Topic: Earthquake Monitoring Program

[mmorris]

This note was on the referenced page:

(NB: a blue row is a 'ping' trigger to see who is running QCN)

I think this just shows when they're polling your computer to see if it's on and/or working.

Greg

That is a fact but if you generate your own earthquake( by shaking the sensor) it will show up as a white line and tell you the magnitude that was generated.

[racenet]

This note was on the referenced page:

(NB: a blue row is a 'ping' trigger to see who is running QCN)

I think this just shows when they're polling your computer to see if it's on and/or working.

Greg

That is a fact but if you generate your own earthquake( by shaking the sensor) it will show up as a white line and tell you the magnitude that was generated.

Hey, let's all shake our sensors at the same time and see what happens. 



Bob

[mmorris]

This note was on the referenced page:

(NB: a blue row is a 'ping' trigger to see who is running QCN)

I think this just shows when they're polling your computer to see if it's on and/or working.

Greg

That is a fact but if you generate your own earthquake( by shaking the sensor) it will show up as a white line and tell you the magnitude that was generated.

Hey, let's all shake our sensors at the same time and see what happens. 



Bob

To late Bob  mine is glued to the basement floor so I can't do that anymore it was fun tho I think I got it up to 21 mag. 

[tomcj2]

mmorris,

Well I not sure what the data mean

I saw another question and response on their forum that I think answers my original question.

ASKED
 Now my next newbie question. When I saw the map I thought it was for triggers from actual sensor movement. Well I notice on mine that I get a ping every 1/2 hour and they show up on the map as triggers. Why do I get so many pings? Is it because I just started?
Thanks, Steve

ANSWERED
No, everyone running the software gets the half-hourly pings. It's just a way for everyone to see where the users are whether they are registering seismic triggers or not. So the map shows all users and not just triggers

[mmorris]

mmorris,

Well I not sure what the data mean

I saw another question and response on their forum that I think answers my original question.

ASKED
 Now my next newbie question. When I saw the map I thought it was for triggers from actual sensor movement. Well I notice on mine that I get a ping every 1/2 hour and they show up on the map as triggers. Why do I get so many pings? Is it because I just started?
Thanks, Steve

ANSWERED
No, everyone running the software gets the half-hourly pings. It's just a way for everyone to see where the users are whether they are registering seismic triggers or not. So the map shows all users and not just triggers

I never got an answer on the Quake catcher forum even tho some people read the post. That forum is kind of slow. Still wondering what happen on the map when a station detects a Quake. They should of a least put a link to the data from the station that you click on so you could see what is going on
.

[Scalphunter]

wonder  how  berkley would had responded to this .   http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF17/1713.html

John
KL7IFP

[tomcj2]

I dont think direction would matter at all...  all this is measuring is vibration, it has no way to tell the direction of vibration.  Since most of the monitoring stations are laptops using the built in sensor they could be orientate in any direction at any time.

Andrew

I found this information on their web page:

Q: Why is it important to have multiple axis accelerometers?
A: The earth shakes in all directions in an earthquake, not just up and down or left to right.

and

With these three components of direction, it is possible to find the direction of the acceleration.

Of course with laptops they do not know what direction it is pointing.  Perhaps they make adjustments using the data they receive from desk tops.

[tomcj2]

I have been sending data to them for more than a month.  Perhaps somebody can explain the triggers shown

 I will go several days with only "blue Pings" shown, and then some "significant" triggers will show up.  They are normally of a magnitude around .2.  There is no obvious reason for them, such as nearby construction, heavy trucks passing by et cetera.  I should mention that the only way I can get it to trigger is by tapping it with something like a screwdriver.  Today is the first time that there has been an earthquake within a couple of hundred miles


 but it happened only 1 hour ago.

Do you think I am seeing seismic activity?

[mmorris]

Did you post your ? over on the QCN forum. I get triggers over here in ohio but I think the highest has been under .2 if I ever get something over 1.0 that would be something to look at. Sometime it take a while to get an answer over there on the QCN  but that is the place for you to get the right answer.
  Noted you got a bunch of tabs open on your browser

[SlowModem]

Noted you got a bunch of tabs open on your browser

Look closer.  The first one open on the left is here (wxforum).   

[blackjack52]

Those using USB device, what are the sys resources being used and what bandwdth amounts are being used?

Also, anyone make a html script?

[LeomaTNWX]

I got mine today. Will it be alright to run this on my weather PC or does it need to be on another one? Also can you post the data you collect on your personal website?

[tomcj2]

There is no reason not to run it on your weather PC, it uses almost nothing of the computer resources.  The only data that I can find is the "last 50 triggers".  I have not posted it on my page because I really do not understand what it is showing.  http://qcn.stanford.edu/qcnalpha/trigger.php?hostid=5103

[blackjack52]

Is there a text file generated that can be used to upload to your site for a script?

[tomcj2]

Is there a text file generated that can be used to upload to your site for a script?

I have not found one.

[Harryca]

According to the letter that came with the sensor I ordered from Stanford, the ability to download your stats and other features is in the works.  Here is an excerpt of the letter.

The Quake-Catcher Network is still undergoing improvements, so we hope you will send us any comments about the sensor or software.  And, please check back at our website (qcn.stanford.edu) often to look for new and exciting features that we will be adding to allow you to download data from your sensor, compare records from nearby sensors, and updates on the latest earthquakes captured by the Quake-Catcher Network.

[blackjack52]

Cool. Thanks.
I just recvd notif they are updating their website too.

[SlowModem]

I just ordered a sensor/software.  I'm going to load it on the weather desktop computer.  I guess I'll have to start calling it the Earth Science computer now.   

[W Thomas]

Good Thread!
I had seriously thought about doing this here but since I have learned of some of the frequent triggers and what it "could"do to the overall data I am afraid it would not be a good test here at all.. I am located withing a few hundred yards of a 4 lane Interstate Highway and a major rail line so I'm sure there would be more false triggers than useful ones.  Hard to say for 100% sure on that but I have noticed instances where a very slow moving coal train will rattle the picture window in the living room.

[tomcj2]

I live 600 yards from the major North/South rail line on the west coast;  more than 50 trains a day.  I mounted the sensor on a short piece of 2x4, and attached the 2x4 to the top of concrete footing with thinset.  I have never had a train trigger the sensor.

Quake-Catcher needs your data.  They will overlook false triggers, but your data is important in the event of a real quake.  The quotation below is from their FAQ's

Q: How can QCN tell the difference between someone dropping a laptop and an earthquake?
A: Only in an earthquake will many computer-sensors detect strong motion all at once.

The more sensors, the better the data.

[Mark / Ohio]

My weather computer pretty much sets on the cement basement floor now with only a small wood stool under it to aid ventilation.  This would be something pretty easy for me to implement.  I downloaded the software on my Acer laptop as a test but no internal sensor apparently in it.  The screen saver was pretty neat!  Kind of like storms and lightning strikes, you can't really comprehend how much activity is going on around the world on a daily basis until you see some sort of a graphic of it.

I see on the map there is already someone about 20 mile from me participating.

[SlowModem]

I got the sensor and installation cd in the mail today.  I am downloading some of the required software now (it takes a while on dialup).  Hopefully it will be up and running by tomorrow.

[SlowModem]

I've got the sensor connected, the software installed, and things are running (I think).  I probably won't be able to see any activity until the spin cycle on the washing machine.   

[tomcj2]

I've got the sensor connected, the software installed, and things are running (I think).  I probably won't be able to see any activity until the spin cycle on the washing machine.   

Tap it with the handle of a screwdriver, you will see results.

[SlowModem]

The only data that I can find is the "last 50 triggers".  I have not posted it on my page because I really do not understand what it is showing.  http://qcn.stanford.edu/qcnalpha/trigger.php?hostid=5103

Can you explain how you got from the qcn home page to the page listed above?  I think I've clicked on all the links and can't figure out how to get there.  I can copy and past your link and paste in my number and see my triggers, but I'd like to understand how to get there.

Thanks,

Greg