A cell phone to detect earthquakes may sound like overkill. But it could be possible, and Google, the USGS, and academics from several California universities are working on the idea.
It's been fifty years since the first mobile phone was invented. The technology we carry with us today is helping to create the world's largest earthquake detection system.
On October 25, 2022, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Bay Area of California. Although the shaking was not severe, many citizen reports were submitted to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The lack of reports of damage from this earthquake is a step forward. Many people in the area received notifications on their cell phones before the earthquake struck.
Similar warnings exist for residents of Southern California. They received 30 seconds of advance warning of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake on August 6, 2024. Disasters have become a standard that must be met in many countries, including Thailand. But more importantly, cell phones can’t just send notifications. They can also help detect earthquakes.
Early warning system
Google has partnered with the US Geological Survey (USGS) and academics from several California universities. Developing an early warning system that will alert the user seconds before a shaking occurs. Even if it’s only a short time, it’s enough to get under a table or desk. That’s still enough to slow down a train. Prevent a plane from taking off or landing. And prevent cars from entering bridges or tunnels. So, this system could potentially save lives in strong earthquakes.
Originally, the system relied on a network of 700 seismometers, devices that detect ground vibrations, installed across the state by seismologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, Berkeley, and the government, but Google also built the world’s largest earthquake detection network via citizens’ cell phones.
Android phones and #USGS Southern California residents were given early warning of last night's 4.5 magnitude earthquake, and here's what their phone sensors, which act as seismometers, detected. The yellow and red concentric circles are predicted locations of P and S waves. https://t.co/duKZnnIjE3 pic.twitter.com/9q4GLvLm9O
– Dave Burke (@davey_burke) September 19, 2020
Using mobile phones to detect earthquakes
Most smartphones running Google's Android operating system have motion detection (Accelerometers) It is an electronic circuit that detects the movement of the phone. This sensor is mainly used to tell the phone to orient the screen from portrait or landscape when the phone is tilted. It also provides information about the number of steps for fitness trackers.
The sensor is surprisingly sensitive. So much so that it can act like a mini seismometer.
Google has launched a feature that allows phone users to send data to the earthquake warning system on Android.Android Earthquake Alert System) automatically if their devices sense the characteristic vibrations of the primary waves, or essential (f) From the earthquake this data is collected from thousands or even millions of phones. The system will be able to calculate whether an earthquake has occurred or not. Where it occurred? Then it sends an early warning to phones in areas where an earthquake is likely to strike.
Because radio signals travel faster than seismic waves, alerts can be sent to phone users far from the epicenter before they experience tremors.
“Basically, it’s a race between the speed of light (the approximate speed of a phone signal) and the speed of an earthquake,” said Android software engineer Mark Stogaitis. “And lucky for us, light is much faster!”
This is because most of the information comes from crowdsourced information from the public. This technology opens up the possibility of monitoring earthquakes in areas where there are no expensive seismometer networks. This means that it is possible to warn of earthquakes in remote areas. And the world's poor
Actual Use and Limitations
In October 2022, Google engineers saw cell phones across the San Francisco Bay Area light up with earthquake detection data. As the earthquake’s vibrations spread from the epicenter,
The system now detects these vibrations regularly. This is issued as an alert from the USGS ShakeAlert system when a critical threshold is exceeded. This has led to warning messages being sent to the mobile phones of users in potentially affected areas. In addition to Android phones, people in California, Oregon and Washington can use the MyShake app, developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. The app turns the user’s mobile phone into an earthquake detector when it is stationary. It sends notifications based on the phone’s location
Earthquakes are common in California. There are up to 100 small earthquakes a day, most of which are too small to be felt, however, there are approximately 15 to 20 major earthquakes greater than 4.0 magnitude in California.
Overall, of the nearly 16 billion mobile phones in use worldwide, more than 3 billion use the Android operating system, and earthquake warning systems are available in more than 90 earthquake-prone countries.
But this system has limitations. Especially in remote areas where there are few phone users. And earthquakes that occur off the coast can cause tsunamis.
refers to BBC iT24Hrs coverage
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Mobile phone detects earthquakes! Unbelievable, but it really can be done.
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