Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Tuesday to implement a statewide earthquake early-warning system partially developed at UC Berkeley, according to The Sacramento Bee.
Senate Bill 135 enables the development of a system to notify residents at least one minute prior to an earthquake. Methods of notification are still unclear, but State Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima, the main sponsor of the bill, has proposed using Amber Alerts and smartphone apps as well as halting transportation as means of ensuring public safety.
The estimated initial cost to build the system is $80 million for the first five years.
During an earthquake, energy radiates from faults in two phases. The first phase, called P-waves, is low-amplitude and causes no damage. The second phase, S-waves, causes damage through shaking. While the system does not predict earthquakes, it detects P-waves and estimates the magnitude before it strikes, warning residents in the area.
For the past two years, UC Berkeley has been running a successful demonstration system, said Richard Allen, director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. Researchers at the lab contributed extensively to the project.
“This is a big deal for UC Berkeley,” Allen said. “This is a great example of how fundamental research at a university can produce a real public good.”
Berkeley is located near the San Andreas Fault, a prominent earthquake-prone zone. Another one, the Hayward Fault, runs behind Clark Kerr Campus and underneath Memorial Stadium.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services now has until January 1, 2016, to find sufficient funds for the system, according to California Newswire.
Allen said Padilla has suggested a variety of sources, including federal grants and bond measures.