Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Ward, P. L..
A prototype volcano surveillance system has been installed on 15 volcanoes in four states and four countries. The need for this system, the techniques used, the method of implementation, the major problems, the results, and the future seen for such a system are briefly reviewed.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
The ERTS Data Collection System makes it feasible for the first time to monitor the level of activity at widely separated volcanoes and to relay these data rapidly to one central office for analysis. While prediction of specific eruptions is still an evasive goal, early warning of a reawakening of quiescent volcanoes is now a distinct possibility. A prototypical global volcano surveillance system was established under the ERTS program. Instruments were installed in cooperation with local scientists on 15 volcanoes in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, California, Iceland, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The sensors include 19 seismic event counters that count four different sizes of earthquakes and six biaxial borehole tiltmeters that measure ground tilt with a resolution of 1 microradian. Only seismic and tilt data are collected because these have been shown in the past to indicate most reliably the level of volcano activity at many different volcanoes. Furthermore, these parameters can be measured relatively easily with new instrumentation.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
The author has identified the following significant results. The equipment installed in the volcano surveillance network continues to work quite reliably and earthquakes are being recorded at all sites. A summary of platform receptions per day has been prepared.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
Prototype volcano surveillance system located in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Washington, Iceland, Central and South America
The author has identified the following significant results. Earthquake counters in Guatemala were being installed between February 13 and 17. The volcano Fuego began erupting ash and ash flows on February 23. On February 17, 6 days before the eruption there were 80 earthquakes at two counters 5 and 15 km from the volcano. This was a substantial increase of a fairly constant level of events per day recorded for the previous four days. A counter 30 km away did not show an increase. Had the DCP been operating longer and had the data been sent immediately from Goddard, it might have been possible to warn of a possible eruption six days in advance.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
A volcano-surveillance system utilizing 23 multilevel earthquake counters and 6 biaxial borehole tiltmeters is being installed and tested on 15 volcanoes in 4 States and 4 foreign countries. The purpose of this system is to give early warning when apparently dormant volcanoes are becoming active. The data are relayed through the ERTS-Data Collection System to Menlo Park for analysis. Installation was completed in 1972 on the volcanoes St. Augustine and Iliamna in Alaska, Kilauea in Hawaii, Baker, Rainier and St. Helens in Washington, Lassen in California, and at a site near Reykjavik, Iceland. Installation continues and should be completed in April 1973 on the volcanoes Santiaguito, Fuego, Agua and Pacaya in Guatemala, Izalco in El Salvador and San Cristobal, Telica and Cerro Negro in Nicaragua.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
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A review was made of efforts to develop a dense telemetered microearthquake network to study earthquake mechanics along the San Andreas fault and the strain mechanics of the Kilauea Volcano. The principle elements and objectives of the ERTS-A proposal are outlined. Some of the aspects of the earthquake network and the results obtained from it as well as some promising experiments in computerized record processing are discussed.