An overview of Uganda Seismological Network and
current activities
Joseph Nyago
Seismological Network
Department of Geological Survey and Mines,
P.O Box 9, Entebbe - Uganda
IRIS Workshop on Managing Waveform Data and Related Metadata for Seismic Networks’, November 8-16, 2009 in Helwan - Cairo, Egypt
Outline
 Introduction
 History of destructive earthquakes in Uganda
 Earthquake epicenters 1900-2007
 Station coverage
 Seismic instrumentation
 Data collection, analysis and interpretation
 Way forward
 Acknowledgements
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
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Introduction
 Seismological monitoring activities in Uganda as early as 1925 with a Milne-
Shaw seismograph station at Entebbe. It was later re-established in 1989 under
Uganda National Seismological Network.
 UNESCO donated 3 micro-earthquake (MEQ-800) analogue seismograph and
short period seismometers.
 In 1999, the US Government through University of California San Diego (IRIS-
IDA Project) installed a Global Seismographic station (MBAR) at Kyahi-Mbarara.
 In 1999, International Programs in Physical Sciences (IPPS), Sweden donated 3
Orion Nanometrics seismographs and broadband seismometers.
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
Monday, March 21, 2016
History of destructive earthquakes in Uganda
 9th July 1912: Kitgum earthquake, magnitude 6.7;
 2nd October 1929: Toro earthquake in western rift, magnitude 5.9;
 18th March 1945: Sembabule earthquake, magnitude 6.0;
 20th March 1966: Toro earthquake, magnitude 6.6;
 7th September 1990: Lake Victoria earthquake, magnitude 5.0;
 9th October 1991: Butiaba Port earthquake, magnitude 5.3;
 5th
February 1994: Kisomoro earthquake, magnitude 6.2
(8 people lost lives, caused destruction of property in 3 western
districts worth 61 million US dollars).
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Earthquake epicenters 1900-2007
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VSAT antenna at site NDC-N180
Monday, March 21, 2016
Seismic Network
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VSAT antenna at site NDC-N180
Monday, March 21, 2016
Seismic Instrumentation
Station
(name/code)
Mbarara, MBAR
CTBTO-IMS (AS103)
Entebbe, ENTT
Hoima, HOI
Kilembe, KIL
Equipment installed
Data collection/availability
• 3-Component BB sensor,
• 3-Strong Motion sensor,
• Accelerometers
VSAT terminal ,
USB Memory, AutoDRM.
• Short Period (vertical) sensors, MEQ-800
Sprengnether seismograph.
Paper seismogram and phase
reading and picking.
• 3 Component BB (CMG-40T) sensor, Orion
digital Nanometrics (portable) seismographs
Data disc (2GB) and manual
download to PC
• Short Period (vertical) sensors, MEQ-800
Sprengnether seismograph.
Paper seismogram and phase
reading and picking.
• 3 Component BB (CMG-40T) sensor, Orion
digital Nanometrics (portable) seismographs
Data disc (2GB) and manual
download to PC
• Short Period (vertical) sensors, MEQ-800
Sprengnether seismograph.
Paper seismogram and phase
reading and picking.
• 3 Component BB (CMG-40T) sensor, Orion
digital Nanometrics (portable) seismographs
Data disc (2GB) and manual
download to PC.
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
Monday, March 21, 2016
Seismic Instrumentation
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
VSAT antenna at site NDC-N180
Monday, March 21, 2016
Seismic Instrumentation
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
Monday, March 21, 2016
Data collection, analysis and interpretation
Seisan earthquake analysis software (
both linux and windows versions) is
used to analyze waveform data from
the IRIS station (MBAR) and
waveform data from 3-component
broadband (nanometrics) stations
(ENT, HOI, KIL).
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Way forward ??
• Upgrading the existing stations with improved event detection
capability and modern instrumentation to ensure;



Real-time waveform data transmission and availability
Automatic waveform processing
Automatic event location
• Expanding on the existing network by increasing on the number of
stations to ten (10) to ensure accurate event location.
IRIS Workshop, Cairo-Egypt
Monday, March 21, 2016
Acknowledgements
• UNESCO
• Incorporated Research Institutions in Seismology
(IRRS)
• University of California San Diego (UCSD)
• International Programs in Physical Sciences (IPPS)
• AfricaArray (AA)
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Monday, March 21, 2016
End
I Thank You All For Your Attention!
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Monday, March 21, 2016