"A seismic station is a laboratory that has equipment that can detect, monitor and record earthquakes locally or anywhere in the world.

A functioning seismic station must be able to perform many different functions and determine important parameters of an earthquake such as magnitude, depth, and epicenter.

It must have the ability to communicate effectively with other seismic stations and to share data."

Citation source: http://www.drgeorgepc.com/TsunamiFAQ.html