi Collins

In modern useage, the term "seismoscope" refers to an instrument that
simply records whether or not an earthquake has occurred.  Some types
of seismoscopes were able to provide information on the location of
the earthquake (i.e., the direction toward the epicenter) and a rough
sense of the earthquakes magnitude, but they were not really
quantitative devices.  Seismoscopic instruments were the predecessors
of modern "seismographs", which provide quantitative information on
the magnitude (strength) and duration of an earthquake.

There are various types of seismoscopes, and the basis for their
operation vary;  some involve pendulums (both "normal" and
"inverted"), some involve detecting motion in a pool of liquid, other
involve vertical sticks that topple over (actually a form of an
inverted pendulum).  Even precariously balanced rocks (that fall down
in an earthquake) would qualify as a form of seismoscope.

There is a pretty good history of seismic instrumentation at
<http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blseismograph1.htm> (be
sure to scroll down to the "contents" section and click on the first 4
chapter links).  This text is also available at
<http://earthquake.usgs.gov/bytopic/eqmonitoring/history/early.php>.

There is a historical timeline of seismic instrument development
available at <http://www.oge.or.at/Lecture_Seismometry.pdf>.

Another history is at
<http://www.univie.ac.at/Wissenschaftstheorie/heat/heat-3/heat3101f.htm>

Hope this helps.