Earthquake Risk and Early Warning Research Paper

Earthquake Risk and Early Warning - Research Paper Example The information systems can give necessary warnings so that power grids, energy systems and nuclear reactors can be switched off to avoid further destruction. Critical equipments, vehicles and systems can be shut down to prevent explosion and destruction. Fast moving vehicles and trains can be brought to a low speed to avoid accidents. Earthquake risk in a particular location or a typical region is presented by various ground motion parameters. The values of different parameters are measured and analyzed. Ground motion parameters like particle velocity, particle acceleration, motion intensity and values of acceleration are assessed for calculating earth quake risk. The values of these parameters are taken using probabilistic analysis. Local geological conditions, location of earthquake sources and various other parameters are taken into account. Considering the ground motion amplitude with respect to the distance from the earthquake source or the centre of earthquake, different proba bility analysis is performed. Distribution of earthquake source or location of the origin is crucial while calculating earthquake risk. Using these valuable parameters earthquake risk for a particular region is assessed. Operational earthquake forecasting also helps assess risks and forecast possible quakes using different methods. With the help of different seismicity-based methods, several methods are developed to update seismic hazard maps. Different models and seismic based methods are found to be helping in predicting future earthquakes. Probable locations and the expected time are predicted using different parameters. Hazard level warnings are provided for different locations. Region, position and time are analyzed to predict a probable earth quake. Earthquake, the most feared natural calamity was once considered unpredictable as the origin and cause of earthquakes were unknown. Modern earthquake warning systems successfully predict earthquake to a certain extent through thoro ugh study of ground motion parameters and other information related to different locations. It has also been discovered why certain areas are more vulnerable to earth quakes. Earth quake is no longer ignored and considered as a calamity that arrives without any warning. The densely populated urban areas and the expected population explosion in the coming decades make it clear that the world can no longer afford a heavy earth quake. If an earth quake happens in any major city of the world, more than 10 million people would perish within moments. Nations are therefore increasingly concerned about any probable earth quake that would cause a risk to the population. Earth quake warning systems are developed so that people would be intimated of an impending hazard. An Earthquake Early Warning System has been prepared by the United States Geological Survey in order to calculate earth quake risk for the west coast of United States. This warning system provides timely warnings, alerts for a possible earth quake. These warnings are meant to ensure public safety and perform necessary precautionary measures to avoid heavy losses. Effective forecasts and warnings would warn the population about possible attacks and educate them about the do’s and don’ts while encountering an earth quake. Earth warning systems send automatic earth quake