Development of earthquake early 

warning system using low cost 
seismometer and its application in large 
earthquake magnitude determination 

Yih‐Min Wu
Geosciences, National Taiwan University
 400 10
PGA Mw6.6, focal depth 10 km

Acceleration (gal)
Knet Station NIG018 Taiwan 11 events
200 Epicentral distance 14 km Southern California 26 events
Japan 17 events
0

-200

PGV
Velocity (cm/sec)

20

c (sec)
10

-10

-20 c
1

For both 
onsite & 
8
Displacement (cm)

4
Pd
0
0.5 cm
-4
log (c) = 0.296 Mw - 1.716
-8

-12

-3 0
Pd threshold warning

3 6 9
PGD

12 15 18 21
0.1

4 5
Sdv=0.122, R=0.933

6 7 8
regional early 
warning 
Time after P arrival (second) Mw

Taiwan 507 records

Southern California 199 records
100 Japan 74 records

purposes
PGV (cm/sec)

10

0.1 Linear regression over 780 records

log(PGV)=0.920 log(Pd) + 1.642
SDV = 0.326

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10

Pd (cm)
 Palert ‐ Features
• Pd technology embedded
• PGA PGV PGD output
• Network streaming ability
• NTP time synchronize
• Four kinds of trig modes
– PD, PGA, STA/LTA, Displacement
• Support both TCP server and client
• Noise performance < 0.1 gal
• Intensity meter
 iTouch for 
backup power 
(4 hrs), display 
and sound 
warning
 More…
• Two D/Os for equipments control or alarm
• Serial port RS‐485 connectivity 
• Recording data is possible by using PC Utility
• FTP upgrade firmware is possible
 Palert Install location

PC Utility & Demo

http://www.cwb.gov.tw/eng/seismic/quake_index.htm?
 Palert EEW Networking System
NTP Server

Industrial HMI

Modbus TCP Industrial HMI

Modbus RTU RS-485

EEW Server 2 Router Hub

DO
Intensity 3
EEW Server 1 ‐17 seconds
Intensity 5
‐5 seconds
Palert

Standard Equipment

Internet

Intensity 3
‐15 seconds

Intensity 4
‐12 seconds
P Wave &
Intensity 5 Intensity 4 Intensity 4
Pd > 0.5cm ‐5 seconds ‐10 seconds ‐11 seconds
 2012
205 stations 
On-Site Warning
 Next step
• Within a year 320 sets Palert will install in 
elementary schools of Taiwan region. It will be 
helpful for the education of seismic hazard 
mitigation to our young generation.
• Not only for earthquake early warning! Real‐
time shaking map could be achieved for rapid 
reporting purpose by using Palert array.
Mw = a Log A + b
Mw = 1.95 Log A+ 0.006 P – 1.619
Determination large earthquake 
magnitude using real‐time shaking 
map!
Fast magnitude estimation for 
the 2011 M 9.0 Great Tohoku 
Earthquake
 1999/09/20 17:47 Mw7.6 TCU078 Epicentral Distance = 5.5 km
P arrival End Event Time
500
EW-Component
A
250

ACC. (gal)
0

-250

-500
500
Amax
Absolute Amplitude (gal)
400 B
300

200
5 sec
20 % Amax
100

0
5000 Es
4000
C reading
Es (cm/sec)

3000

2000

1000

0 10 20 30 40 50
Time (second) 20
log( Es )  2.7501  0.5755  M W  0.0009  R  0.9294  log( R )  0.296
No magnitude saturation and signals 
from low cost sensor could be used!
Thanks for your attention!