A Novel Earthquake Warning System Based on Virtual MIMO-Wireless Sensor Networks

An earthquake is caused by the sudden release of strain in the Earth´s crust which results in waves of shaking that radiate outward from the earthquake source. During the last decade, several satellite experiments discovered new phenomena in the ionosphere and magnetosphere that had preceded earthquakes. In this research, we suggest a novel early warning system for earthquakes based on wireless sensor network (WSN). A WSN based on single antenna wireless sensor nodes are cooperating to establish a multiple-antenna WSN that is called virtual MIMO-WSN. Virtual MIMO-WSN has adjustable and tuning capabilities to monitor different frequencies based on the number of the cooperative wireless sensor nodes. An electromagnetic map could be generated by activating a virtual MIMO-WSN in specific direction (North-South, East-West, North-West, North-East, South-West, South-East) by switching (ON/OFF) certain sensor nodes based on their location. Cost effectiveness, system scalability, ease of deployment, adjustable frequency tuning, and reliable ELF/VLF direction finding are key design factors in virtual MIMO-WSN, overcoming the existing techniques for ELF/VLF monitoring systems. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed virtual MIMO-WSN in adjustable frequency system tuning, and reliable ELF/VLF direction finding.