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IRIS STATION (US) INSTALLED AT GARNI GEOPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY TO ALSO REGISTER SECRET NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN THE REGION
ARMINFO
Monday, March 25, 21:32
"It may be no accident that under the program of the Incorporated
Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), the USA has established
its station at the Garni Geophysical Observatory. Besides the earth
shocks, the station will also register the secret nuclear explosions
along the perimeter of 12 thsd km", Levon Hakhverdyan, Director of
the Garni Geophysical Observatory, said when replying to ArmInfo
correspondent's question.
Armen Yeritsyan, Minister of Emergency Situations of Armenia, who
visited the station on March 25, pointed out that the modernization
project of the Observatory will be implemented within a year.
Afterwards the Observatory will become an international seismological
center. He said that the network of the seismic activity monitoring
includes 150 observing points, which will send the information to both
the Crisis Management Center of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency
Situations and the Garni Geophysical Observatory for processing. A
unique strainmeter, which is 375 meters long, is installed at the
Observatory at the maximum depth of 67 meters. He added that the
data from the station installed at the Observatory under the IRIS
project, as well as from the seismological station in Yeghegnadzor
(which operates with the support of France) will be collected at
the Observatory.
When asked if Armenia can gain dividends from the activities in the
seismic studies sphere, Levon Hakhverdyan said that it will be possible
to talk about it only in case of the Observatory's normal operation.
In the meantime, the Observatory should regularly provide the Armenian
Nuclear Power Plant with information about the geomorphologic
situation. Hakhverdyan thinks that in order to ensure the proper
work of the strainmeter, it is necessary to equip it with a digital
system of data transmission. There are also tiltmeters, radonometric
and magnetometric stations. Later it is envisaged to launch a laser
interferometer. In addition, the operations at one of the deepest wells
in Armenia, which is located at the Garni Geophysical Observatory,
will define the specifications of the subterranean waters, and analyze
the biochemical and ecochemical state of the subsurface. In seismic
activities, the Garni Geophysical Observatory will cooperate with the
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and the Institute of Mechanics of
the Armenian National Academy of Sciences.
Artur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of the National Security Council under
the President of Armenia, who also visited the Garni Geophysical
Observatory today, said that after the modernization of the
Observatory, Armenia may become an exporter of knowledge in the sphere
of seismology and seismic security. He recalled that the Observatory
operates as part of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations,
due to which the country has already become an exporter of rescue
services. Baghdasaryan pointed out that the Observatory is a unique
complex (there is a similar complex in Japan) that registers earth
shocks within a radius of 12 thsd km. He assured that the Security
Council will support full modernization of the Observatory in every
possible way, as it is hard to overestimate the practical importance
of the Observatory. It is also planned to involve international
organizations in the modernization process. "We expect a high
ranking delegation of the Russian Security Council to visit Armenia,
and the delegation will include responsible persons in the sphere of
seismic security. We have effective ties with Russia", he stressed. He
expressed hope that the USA and the EU will also take an active part
in the process in terms of financial and technical assistance.
Baghdasaryan recalled that under the seismic security concept approved
by the Security Council, essential steps have been taken in Armenia
over the past two years. He said that effective cooperation has been
established with Roskosmos, and the structures of Roskosmos cooperate
with Armenia in implementation of a 5 mln EUR modernization project
of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory.
The Minister of Emergency Situations, in turn, recalled that the
Observatory was transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Situations
in March 2012, and no modernizations operations had been carried out
there before.
To note, the Garni Geophysical Observatory was built in 1977-82. The
project cost 3 mln Soviet rubles. The Observatory registers all the
big and medium earthquakes, as well as the secret nuclear explosions.
The data of the Observatory are transmitted to the seismological
centers of the USA and Austria. The Institute of Physics of the Earth,
Russian Academy of Sciences, has expressed willingness to contribute
to the re-launch of the Observatory's equipment designed by the
former employees of the Observatory, who are currently working at
the Institute of Physics of the Earth.
ARMINFO
Monday, March 25, 21:32
"It may be no accident that under the program of the Incorporated
Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), the USA has established
its station at the Garni Geophysical Observatory. Besides the earth
shocks, the station will also register the secret nuclear explosions
along the perimeter of 12 thsd km", Levon Hakhverdyan, Director of
the Garni Geophysical Observatory, said when replying to ArmInfo
correspondent's question.
Armen Yeritsyan, Minister of Emergency Situations of Armenia, who
visited the station on March 25, pointed out that the modernization
project of the Observatory will be implemented within a year.
Afterwards the Observatory will become an international seismological
center. He said that the network of the seismic activity monitoring
includes 150 observing points, which will send the information to both
the Crisis Management Center of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency
Situations and the Garni Geophysical Observatory for processing. A
unique strainmeter, which is 375 meters long, is installed at the
Observatory at the maximum depth of 67 meters. He added that the
data from the station installed at the Observatory under the IRIS
project, as well as from the seismological station in Yeghegnadzor
(which operates with the support of France) will be collected at
the Observatory.
When asked if Armenia can gain dividends from the activities in the
seismic studies sphere, Levon Hakhverdyan said that it will be possible
to talk about it only in case of the Observatory's normal operation.
In the meantime, the Observatory should regularly provide the Armenian
Nuclear Power Plant with information about the geomorphologic
situation. Hakhverdyan thinks that in order to ensure the proper
work of the strainmeter, it is necessary to equip it with a digital
system of data transmission. There are also tiltmeters, radonometric
and magnetometric stations. Later it is envisaged to launch a laser
interferometer. In addition, the operations at one of the deepest wells
in Armenia, which is located at the Garni Geophysical Observatory,
will define the specifications of the subterranean waters, and analyze
the biochemical and ecochemical state of the subsurface. In seismic
activities, the Garni Geophysical Observatory will cooperate with the
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and the Institute of Mechanics of
the Armenian National Academy of Sciences.
Artur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of the National Security Council under
the President of Armenia, who also visited the Garni Geophysical
Observatory today, said that after the modernization of the
Observatory, Armenia may become an exporter of knowledge in the sphere
of seismology and seismic security. He recalled that the Observatory
operates as part of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations,
due to which the country has already become an exporter of rescue
services. Baghdasaryan pointed out that the Observatory is a unique
complex (there is a similar complex in Japan) that registers earth
shocks within a radius of 12 thsd km. He assured that the Security
Council will support full modernization of the Observatory in every
possible way, as it is hard to overestimate the practical importance
of the Observatory. It is also planned to involve international
organizations in the modernization process. "We expect a high
ranking delegation of the Russian Security Council to visit Armenia,
and the delegation will include responsible persons in the sphere of
seismic security. We have effective ties with Russia", he stressed. He
expressed hope that the USA and the EU will also take an active part
in the process in terms of financial and technical assistance.
Baghdasaryan recalled that under the seismic security concept approved
by the Security Council, essential steps have been taken in Armenia
over the past two years. He said that effective cooperation has been
established with Roskosmos, and the structures of Roskosmos cooperate
with Armenia in implementation of a 5 mln EUR modernization project
of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory.
The Minister of Emergency Situations, in turn, recalled that the
Observatory was transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Situations
in March 2012, and no modernizations operations had been carried out
there before.
To note, the Garni Geophysical Observatory was built in 1977-82. The
project cost 3 mln Soviet rubles. The Observatory registers all the
big and medium earthquakes, as well as the secret nuclear explosions.
The data of the Observatory are transmitted to the seismological
centers of the USA and Austria. The Institute of Physics of the Earth,
Russian Academy of Sciences, has expressed willingness to contribute
to the re-launch of the Observatory's equipment designed by the
former employees of the Observatory, who are currently working at
the Institute of Physics of the Earth.