Quantification of felt ground motion

MacroSeismic Sensor Network

Felt vibrations of the ground evoke uncomfortable feelings. A low-cost strong-motion seismic network is used to quantify the ground motion, discriminate possible sources and communicate results to the public.

The macroseismic sensor (MSS) network is used to answer two main questions which generally arise after a felt ground motion:

What was the source of the groundmotion? An earthquake, a quarry-blast, nearby construction site or heavy traffic?

Was there a potential risk for life and the possibility for damages to buildings, fixtures and infrastructure?

The MSS network is a dense layout of seismic low-cost sensors in populated areas. Currently, 45 stations have been deployed in the southern part of the Vienna basin. The sensors deliver the peak ground velocity (PGV). The processing of the data focuses on a fast discriminate between regional sources (e.g. earthquake or quarry-blast) or local events like construction work or traffic.

The information is communicated to the public and local authorities using the homepage http://www.macroseismicsensor.at/.

Visual Documentation

Project Metadata

Related Publications

Journal Articles

E. Brückl, P. Carniel, S. Mertl, and R. Meurers, “Das Macroseismic Sensor Projekt,” Österreichische Zeitschrift für Vermessung & Geoinformation, vol. 109, no. 3, pp. 114–130, 2021.
https://www.ovg.at/de/vgi/ausgabe/1301/
```
@article{bruckl_macroseismic_2021,
  title = {Das {Macroseismic} {Sensor} {Projekt}},
  url = {https://www.ovg.at/de/vgi/ausgabe/1301/},
  volume = {109},
  language = {de},
  number = {3},
  journal = {Österreichische Zeitschrift für Vermessung \& Geoinformation},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald and Carniel, Peter and Mertl, Stefan and Meurers, Rita},
  year = {2021},
  pages = {114--130},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {article}
}
```

E. Brückl, “Graphical Location of Seismic Sources Based on Amplitude Ratios,” Seismological Research Letters, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. 784–789, Mar. 2019.

http://doi.org/10.1785/0220180216

@article{bruckl_graphical_2019,
  title = {Graphical Location of Seismic Sources Based on Amplitude Ratios},
  volume = {90},
  issn = {0895-0695, 1938-2057},
  doi = {10.1785/0220180216},
  pages = {784--789},
  number = {2},
  journaltitle = {Seismological Research Letters},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald},
  urldate = {2019-03-15},
  date = {2019-03},
  year = {2019},
  langid = {english},
  file = {Brückl - 2019 - Graphical Location of Seismic Sources Based on Amp.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/729FEKQD/Brückl - 2019 - Graphical Location of Seismic Sources Based on Amp.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {article}
}

E. Brückl, K. Filz, R. Hochwartner, S. Mertl, G. Stickler, and S. Zöhling, “Monitoring von Sprengerschütterungen mit seismischen „low-cost‘ Sensoren,” BHM Berg- und Hüttenmännische Monatshefte, vol. 164, no. 10, pp. 431–437, Oct. 2019.

http://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-019-00892-z https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-019-00892-z

@article{bruckl_monitoring_2019,
  title = {Monitoring von {Sprengerschütterungen} mit seismischen „low-cost“ {Sensoren}},
  volume = {164},
  issn = {1613-7531},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-019-00892-z},
  doi = {10.1007/s00501-019-00892-z},
  language = {de},
  number = {10},
  urldate = {2020-01-09},
  journal = {BHM Berg- und Hüttenmännische Monatshefte},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald and Filz, Karl and Hochwartner, Roland and Mertl, Stefan and Stickler, Gerald and Zöhling, Stefan},
  month = oct,
  year = {2019},
  pages = {431--437},
  file = {brückl_et_al_2019_monitoring_von_sprengerschütterungen_mit_seismischen_„low-cost“_sensoren.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/MUFC7JHJ/brückl_et_al_2019_monitoring_von_sprengerschütterungen_mit_seismischen_„low-cost“_sensoren.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {article}
}

Chapters in Books

E. Brückl, P. Carniel, S. Mertl, and R. Meurers, “Seismological Data Acquisition and Analysis within the Scope of Citizen Science,” in Earthquakes, IntechOpen, 2021.

http://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95273 https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/74466

@incollection{bruckl_seismological_2021,
  title = {Seismological {Data} {Acquisition} and {Analysis} within the {Scope} of {Citizen} {Science}},
  url = {https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/74466},
  language = {en},
  urldate = {2021-04-07},
  booktitle = {Earthquakes},
  publisher = {IntechOpen},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald and Carniel, Peter and Mertl, Stefan and Meurers, Rita},
  month = jan,
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.5772/intechopen.95273},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {article}
}

Reports

Stefan Mertl, “MSS Outreach - Endbericht - Call 14 - Projekt ID 4547,” Mertl Research GmbH, Project Final Report, 2021.

https://www.netidee.at/sites/default/files/2021-05/prj4547_Call14_Endbericht_V04.pdf

@report{stefan_mertl_mss_2021,
  title = {{MSS} {Outreach} - {Endbericht} - {Call} 14 - {Projekt} {ID} 4547},
  url = {https://www.netidee.at/sites/default/files/2021-05/prj4547_Call14_Endbericht_V04.pdf},
  urldate = {2022-08-06},
  author = {{Stefan Mertl}},
  institution = {Mertl Research GmbH},
  type = {Project Final Report},
  year = {2021},
  pages = {17},
  file = {prj4547_Call14_Endbericht_V04.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/NLURY5B9/prj4547_Call14_Endbericht_V04.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {finalreport}
}

E. Brückl, J. Brückl, E. Umnig, and R. Weber, “Schools & Quakes Abschlussbericht,” TU Wien, Department für Geoinformation, Abschlussbericht APA 05/173, Jun. 2017.

https://www.oeaw.ac.at/geok/texte/sq_endbericht.pdf

@report{bruckl_schools_2017,
  location = {Wien},
  title = {Schools \& Quakes Abschlussbericht},
  url = {https://www.oeaw.ac.at/geok/texte/sq_endbericht.pdf},
  pages = {170},
  number = {APA 05/173},
  institution = {TU Wien, Department für Geoinformation},
  type = {Abschlussbericht},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald and Brückl, Johanna and Umnig, Elke and Weber, Robert},
  date = {2017-06-30},
  year = {2017},
  file = {Brückl et al. - 2017 - Schools & Quakes Abschlussbericht.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/ZF9MK2XK/Brückl et al. - 2017 - Schools & Quakes Abschlussbericht.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {schools_and_quakes, macro_seismic_network},
  group = {article}
}

Final Thesis at Schools

K. Ableitinger, H. A. Fock, C. Hackenberger, A. Kölbl, and S. Polydor, “MacroSeismic Network,” Diplomarbeit, TGM - HTBLuVA Wien XX IT Abteilung, 2016.

@thesis{ableitinger_macroseismic_2016,
  location = {Wien},
  title = {MacroSeismic Network},
  institution = {TGM - HTBLuVA Wien XX IT Abteilung},
  type = {Diplomarbeit},
  author = {Ableitinger, Klaus and Fock, Hagen Aad and Hackenberger, Christoph and Kölbl, Alexander and Polydor, Stefan},
  date = {2016-04-25},
  year = {2016},
  note = {thesis-school},
  file = {Ableitinger et al. - 2016 - MacroSeismic Network.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/GXRIF3SV/Ableitinger et al. - 2016 - MacroSeismic Network.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {undergraduate_thesis}
}

Presentations at Conferences

E. Brueckl et al., “Design and ﬁrst tests of a Macroseismic Sensor System,” 2017.

https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2017/EGU2017-6418.pdf

@unpublished{brueckl_design_2017,
  location = {EGU General Assembly, Vienna},
  title = {Design and ﬁrst tests of a Macroseismic Sensor System},
  url = {https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2017/EGU2017-6418.pdf},
  type = {Poster},
  author = {Brueckl, Ewald and Polydor, Stefan and Ableitinger, Klaus and Rafeiner-Magor, Walter and Kristufek, Werner and Mertl, Stefan and Lenhardt, Wolfgang},
  year = {2017},
  langid = {english},
  note = {EGU2016-10354},
  file = {Brueckl et al. - Design and ﬁrst tests of a Macroseismic Sensor Sys.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/AQKQ2N36/Brueckl et al. - Design and ﬁrst tests of a Macroseismic Sensor Sys.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {conference}
}

M. del Puy Papi Isaba and Ewald Brückl, “Robust method to detect and locate local earthquakes by means of amplitude measurements.,” 2016.

https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2016/EGU2016-10354.pdf

@unpublished{del_puy_papi_isaba_robust_2016,
  location = {EGU General Assembly, Vienna},
  title = {Robust method to detect and locate local earthquakes by means of amplitude measurements.},
  url = {https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2016/EGU2016-10354.pdf},
  type = {Poster},
  author = {del Puy Papi Isaba, Maria and {Ewald Brückl}},
  year = {2016},
  note = {EGU2016-10354},
  file = {del Puy Papi Isaba und Ewald Brückl - 2016 - Robust method to detect and locate local earthquak.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/7EUPSZQ2/del Puy Papi Isaba und Ewald Brückl - 2016 - Robust method to detect and locate local earthquak.pdf:application/pdf;poster_egu2016_mppisaba_Bruckl_Method.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/PWFWYCG9/poster_egu2016_mppisaba_Bruckl_Method.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {conference}
}

E. Brückl et al., “Scientiﬁc goals of SCHOOLS & QUAKES,” 2015.

https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/EGU2015-3401-4.pdf

@unpublished{bruckl_scientic_2015,
  location = {EGU General Assembly, Vienna},
  title = {Scientiﬁc goals of SCHOOLS \& QUAKES},
  url = {https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/EGU2015-3401-4.pdf},
  type = {Poster},
  author = {Brückl, Ewald and Köberl, Christian and Lenhardt, Wolfgang and Mertl, Stefan and Rafeiner-Magor, Walter and Stark, Angelika and Stickler, Gerald and Weber, Robert},
  date = {2015},
  langid = {english},
  note = {EGU2015-3401-4},
  file = {Brückl et al. - 2015 - Scientiﬁc goals of SCHOOLS & QUAKES.pdf:/home/stefan/01_gtd/05_dokumente/bibliothek/zotero/storage/CZZG75DE/Brückl et al. - 2015 - Scientiﬁc goals of SCHOOLS & QUAKES.pdf:application/pdf},
  project = {macro_seismic_network},
  group = {conference}
}

Related Projects

Duration

The project started October, 2017 and is still running.

Responsibilities

Within the project I have the followxing responsibilies:

Organization and handling of operation.
Software development for near real-time data visualization.
Consulting for seismic data recorder development.
Near real-time event localization using amplitude data.

Partners

For this project I have the following cooperation partners:

HTLBLuVA Wiener Neustadt
Incorporation of MSS related topics in courses and thesis.

TGM Wien
Incorporation of MSS related topics in courses and thesis.

Technische Universität Wien – Department für Geodäsie und Geoinformation
Incorporation of MSS related topics in bachelor- and master-thesis.

Baumit GmbH
Usage of data and visualization of the MSS network for the evaluation of quarry blasts.

Landeswarnzentrale Niederösterreich
Usage of data and visualization of the MSS network for assessing and communicating natural hazards.

Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik
Acces to the MSS data in near-realtime.

Support

This project is supported by:

MacroSeismic Sensor Netz NÖ – Pilotstudie (GFN 460057), Forschungsvorhaben, Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung, 2010
Sparkling Science 5, research call, Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, 2014
Quarry blasts as seismic sources, Auftrag, Baumit GmbH, 2018
Seismische Sensoren informieren die Gesellschaft (BD1-G-5285/001-2018), Forschungsauftrag, Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung, 2018
Netidee 2019, research call, Internet Foundation Austria (IPA), 2019
Sponsoring des MSS Netzwerks, Sponsoring, Baumit GmbH, 2022
Sponsoring des MSS Netzwerks., Sponsoring, Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, 2022 - 2026
Sponsoring des MSS Netzwerks, Sponsoring, Stadtgemeinde Hainburg, 2022

Project Timeline

July 2022

The Stadtgemeinde Hainburg joined the supporters of the MSS network as a sponsor.

February 2022

With the Baumit GmbH and the Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik we could allure two important financial partners for the MSS Network.

May 2021

Completion of the netidee project MSS Outreach. Within the project a substantial improvement of the online visualization of the MSS data was accomplished.

November 2019

Funding granted by netidee for the MSS Outreach project.

June 2019

Finalization of the deployment of 20 additional units. The MSS network has been extended to 45 stations.

October 2018

Funding of the extension of the Macroseismic Sensor network with additional 25 units and the improvement of the data acquisition and processing software regarding near-realtime application. The funds are granted by the government of Lower Austria.

February 2018

Funding of an automated processing of recordings of quarry blasts at the quarry Dürnbach in cooperation with Baumit GmbH.

June 2017

Finalization of the deployment of 25 MacroSeismic Sensors in the southern part of the Vienna basin within the framework of Quake Watch Austria, Schools & Quakes and additional funding by the government of Lower Austria.

October 2014

Start of the development of the MacroSeismic Sensors within the framework of the QuakeWatch Austria project. QuakeWatch Austria was a citizen science sub-module of the Sparkling Science project Schools & Quakes.

MacroSeismic Sensor Network

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