Wireless Geophone Network for remote monitoring and detection of landslides

Recent years have shown an alarmous increase in rain fall induced landslides. This has facilitated the need for having a monitoring system to predict the landslides which could eventually reduce the loss of human life. We have developed and deployed a Wireless Sensor Network to monitor rainfall induced landslide, in Munnar, South India. A successful landslide warning was issued in June 2009 using this system. The system is being enhanced by incorporating a Wireless Geophone Network to locate the initiation of landslide. The paper discusses an algorithm that was developed to analyze the geophone data and automatically detect the landslide signal. A novel method to localize the landslide initiation point is detailed. The algorithm is based on the time delay inherent in the transmission of waves through the surface of the earth. The approach detailed here does not require additional energy since the geophones are self excitatory. The error rate of the approach is much less when compared to the other localization methods like RSSI. The proposed algorithm is being tested and validated, in the landslide laboratory set up at our university.