Quake monitor launched in Sharjah

posted on 21/03/2011: 120 views

The latest earthquake monitoring station in the UAE was launched yesterday in Sharjah in the mountains of Wadi Helou, Sharjah.

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, launched the University of Sharjah's seismographic station, which is linked to the Global Seismographic Network (GSN) that caters to the Gulf region.

Professor Sammy Mahmoud, Chancellor of Sharjah University, explained that the network will constantly monitor the earth and will be able to pick up small tremors in the region.

The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) is a globally distributed, state-of-the-art digital seismic network providing free, real time, open access data. It is located 80 kilometres from Sharjah University City, near Kalba.

"Up to now, international monitoring systems, located hundreds of kilometres away, could only detect relatively large quakes. Nobody can predict exactly when and where an earthquake will happen, but we can study the fault and we can know which area is active," said Prof. Mahmoud.

Cooperation agreement

He pointed out that identifying smaller earthquakes is an essential part of the process that predicts the likelihood of large quakes, and that the project is a result of a cooperation agreement between the University of Sharjah and University of California, San Diego, US. In cooperation with the world network of earthquake detection, IDA (International Deployment of Accelerometers), the new station aims to fill the gap of 137 stations found in more than 40 countries. Due to the machine's high level of sensitivity, the 1.5-metre by half-metre instrument will be set on a platform, away from heat and sand. – Gulf News

RELATED ARTICLES

27 February 2012	NCMS dispels earthquake rumours
07 September 2011	Tremor hits Masafi district in Fujairah
11 March 2011	Japan quake won't affect UAE or region
24 February 2011	Mild tremor at Huwailat
21 February 2011	Tremor in Fujairah

blog comments powered by Disqus