On an earthquake early warning system (EEW) and its applications

It is clear that the basic countermeasure against earthquake strong motion is to reinforce buildings and other structures. Realtime earthquake disaster prevention is a countermeasure during the earthquake itself and is different from realtime seismology. An EEW, earthquake early warning system, is required to trigger realtime earthquake disaster prevention. It is important to avoid too much trust in EEW for the disaster prevention. This paper describes the concept of an EEW and gives a brief history, which eventually led to the development of the UrEDAS, the urgent earthquake detection and alarm system, the first operational P-wave early warning system. A real-world example of disaster prevention by this system is described. Finally, the role of national or public organizations in earthquake disaster prevention will be discussed, with special emphasis on the situation in Japan.     

Intelligent seismic isolation system using air bearings and earthquake early warning

Recently strong seismic waves or long period seismic waves have been observed in various earthquakes that occurred in Japan. As a result improvements of existing seismic isolation systems are deemed necessary. The present study proposed an intelligent seismic isolation system encompassing air bearings and earthquake early warning (EEW) system. Such system exhibits adequate isolation performance. The air bearings are isolation device that may render infinite the superstructure natural period by floating them, and the EEW is applied for a trigger of isolation. This paper illustrates the proposed system and discusses the experimental results of a test carried out with the system. Laboratory tests carried out in the present research demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed base isolated systems and prove its efficacy in mitigating the effects of three-dimensional seismic waves. For example, the system suppressed the horizontal response acceleration of an isolation target to 38% of input acceleration.     

2016—2019年湖北省气象预警信号的时空分布特征与发布原则

研究气象预警信号发布的时空特征与发布原则,对监测极端灾害性天气和发布预警信号有一定的指示意义.对湖北省2016—2019年期间发布的气象预警信号运用分类统计法按信号类别、等级、发布时间、发布区域进行统计分析,发现暴雨、大风、雷电、大雾、高温为主要的预警信号,预警落区主要分布在鄂东南、鄂西南,预警发生时间主要集中在夏季的7—8月.在此基础上,提出了湖北省气象预警信号的发布原则.     

反思舟曲灾难事件:如何最大限度减少人员伤亡?

中国是一个降雨引发滑坡、泥石流等地质灾害十分频繁,灾害损失极为严重的国家.特别是,2010年8月7日甘肃舟曲县降雨引发特大泥石流,造成1364人死亡,401人失踪.如何把减灾工作重点放在灾前而不是灾后,避免舟曲群死群伤灾难事件的重演？笔者等认为,在现有数据资料和技术条件下,对全国滑坡、泥石流危害严重的丘陵山区,按1km...     

1994年国家气象中心台风预警评述

通过国家气象中心１９９４年热带风暴的预报服务业务中，有关热带气旋监测、预报信息的使用和预警服务的发布状况，反映我国在热带气旋及有关的灾害性天气预警服务的业条技术水平。同时，对所涉及的有关问题进行了讨论。     

Integration of the THRUST project into the Chile Tsunami Warning System

Several seismic gaps are identified along the coast of Chile. The main one is located in the northern part of the country (18° S–20° S), where a THRUST seismic trigger has been installed; two more triggers will be placed in other seismic gaps. The Standard Operations Plan (SOP) was tested during a disaster simulation exercise based on a major earthquake and tsunami situation. Response actions by governmental and civil agencies were monitored and a performance evaluation was done. Modifications of the SOP were found necessary to adjust the interactions between agencies.     

Cyclones and storm surges in Bangladesh: Some mitigative measures

Bangladesh, with its repeated cycle of floods, cyclones, and storm surges, has proved to be one of the most disaster-prone areas of the world. During the years from 1797 to 1991, Bangladesh has been hit by 60 severe cyclones (mostly accompanied by storm surges). This paper gives a brief account of these disasters with particular reference to the wind speed, surge height, loss of life, and damage to crops and properties, etc.In order to protect the coastal areas of Bangladesh from cyclonic storm surges and floods, a major system of embankments was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s, but this is now in need of rehabilitation. The Cyclone Protection Project, which was approved by the World Bank in 1989, would rehabilitate some of the existing embankments, build new embankments, and construct roads. Locally available materials, indigenous technology, and cheap surplus manpower should be used in this project. A variety of fruit trees should be planted along the dikes and roads.To the south-western part of Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal, lies the world's largest single mangrove tract, known as the Sunderban, which covers a total area of 571 500 ha. This mangrove forest is of extreme importance since it provides efficient protection to life and property against cyclones and storm surges. But due to deforestation, the width of the mangrove belt is being rapidly diminished. The author therefore lays emphasis on coastal afforestation.Absolute security against cyclone hazard is probably out of the question, but an effective cyclone warning response can definitely reduce loss of life and damage to property. The author discusses the current conditions for cyclone forecasting and warning in Bangladesh, and then puts forward some proposals for improving the Cyclone Preparedness Programme.     

French Polynesia Tsunami Warning Center (CPPT)

Since 1964, the Geophysical Laboratory in Tahiti has been charged with the responsibility of issuing tsunami warnings. But this research laboratory is also designed to conduct other missions. One of them is to study an oversee seismicity and volcanism in the South Central Pacific. For this activity the Geophysical Laboratory, which is also the French Polynesia Tsunami Warning Center (Centre Polynésien de Prévention des Tsunamis — CPPT), processes the data recorded by the Polynesian Seismic Network which includes 21 short-period stations, 4 broad-band three-component long period stations, and 2 tide gauge stations. These stations are, for the most, telemetered to CPPT in Tahiti which is equipped wilh data processing capabilities.At CPPT, Tsunami Warning is based on the measurement of the Seismic Moment through the mantle magnitudeM _m and the proportionality of observed tsunami height to this seismic moment.The new mantle magnitude scale,M _m, uses the measurement of the mantle of Rayleigh and Love wave energy in the 50–300 s period range and is directly related to the seismic moment throughM _m = logM _o – 20. Knowledge of the seismic moment allows an estimation of a range of high seas amplitudes for the expectable tsunami.The relation that estimates the tsunami height according to the seismic moment is based on the normal mode tsunami theory but also fits a dataset of 17 tsunamis recorded at Papeete (PPT) since 1958. This procedure is fully automatic: a computer detects, locates and estimates the seismic moment through theM _m magnitude and, in terms of moment, gives an amplitude window for the expected tsunami. These-several operations are executed in real time. In addition, the operator can use historical references and, if necessary, acoustic T waves.This automatic procedure, which has been operating at the CPPT since 1986, is certainly transposable and applicable to other tsunami warning centers that issue warnings for earthquakes detected more than 1000 km away, and has significant potential in the regional field.     

基于气象监测网络的森林火险快速预警模型

森林火灾发生频繁且突发性强,进行森林火险快速预警对于减小森林火灾损失和促进森林资源可持续发展至关重要。本文基于GIS空间分析和可视化技术,利用地面气象站构建实时气象监测网络,设计了运用气象监测网络的森林火险预警模型,可实现森林火险及时、快速预警。模型应用层次分析法建立了预警因子重要性层次结构并确定预警因子的权重;运用Voronoi图技术,基于气象站点和实时气象数据,构建气象监测网络;利用叠置分析技术计算得出预警结果。基于该模型设计的森林火灾快速预警系统应用于青海省林业局,验证了系统可行性与适用性,该模型可全面、准确、快速地实现对森林火险的预警。结果表明：① 根据预警模型及实时气象监测数据,可及时发出预警信号,快速实现县级、林场级别的森林火险早期预警和及时响应;② 运用GIS可视化技术,可快速生成相关区域森林火险的空间分布专题图,直观地观察预警等级的变化情况。实践表明,森林火险快速预警对森林火灾进行有效预防、中断管理和制定扑救措施具有重要的指导作用,并对森林防火工作、保护森林资源和人类生命财产安全具有重大意义。