Earthquake Early Warning (Japan)

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Earthquake Early Warning in Japan: When two or more Seismometers[1] detect P-waves (upper), the JMA immediately analyzes the readings and distributes the warning information to advanced users, such as broadcasting stations and mobile phone companies, before the arrival of S-waves (lower).

The Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) (緊急地震速報 Kinkyū Jishin Sokuhō?) is a warning issued just after an earthquake in Japan is detected.[2] The warnings are issued mainly by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), and they issue tips on how to react to the warnings.[3][4]

External audio
The alarm of the Earthquake Early Warning on TVs or radios of NHK[5] by ja:伊福部達[6]
The sign sounds of the Earthquake Early Warning by REIC[7]

Contents

[edit] Introduction

The JMA has two Earthquake Early Warning schemes; one is for advanced users, another for the general public.[8] Upon P-wave detected by any two or more out of 4,235 seismometers installed throughout Japan (as of 1 April 2010), JMA automatically analyzes and predicts the rough area of epicenter and warns people in prefectures through TV and radio if strong shaking is expected.[8]

Earthquake Early Warning (alert)(緊急地震速報(警報)) is issued to general public when Japan seismic scale 5-lower or more is expected.[9] Earthquake Early Warning (forecast)(緊急地震速報(予報)) is issued to advanced user when Japan seismic scale 3 or more, or magnitude 3.5 or more is expected, or 100 or more gal is detected in amplitude of P-wave or S-wave.[9]

The timing of a warning depends on conditions when a warning can be issued and received. After receiving a warning, a person may have a few seconds at longest to take action, but if the epicenter is very close there may be cases in which strong tremors come ahead of any warning.[10]

The Earthquake Early Warning is set up to enable people to mitigate damage from an earthquake: people may protect themselves at home, at the office, and near cliffs. Railway workers may use this warning to slow down trains, and factory workers may use it to stop assembly lines prior to an earthquake.[2]

Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the early warning system, along with Japan's tsunami warning system, was considered effective by Indian scientist Dr. Shailesh Nayak, who helped develop India's warning system,[11] though the tsunami nonetheless killed over 10,000 people.

In April 2011, the Chilean Subsecretary of Telecommunications will disclose to implement similar Earthquake Early Warning system utilized in Japan through ISDB-T.[12]

[edit] Format of EEW broadcasts

[edit] NHK

On NHK television channels (Analog TV and ISDB-T including 1seg), an alert consists of a message window that flashes on the screen showing the earthquake epicenter and the areas most vulnerable to strong tremors. At the same time, two sets of chimes sound, after which a voice announces in Japanese:

“ "This is an Earthquake Early Warning. Please prepare for powerful tremors." (「緊急地震速報です。強い揺れに警戒して下さい。」 Kinkyū Jishin Sokuhō desu. Tsuyoi yure ni keikai shite kudasai.?) ”


The alert also informs viewers whether or not there is a risk of a landslide or tsunami caused by the quake in the affected area. If tsunami warnings are issued, the Emergency Warning Broadcast system breaks into the signal and automatically turns on all radios and televisions in the warned areas tuned to NHK at the time the system is activated, so that the warnings are received properly. All warnings are broadcast in five languages: English, Mandarin, Korean and Portuguese (Japan has small populations who speak these languages), as well as Japanese. The warnings were broadcast in these languages during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[13]

[edit] Mobile phone networks

Japan's three major mobile phone carriers, NTT docomo, au (KDDI and Okinawa Cellular) and SoftBank Mobile, have developed the simultaneous broadcast systems conforming Cell Broadcast to receive EEW and provided phones with this service since 2007.[14][15][16]

It is mandatory for 3G cellular phones that were put on the market after 2007 to receive this service, though overseas manufacturers (Nokia, Apple, HTC, LG, Samsung, etc.) are not supported. In August 2011, Apple announced that its iOS 5 iPhone platform will support early warning notification.[17]

[edit] NTT docomo

EEW is enabled by default on all models of the FOMA 905i series (FOMA 905iシリーズ?) released on November 26, 2007, some FOMA High-Speed models of the FOMA 705i series (FOMA 705iシリーズ?) released in February 2008 and all the newer models. NTT docomo started the free Area Mail (ja:エリアメール?) EEW service on December 10.[18][19]

[edit] au

EEW is enabled on all models newer than 2008 Spring models released on January 9, 2008, including W61CA, W61H, W61K, W61SA, W61SH, W62SA and a few smartphone models, such as IS02 (TSI01). KDDI and Okinawa Cellular started EEW broadcast via au's Short Message Service called C-mail (ja:Cメール?) for free on March 25, 2008.[20]

[edit] SoftBank Mobile

On May 30, 2007, SoftBank announced development of a EEW broadcast system similar to those of NTT docomo and au.[21] Deployment of this system was originally planned in fiscal 2008 but postponed two years. On August 25, 2010, EEW service started in all areas of the Kansai region, Tokai region, Tohoku region (seven prefectures), Chugoku region, and Shikoku region as well as limited areas of the Kanto region. The EEW broadcast network covers the whole country since December 7, 2010. As of March 2011, ja:SoftBank 831N is the only model that supports EEW, although more models are expected to support EEW after summer 2010.

[edit] Other

RC Solution Co. developed an iPhone application named "Yurekuru Call for iPhone" to receive EEW, which is distributed on App Store for free. Notification of an EEW might be delayed or blocked if communication lines are congested.[22][23] The Japan-localized version of iOS 5 for iPhone has built-in EEW functionality.

[edit] Radio receivers

FM radio type, Iris Ohyama Model:EQA-001, front view (upper), rear view (Lower)

The specific and common chime tone from FM stations is automatically detected internally and turns on the radio, if in sleep mode, and sounds a chime tone and EEW message to people for careful attention or awake, even in bed, by loud sound before shaking occurs by S-wave. Soon after S-wave analyzed, the detailed information of earthquake such as seismic scale and associated cities and towns is announced.

These receivers utilize EEW broadcast from radio stations and are free of specific information fees or connection fees. EEW radio waves can be received even in areas where no broadband Internet access is available. The quality of service, rapidity, and service area may vary from station to station.

[edit] Stations with EEW System

[edit] Cable television

A rental EEW receiver of JCN Funabashi-Narashino

Japanese cable TV stations offer affordable EEW services. For example, Japan Cablenet (ja:ジャパンケーブルネット?) (JCN) rents a receiver that receives EEW for advanced users and notifies the user of the estimated Shindo scale and the remaining time (0 to 5 seconds).[30][31] Some cable TV stations also broadcast EEW on community radio FM and provide equipment to prefectural and municipal facilities for free

[edit] The Internet

Weathernews Inc. (ja:ウェザーニューズ?), a weather information company, started a paid service to broadcast EEW for advanced users, The Last 10-Second, targeted at individuals and businesses on October 15, 2007.[32][33][34] This service requires a computer running Windows 2000 or later with an always-on connection to the Internet and offers an affordable alternative to a costly communication terminal used exclusively for EEW. The EEW client application installed on the computer can be configured to receive information on all earthquakes with a JMA magnitude of 3.5 or higher or with a seismic intensity of 3 or higher. Newer versions of the program allow for the announcement of lower-intensity earthquakes. When an EEW warning is issued, the program will announce the approximate location of the epicenter, the expected JMA seismic intensity and display a countdown of when major shaking is to be expected.

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, a similar Windows program was made available for free by the Strategy Corporation (ja:ストラテジー株式会社) called SignalNow Express.[35]

On July 7, 2008, ANET Co., Ltd. (ja:ANET アネット?), a disaster prevention technology company of the Railway Technical Research Institute Group, released a client application, EQMessenger, to receive ANET Alert, which ciphers and broadcasts EEW information on the epicenter, the estimated seismic intensity at the user's location, and the remaining time before the arrival of the S-wave.[36] When the estimated seismic intensity exceeds the preset level, EQMessenger can sound a warning and display the epicenter, the intensity estimation point, and the arrival of the tremor on a pop-up map.

[edit] Identification of EEW capable devices

The current Earthquake Early Warning logo used by the Japan Meteorological Agency uses a yellow catfish known as a Namazu (鯰). Many earthquake preparedness activities in Japan use the catfish as a mascot, as Japanese lore suggested that earthquakes were caused by a giant catfish making tremors, or that catfish were seen to predict earthquakes.[37]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

This article incorporates information from this version of the equivalent article on the Japanese Wikipedia.
  1. ^ "地震・津波と火山の監視・予測 [Monitoring and prediction of earthquake, tsunami and volcano]" (in Japanese) (PDF). Tokyo: JMA. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/kishou/books/hakusho/2010/HN2010c1s12.pdf. Retrieved 2011-04-03. "Seismometers installed at 4,235 locations are working throughout Japan as of 1 April 2010 (per right side figure on page 1)" 
  2. ^ a b "What is the Earthquake Early Warning (or "緊急地震速報 (Kinkyu Jishin Sokuho)" in Japanese)?". Japan Meteorological Agency. 2007-08-30. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/eew1.html. Retrieved 2008-06-29. 
  3. ^ "Earthquake Early Warning Starting 1 October 2007". Japan Meteorological Agency. 2007-08-30. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/EEW_Starting_1_October_2007_Dos_and_Donts.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-29. 
  4. ^ "How to respond to earthquake early warnings" (in Japanese). NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.nhk.or.jp/bousai/k/kokoroe.html. Retrieved 2009-05-09. 
  5. ^ giving guidelines
  6. ^ Sankei-MSN News (2011-05-01 21:55) "The Earthquake Early Warning - the chime contained the tone of pains, even examined the 'Godzilla'" http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/news/110501/dst11050121570027-n1.htm
  7. ^ guidelines for use
  8. ^ a b "緊急地震速報について｜緊急地震速報の内容" (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. http://www.seisvol.kishou.go.jp/eq/EEW/kaisetsu/eew_naiyou.html. Retrieved 2008-06-29. 
  9. ^ a b "緊急地震速報のしくみと予報・警報 [About EEW alert and forecast]" (in Japanese). Tokyo: JMA. http://www.seisvol.kishou.go.jp/eq/EEW/kaisetsu/eew_naiyou.html. Retrieved 2011-04-14. 
  10. ^ "緊急地震速報とは" (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. http://www.seisvol.kishou.go.jp/eq/EEW/kaisetsu/Whats_EEW.html. Retrieved 2008-06-29. 
  11. ^ Amitabh Sinha (2011-03-12). "Early warning system saved Japan worst of tsunami wrath". Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/early-warning-system-saved-japan-worst-of-tsunami-wrath/761448/. 
  12. ^ "The Japanese earthquake pushed ISDB-T alert system in Chile". NexTV Latam, TV Telco Latam. 2011-04-01. http://www.nextvlatam.com/Nota.aspx?IdContenido=1851. Retrieved 2011-04-09. 
  13. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24KfBwkMw_M An actual recording of an emergency broadcast in English, Mandarin, Korean and Portuguese
  14. ^ 緊急地震速報に対応した一斉同報配信基盤を開発(NTT docomo press release May 30, 2007)
  15. ^ 緊急地震速報に対応した一斉同報配信基盤を開発(KDDI news release May 30, 2007 )
  16. ^ 「緊急地震速報」について(SoftBank Mobile press release May 30, 2007)
  17. ^ http://9to5mac.com/2011/08/21/ios-5-includes-early-earthquake-warning-notifications-for-japanese-iphone-users/
  18. ^ CEATEC ドコモの905i、緊急地震速報を無償で受信可能に（Nikkei ITPro October 2, 2007）
  19. ^ 緊急速報「エリアメール」
  20. ^ 緊急地震速報の提供開始について KDDI Corporation
  21. ^ 「緊急地震速報」について SoftBank
  22. ^ ゆれくるコール”for iPhone サポートサイト RC Solution Co.
  23. ^ あと何秒で地震が来るか分かるiPhoneアプリに惚れた！ Weekly ASCII PLUS, Novemver 30, 2010
  24. ^ http://www.irisohyama.co.jp/news/2009/0820.html Iris Ohyama
  25. ^ http://www.irisohyama.co.jp/news/2010/0310.html Iris Ohyama
  26. ^ http://www.uniden.jp/products/ewr/ewr200.html Uniden
  27. ^ Bay FM's Earthquake Early Warning
  28. ^ Tokyo FM's Earthquake Early Warning
  29. ^ J-Wave's Earthquake Early Warning
  30. ^ 事例報告：地震の揺れが到達する前に緊急地震速報をお知らせしました！ Kabushiki-gaisha JCN Funabashi-Narashino
  31. ^ 事例報告：地震の揺れが到達する前に緊急地震速報をお知らせしました！ Kabushiki-gaisha Kamakura Cable Communications
  32. ^ 個人向け緊急地震速報サービス『The Last 10-Second』10月15日から開始 （Weathernews Inc. press release September 27, 2007）
  33. ^ 個人向け緊急地震速報サービス『The Last 10-Second』 Weathernews Inc.
  34. ^ 事業者向け緊急地震速報サービス『The Last 10-Second』 Weathernews Inc.
  35. ^ http://www.estrat.co.jp/download.html
  36. ^ 株式会社ANETが緊急地震速報受信ソフト EQMessenger：イーキューメッセンジャー）の発売を開始 ANET Co., Ltd.
  37. ^ [1]

[edit] External links

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