QUAKES dataset variable definition and UOM

[cgwalker]

Hello all,

I'm working with the QUAKES dataset found in the SASHELP library and cannot seem to find where the variables are defined along with the unit of measure (UOM) used for each of them.  For example, the depth variable - is that recorded in miles or kilometers?

Is there a complete breakdown of the variables, their descriptions, and their units of measure?  If so, that would be extremely helpful.

Many thanks in advance,

Chris Walker

[jimbarbour]

That's a really good question, and, as long as I've worked with SAS, I've never seen any specifications for what the data is.  I think the main idea of the data is that it's just test data and that it shouldn't be used for anything other than for practicing SAS coding techniques.  Given that it's just data to be used for coding practice, perhaps the assumption is that it really doesn't matter what the UOM (etc.) is. 

Still, you'd think there would be some documentation somewhere as to what the data is.  Given however how long that data has been around (4 decades?), the person(s) who compiled it may have long since retired and therefore that knowledge has been lost to the sands of time.

Considering the age of the data, perhaps the UOM of depth is leagues or maybe even cubits?

Jim

[cgwalker]

Hi Jim,

Thanks very much for the response - I got a good chuckle out of your comment that the units could be leagues or cubits...

I had assumed as you state in your second post that perhaps the length variable units were IP based as well.  I see that the minimum value for depth in the dataset is -3.3 which I assume to be above sea level, so since there is no published record to my knowledge to dispute me, I assigned the length variables with the km unit and called that roughly 10,827 feet above sea level.

Thanks again,

Chris

[jimbarbour]

@cgwalker,

Well, I'm glad someone understood my rather obscure sense of humor.  But of course we failed to clarify whether those were Egyptian or Hebrew cubits...

Jim

[jimbarbour]

A quick Google search turned up this:

https://support.sas.com/documentation/tools/sashelpug.pdf

It does discuss the earthquake data although not in any great detail.  The data is from the USGS, so probably the units would be the standard units used by the USGS.

Jim