Energy Ministry, UJ sign agreement to establish seismic station in Aqaba

AMMAN — The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the University of Jordan (UJ) on Wednesday signed an agreement to establish a seismic monitoring station at the university's Aqaba campus. 

The agreement, initially set for five years with an option to extend, will allocate a 60-square-metre plot of land for the Jordan Seismological Observatory (JSO) to construct the station, according to a ministry statement.

JSO Director Ghassan Sweidan highlighted the strategic significance of the station, noting Jordan’s position on the western edge of the Arabian Plate, a region historically and recently prone to seismic activity. 

Sweidan also stressed Aqaba’s suitability for such a facility due to its proximity to active seismic zones and the city's ongoing urban expansion.

He also noted that this cooperation is one of five similar agreements with universities, aimed at establishing monitoring stations in locations free from surface disturbances.

The director added that these partnerships not only enhance seismic monitoring but also provide students with access to valuable data and support academic research. 

The JSO, the sole provider of seismic monitoring services in Jordan, offers a "unique" source for students and researchers alike.

There are 23 seismic monitoring stations operating across the Kingdom, which transmit data to the observatory's central hub in Amman around the clock.