QuakeWatch
ISTI is working with the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN, cisn.org) to create a next-generation earthquake notification system. This system alerts users in near real-time with seismic data and vital earthquake hazard information after significant events. Primary users include emergency operations centers, utility companies, and media outlets. The QuakeWatch server and client are written in Java, making them compatible with all major operating systems and hardware. The messaging system uses a leading open-source version of the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The display client has an easy-to-use graphical interface that shows detailed event information in near real-time, allows users to overlay their own detailed map layers, and provides direct access to earthquake-event products like ShakeMaps (see cisn.org).
Check out the lives this software saved in this NOAA reenactment video of a 2009 tsunami near Pago.
Additional Details
The QuakeWatch system quickly sends earthquake event notifications to registered users, reducing network traffic and minimizing the delay between event recognition and user alerts.
The CISN is a collaborative project involving the California Geological Survey, Caltech Seismological Laboratory, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, US Geological Survey (Menlo Park and Pasadena), and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. It also has support from Pacific Gas and Electric, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, the California Department of Water Resources, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, and the University of Nevada, Reno.
The EIDS or QWIDS system is open source and available for anyone to download. It is part of the Product Distribution Layer at the USGS and continues to be used by ISTI for various products.