Sensors in Andamans to monitor earthquakes

Scientists can get real time seismic data to act faster

The Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS) of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is in the process of setting up an elaborate system of sensors on the Andaman & Nicobar Islands for real-time monitoring of earthquakes.

Strong Motion Sensors with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have been installed at 28 locations on the islands. Three more ‘cabins’ housing the sensors deep in the forests are awaiting permission from the environment and forest departments, according to INCOIS director Satheesh C. Shenoi.

More locations

The plan was to have such sensors at 35 locations. These would be put inside six-by-six metre structures. They would be interconnected and would have a satellite-linked facility to enable scientists here to monitor minute land mass movements and seismic data in real-time and be in a position to get a better estimate of the impact and act quickly, he explained.

Eight of the sensor stations had been linked via satellite, while the remaining were recording data, which could be accessible once they were interconnected.

This was likely to happen in a couple of months. Four more sensor stations were in the pipeline.

Waiting for clearances

They were waiting for the requisite forest clearances to come through, said the director.

INCOIS, which comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has in place a fail-safe satellite-based communication system, Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs), with VSAT based VoIP phone and fax, electronic display board, a computer-based earthquake alert and web access system.

The system is capable of displaying ticket messages related to tsunami events and triggering of a built-in siren alert system audible for up to 1 km, which can be triggered by INCOIS or by the EOCs.

Tsunamigenic quakes

The ITEWS comprises a real-time network of seismic stations, tsunami buoys and tide gauges to detect tsunamigenic earthquakes and to monitor tsunamis.

The real-time data is collated at INCOIS in collaboration with the Indian Meteorology Department, the National Institute of Ocean Technology, the Survey of India and international sources.

It detects globally occurring earthquakes of 5 magnitude and above within 5-10 minutes of the event.