Smartphones and other personal electronic devices could, in regions where they are in widespread use, function as earthquake early warning systems, a recent research done by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey mentioned.
The research published in the inaugural volume of the new AAAS journal Science Advances, found that the sensors in smartphones and similar devices could be used to build earthquake warning systems.
The crowdsourced observations from users smartphones could detect and analyze the earthquake and customized earthquake warnings could be transmitted back to users, USGS Newsroom mentioned in an article.
“The speed of an electronic warning travels faster than the earthquake shaking does,” explained Craig Glennie, a report author and professor at the University of Houston.
The researchers found that the smartphone sensors could be used to issue earthquake warnings for earthquakes of approximately magnitude 7 or larger, but not for smaller, yet potentially damaging earthquakes.
Earthquake early warning (EEW) systems are currently operating in only a few regions around the globe, including Japan and Mexico due to the cost of building the necessary scientific monitoring networks.
The research published in the inaugural volume of the new AAAS journal Science Advances, found that the sensors in smartphones and similar devices could be used to build earthquake warning systems.
The crowdsourced observations from users smartphones could detect and analyze the earthquake and customized earthquake warnings could be transmitted back to users, USGS Newsroom mentioned in an article.
“The speed of an electronic warning travels faster than the earthquake shaking does,” explained Craig Glennie, a report author and professor at the University of Houston.
The researchers found that the smartphone sensors could be used to issue earthquake warnings for earthquakes of approximately magnitude 7 or larger, but not for smaller, yet potentially damaging earthquakes.
Earthquake early warning (EEW) systems are currently operating in only a few regions around the globe, including Japan and Mexico due to the cost of building the necessary scientific monitoring networks.