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Earthquake monitoring station in Sharjah

SHARJAH — The latest earthquake monitoring station in the UAE was launched on Sunday in Sharjah, in the mountains of Wadi Helou.

His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, launched the University of Sharjah’s seismographic station, which is linked to the Global Seismographic Network (GSN) that caters to the Gulf region.

Professor Sammy Mahomoud, Chancellor of Sharjah University, explained that the network will constantly monitor the earth and will be able pick up small tremors in the region.

The Global Seismographic Network (GSN) is a globally distributed, state-of-the-art digital seismic network providing free, real time, open access data. It is located 80 kilometres away from Sharjah University City, 
near Kalba.

“Up to now, international monitoring systems, located hundreds of 
kilometres away, could only detect relatively large quakes.

Nobody can predict exactly when and where an earthquake will happen, but we can study the fault and we can know which area is active,” said Prof Mahmoud.

He pointed out that identifying smaller earthquakes is an essential part of the process that predicts the likelihood of large quakes, and that the project is a result of a cooperation agreement between the University of Sharjah and University of California, San Diego, US.

In cooperation with the world network of earthquake detection, IDA (International Deployment of Accelerometers), the new station aims to fill the gap of 137 stations found in more than 40 countries. Due to the machine’s high level of sensitivity, the 1.5m by 0.5m instrument will be set on a platform, away from heat and sand.

“The UAE is located on the north-eastern edge of the Arabian plate, near one of the most seismically active regions in the world. The Arabian and Eurasian plates collide in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, making the area prone to earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.” ‘Drawing lessons from the Japan quake’ Meanwhile, the Director General of the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), Dr William D Travers, said the authority was conducting a review of its preparedness following the 
Japan quake.

A statement from him added that the concentration of radioactivity in these regions is expected to be so low that only specialised laboratories will be able to detect it.

The reports further indicate that no health or environmental consequences would be expected.

“As the independent nuclear safety regulator in the UAE, we at FANR are conducting a thorough review of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s (ENEC’s) application for a licence to construct two nuclear power plants at the Braka site. ENEC filed this application on December 27, 2010 and our detailed safety review is planned to take more than a year. Seismic safety is one of the key issues, which we will examine in our review,” the statement said.

In the light of what’s happening in Japan, “what we can do and must do is clear: We will continue to be watchful. Once we fully understand the details of what has happened in Japan, we will use this information to enhance the safety of the peaceful nuclear power programme here in the UAE,” it added.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com.