U.S. scientists testing earthquake early warning

[AsahinaKimi]

This Sept. 13, 2011 photo shows Anthony Guarino Jr., a seismic analyst at the California Institute of Technology, demonstrating an early earthquake warning system in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

PASADENA, California (AP) -- After years of lagging behind Japan, Mexico and other quake-prone countries, the U.S. government has been quietly testing an earthquake early warning system in California.

Elizabeth Cochran belongs to an exclusive club of scientists who receive a heads up every time the state shakes.

She was sitting in her office this month when her computer suddenly sounded an alarm. Beep. Beep. Beep. A map of California on her screen lit up with a red dot, signaling an earthquake had struck. A clock counted down the seconds until shock waves fanning out from the epicenter north of Los Angeles reached her in Pasadena: 5-4-3-2-1.

Right on cue, Cochran felt her chair quiver from a magnitude-4.2 that rumbled through Southern California on Sept. 1.

more..
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20110921p2g00m0fe106000c.html

[Ian David]

1. ...

"This looks quaked. I can tell from some of the pixels and from seeing quite a few quakes in my time."

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. free USGS seismograph for your home...

We are looking for people who are willing to host these “NetQuakes” seismographs. The NetQuakes seismographs access the internet via a wireless router connected to your existing broadband internet connection. The seismograph transmits data only after earthquakes greater than magnitude 3 and otherwise do not consume significant bandwidth.

To host a NetQuakes instrument, you must provide:

An out-of-the-way location in a 1-2 story building (no significant basement) with less than ~4000 sq feet in plan; building must have a concrete slab foundation in some location (for example, a garage) to which the NetQuakes box can be bolted. Buildings within a half mile of significant business districts and those near urban or suburban faults (such as the Hayward fault in the East Bay) are highly desirable.

A local network with a permanent broadband connection to the internet. If you don't have WiFi, we will install a WiFi router.

AC power to the seismograph.

Occasional minor servicing of the instrument, such as battery replacement.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/netquakes/