Seismic Alert Through Gsm Network

Presented By D.Mounika M.Neelima SSN ENGINEERING COLLEGE

Contents:
Introduction How Deadly Are The Waves Generated By Earthquake Communication System And The Way It Communicates With Danger Earthquake- Sensor Networks Advantages Limitations Conclusion References

Introduction:
Earthquakes strike without warning. The resulting damage can be minimized and lives can be saved if the people living in the earth-quake prone area are already prepared to survive the strike. This requires a warning before the strong ground motion from the earthquake arrives. Such a warning system is possible because the energy wave released at the epicenter of the earthquake travels slower (at 3.5 to 8 km/s) than light.

 The warning signal from the earthquake epicenter can be transmitted to different places using the using the satellite communication network, fiber-optics network, pager service, cell phone service or a combination of these. In India, for earthquake prone states like Gujarat, a seismic alert system using the global system for mobile communication (GSM) network spread throughout the state is proposed. This system does not try to find the epicenter or the fault line caused by the earthquake.

HOW DEADLY ARE THE WAVES GENERATED BY EARTHQUAKE!

Destruction also depends on the frequency of ground vibrations. P and S waves have higher frequency of vibration, which shakes the lowrise buildings.

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND THE WAY IT COMMUNICATES WITH DANGER:

This GSM based alert system monitors the earth vibration using a strong motion accelerometer at the earthquake prone area and broadcasts an alert message to towns and villages through the cell phone network existing throughout the state. Here mobile phones are used as transmitters and receivers.

 The communication system for earthquake alert comprises an earthquake sensor and interface unit, decision system and alert dissemination network.

EARTHQUAKE- SENSOR NETWORK:

Earthquake sensor (strong motion accelerometers) are deployed at known epicenters, fault line zones and earthquake-prone areas. The handset, in turn, will transfer it to the base transceiver stations (BTS) if it is within 10 to 17 kms. of the BTS. Otherwise, it may require a repeater for transferring data to the cell phone network.

ALERT-DISSEMINATION NETWORK
The alert-dissemination network is a simple cell phone network (GSM) in SMS mode, which already exists in most of the states in India. Alert messages are transferred to the destination handset through the mobile network system in SMS mode. The receivers are installed at different places as individual units or in groups. These should have an interface unit to read the message and take action to disseminate the alert message to the public. The alert receivers could be attached to the civil defense sirens and broadcast systems, and also installed at Government Offices that are responsible for disaster management.

DECISION SYSTEM:
When an SMS is sent from the mobile handset, it first goes to the SMS server of the mobile network, then to the destination receiver handset. If the same message has to be sent to different locations (receivers), the transmitter handset has to dial different numbers for different destinations. All the source handsets (placed at different locations) for sending the alert messages) should be registered at the application server. The SMS server sends alert messages at the rate of 40 messages per second (maximum capacity of the existing mobile phone network) to all the destinations through the GSM network. Since earthquake of a magnitude less than 5.5 on Richter scale hardly affect the buildings, this system is designed to start sending alert signals if the earthquake magnitude is more than 5.5 on Richter scale.

TIME-TO-ALERT:
In this system, time-to-alert is the time between the actual occurrence of the earthquake at the sensing point and the audio or text message output at the public or the Government Offices. End-to-end communication delay will be very less, provided all the transmitters (handsets) placed at different epicenters are given the top priority for communication in SMS mode. Once the alert signal (message) is formed, the interface unit will transfer it to the transmitter. The transmitted message will be received by the application server, then forwarded to the SMS server.

Advantages:
Audio alarms can be installed to alert people, but the action that individual can take with only a few seconds of warning may be minimal. One can even argue that such a warning might be deleterious since it might instigage panic and poor decision than otherwise would not occur.

Facilities with high-energy or high-precision machinery (nuclear power plants, airport operations, computers, oil pipelines, refineries and gas distributions) could be shut down. Trains could be stopped, fire stations and hospital operation rooms alerted, and emergency generators started.

Limitations:
The interface units for accelerometers and handsets are not available in the market. So these have to be developed indigenously. Seismology divisions of various Government Organizations are working on a similar type of system for the measurement of earth vibration using accelerometers or seismographs. Some of the organizations are Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) Indian Meteorological Department, National Geographical Research Institute (Hyderabad), Institution of Astrophysics (Bangalore) and Roorkee University. As far as the P waves are concerned, these will not disturb anything because earth vibration due to these is so low that it can be detected only through special instruments such as accelerometers.

Conclusion:
List of Places where danger can be averted and property saved Once an alert message is received, Nuclear Power Plants, Airport Operations, oil pipe-lines, refineries, Gas distributions can be shut down. Trains can be stopped. Fire stations, Hospital operation rooms can be alerted. Emergency generators can be started.

This protect the most precious of creations on earth HUMAN LIFE .

References:
www.springerlink.com Scholar article on Seismic Detection using GSM by SL Olsen, WR Petrick, JA Stodt