MAMODIS - A low-cost monitoring system for debris flows based on infrasound and seismic signals

Abstract

The automatic detection of sediment related disasters like landslides, debris flows and debris floods, gets increasing importance for hazard mitigation and early warning. Past studies showed that such processes induce characteristic seismic signals and acoustic signals in the infrasonic spectrum which can be used for event detection. The presented system MAMODIS (MAss MOvement Detection and Identification System) is a detection system for debris flows, debris floods and avalanches based on a combination of infrasound and seismic signals. The detection system consists of one infrasound sensor, one geophone and a microcontroller, where a specially designed detection algorithm is executed. This algorithm reliably detects events in real time directly at the sensor site. The setup can be easily installed beside a torrent or an avalanche path and therefore can be used as a low-cost and practicable solution for early warning. In addition, this system offers first information of the process-type and a rough estimation of the peak discharge and the total volume for debris flows and debris floods. These values are calculated from the infrasound and seismic signals. Currently the system is installed on several test sites in Austria, Switzerland and Italy.