Delivering earthquake warnings
to the U.S. west coast
Earthquake early warning summit
April 4-5, 2011, UC Berkeley
Warning Timeline
Realtime animation
for a magnitude 8 on
the San Andreas fault
Southern California:
Rotate map 180° for a
rupture up the San
Andreas towards Los
Angeles
Washington and
Oregon:
Magnitude 9 rupture of
the subduction zone
could have a greater
warning time
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf9DeYBlwMI
Download mp4: http://seismo.berkeley.edu/~rallen/research/WarningsInJapan/SanAndreasFromNorth_v2_bb.mp4
March 11, 2011: The warning
For a user in Tokyo
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYctjv7ouBc
Download mp4: http://seismo.berkeley.edu/~rallen/research/WarningsInJapan/HomeComputerWarningThenShaking_wExplanation.mp4
Yesterday
University and
government
scientists from:
• Caltech
• Central Washington
University
• Stanford
• Southern California
Earthquake Center
Summit resolution
Warnings can be provided before earthquake shaking
Warnings complement good buildings and planning
In the recent M9 earthquake in Japan a warning was
successfully issued in the region of strongest shaking
• UC Berkeley
• UC San Diego
• University of
Washington
• U.S. Geological
Survey
Areas for improvement of the Japanese system have been
identified
Testing of a warning system in the US has been ongoing.
Now it the time for broader engagement of users.
Sustained and enhanced funding is needed to make
warnings a reality
Today
Industry experts, government and legislative
representatives, and scientists
Including
• BART, So. Cal. Edison, PG&E
• Intel, Microsoft, Lam Research, AMGEN
• Caltech
• Central Washington
University
• CalEMA, CA Seismic Safety Commission, San
Francisco City & County
• Stanford
• Representatives from Senators Boxer and
Feinstein, and California State Majority
leader Elaine Corbett
• UC San Diego
• UC Berkeley
• University of
Washington
• U.S. Geological
Survey