The Earthworm Based Earthquake Alarm Reporting System in Taiwan
Journal
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
Journal Volume
105
Journal Issue
2A
Pages
568--579
Date Issued
2015-02
Author(s)
Abstract
For more than 10 years, the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan has operated an earthquake early warning (EEW) system and has issued warnings for specific agencies. For the past two years, the Earthworm platform has been used to integrate real‐time seismic data streams from different types of seismic stations and to monitor seismicity in Taiwan. Using the Earthworm platform, the Earthworm Based Earthquake Alarm Reporting ( e BEAR) system is currently in development for shortening reporting times and improving the accuracy of warnings for EEW purposes. The e BEAR system consists of new Earthworm modules for managing P ‐wave phase picking, trigger associations, hypocenter locations, magnitude estimations, and alert filtering prior to broadcasting. Here, we outline the methodology and performance of the e BEAR system. To calibrate the e BEAR system, an offline test was implemented using 154 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from M L 4.0 to 6.5. In a comparison of online performance using the current EEW system, the e BEAR system reduced reporting times and improved the accuracy of offshore earthquake locations and magnitudes. Online performance of the e BEAR system indicated that the average reporting times afforded by the system are approximately 15 and 26 s for inland and offshore earthquakes, respectively. The e BEAR system now delivers warnings to elementary and junior high schools in Taiwan.
SDGs
Type
journal article