The U.S. Geological Survey has awarded $4.9 million to six universities and nonprofits governed by universities to support the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system.

ShakeAlert is a product of the USGS Advanced National Seismic System, a federation of national and regional earthquake monitoring networks throughout the country, including networks along the West Coast and Nevada.

The USGS signed new cooperative agreements with University of Oregon, University of Washington, California Institute of Technology, Central Washington University, University of California at Berkeley, University of Nevada, Reno and UNAVCO, Inc.

The organizations will work to bring real-time GPS observations into the ShakeAlert system as well as upgrade the networks and install new seismic stations to improve the speed and reliability of the warnings. They will develop and streamline scientific algorithms to quickly detect potentially damaging earthquakes, and more thoroughly test and refine the warning system.

When the early warning system is in place, it very quickly will detect the size and location of an earthquake, then decide whether it should to send alerts to surrounding areas.

The goal is to able to provide public alerts beginning next year.

ShakeAlert collaborators will also continue to train, educate and expand the pilot project. Currently about 60 organizations are signed up as beta testers, including transit agencies in Central and Southern California, water and gas companies.

https://www.usgs.gov/news/news-releases/national