G33A-1121
EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory, Southwest Region – Communications, Challenges, and Cooperation

Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Ryan C Turner1, Doerte Mann2, Christian P Walls1, Andre Basset3, Shawn Lawrence3 and Henry T Berglund4, (1)UNAVCO, Inc. San Clemente, San Clemente, CA, United States, (2)UNAVCO, Forestville, CA, United States, (3)Unavco Inc., San Clemente, CA, United States, (4)UNAVCO, Inc. Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
Abstract:
The Southwest Region of the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory is engaged in efforts to expand capabilities and renovate the network. These efforts include GNSS hardware modernization (in cooperation with state and local agencies), communications upgrades that improve data throughput and decrease recurring costs, co-location of prototype instruments for use in earthquake early warning, and working to ensure consistent high-quality data in the face of radio spectrum encroachment.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is but one of a growing number of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) with the potential to improve geodetic observations. In addition to strategic deployment of GNSS-capable hardware, the Southwest region is currently developing an agreement with Caltrans to augment the network with GNSS systems at about a dozen stations. The upgrades will consist of a number of Caltrans-provided GLONASS-ready receivers and project is scheduled for completion by early 2016.

The Southwest Region has continued to upgrade and build new radio networks to improve dependability, monitoring, and data download rates (including transfers of high-rate data). Here, we highlight one such network near Hollister, CA, which eliminated several cellular modems and improved reliability.

UNAVCO and Scripps have been working in collaboration to augment a subset of GPS stations with low-cost strong-motion sensors for use in Earthquake Early Warning systems. To date, 21 PBO stations have been upgraded with MEMS accelerometers along the San Andreas and San Jacinto Faults in Northern and Southern California, 15 of which stream data to UNAVCO in real time.

As the use of the radio frequency spectrum increases, PBO faces more radio frequency interference (RFI) in our data communications networks; in addition, RFI issues are beginning to impact GNSS data collection. Here we report on a PBO site suspected of suffering from RFI and discuss briefly mitigation efforts to minimize these effects.

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