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By Landon Olson
PARADISE -- In the event of an earthquake, responses by search and rescue crews could be faster and better directed thanks to a new monitoring device. The device, called a strong-motion instrument, provides real-time earthquake data and would be part of the University of Utah's earthquake recording network. The U's network is part of the Advanced National Seismic System, according to Utah's Urban Earthquake Monitoring Website at www.quake.utah.edu. Terry Dye, a strong-motion network engineer, was at the Town Council meeting Wednesday to discuss the device and the possibility of installing one in Paradise. It wouldn't be the first in Cache Valley, though. Dye said there are already sites in Wellsville and at the Logan River Golf Course in Logan, but both are located in areas that are dominantly soil, while the new sensor would be in a rocky area. "We want one on rocks for reference," Dye said. When an earthquake occurs, the information from the instrument is transmitted, via radio, Internet, or a landline, to servers at the University of Utah. Dye said within five minutes, researchers can see, mapped out, where the most severe earthquake area was and send help there. "It sounds to me like a good idea," said Councilwoman Margaret Obray. The proposed location for the device is in a gated area near the town's pump house. It could be put either in the pump house or in the immediate vicinity, but Dye said he is flexible about the location. His preference, he said, is to have it close to a power source, but if that isn't possible, solar panels can be installed. According to the Urban Earthquake Monitoring Web site, the power requirements are small, a battery backup is used, and there are no fire hazards from the equipment. The actual installation area of the devic would be only about 3 feet by 3 feet. As part of the instrument, there will be a radio transmitter to send the information back to the university. A small GPS antenna, to provide timing will also be installed. According to the Web site, "the GPS clock obtains a signal from orbiting satellites" and can therefore provide precise timing. Although the equipment doesn't take up much space and is installed in a protective box, Mayor Lee Atwood voiced concerns about damaging the device if it was installed inside the pump house. He said he was worried that when the pump house was cleaned, damage could occur to the monitoring equipment from water. Atwood said his preference would be to locate the device outdoors. "If you put it outside, it would be only less thing we'd have to worry about," he said. Councilman Dave Anderson had another concern--access to the site. Because the pump house is located through a locked gate, Anderson wondered about how Dye would get to the site. "That's your call. Do it any way you want to, just as long as we have access," Dye said. Access at odd hours would not be a problem, he said, because he works normal business hours, and there wouldn't be any emergency access because "none of our stuff is life threatening." He said on-site access would be limited mainly to physical maintenance since the equipment can be access remotely via computer. Most of the required access to the site would come during construction and the first six months to insure the monitoring equipment was functioning properly, Dye said. "These sites always seem to be persnickety at first," he said. It was decided Dye could contact the council for a key to the gate when he needed access. A benefit of limited access to the site, though, would be protection for the monitoring equipment. Dye said in the past the equipment has been shot up, or large boulders have been thrown through the solar panels. "That's work to throw a rock that size through the solar panel," he said. Even if the site is disturbed, Dye said those monitoring the readings can tell whether an earthquake has occurred. "We can tell the difference between [a disturbance] and an earthquake and when you're beating on it with a sledgehammer," he said. "We can tell the difference." The council approved giving Dye the go ahead to take readings and assess the proposed site to confirm it is where the device should be located. Atwood said he thought the site would probably work because it is near the fault, which would be a good spot for the device but a "lousy spot for our water pipe if we happen to have a problem." If the site is approved, Dye said it would only take about a day for setup, although he possibly would need some extra time to pour concrete or do other construction. He said he was hoping to have the site operational by September. Dye said the seismic monitoring network is gradually expanding and there are now 74 sites in Utah along the Wasatch mountains between Payson and Elwood, near Tremonton. According to the Urban Monitoring Web site, the network in Utah is modeled after one in southern California. Similar networks are being installed in Seattle, San Francisco, Reno, Nev., Memphis, Tenn., and Anchorage, Alaska. The state and the U.S. Geological Survey provide funding for the monitoring instruments in Utah. According to the Urban Monitoring Web site, a request for additional funding for the Advanced National Seismic System is still pending before Congress, but if full funding is received, Utah's network would expand to about 500 stations.
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