Earth Observatory Of Singapore sponsored project

Abstract

When a volcano erupts, there is loss of lives and property. With advanced warning systems

which can better monitor and study volcanic eruptions, it is now possible to minimize the losses.

However due to the prohibitive cost of volcano monitoring devices, only volcanoes which are

perceived to have a devastating effect on lives and property are currently monitored.

Nonetheless, the information just prior to eruption that could be gathered from such volcanoes,

is useful to volcanologists who are trying to study the behavior of active volcanoes.

Currently there are no volcano monitoring systems available that are both relatively cheap

(under USD1000) and rapidly deployable (taking less than 20 minutes to deploy on site), as such

systems are usually permanent structures that are not meant to be destroyed. Hence this project

which is sponsored by the Earth Observatory of Singapore under the NTU-HMC Global Clinic

Program has the objective of developing a solution to this problem.

A team of six students, three from Nanyang Technological University and three from

Harvey Mudd College (USA) are the members of this project. The work was divided among the

students and the author was in charge of the structural considerations and power management of

the system. However, as with all team based projects, overlapping of work scope do happen.

Structural considerations involve exploring possible methods which could be

implemented with the purpose of protecting all the equipment from the harsh conditions of the

volcano crater, while trying to keep the cost low. The project scope also includes evaluating new

methods for rapid deployment of the set-up, while ensuring its reliability.

The power management system consists of selecting a suitable power supply that is able

to sustain the electronic equipment for two months and also to source for the best configuration

to provide reliable and adequate power input into the electronics. This will entail collating the

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power requirements of the gas sensor, tilt meter, Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor,

processor, geophones and telemetry, followed by matching it with the available power options

which are cheap and reliable, while accounting for power losses.

Finally, cost of the system pertaining to the author’s recommendations will be compared

with those used conventionally, in order to validate the dollar savings.