PrESENCE : a participative citizen seismic network.

The SeismoCitizen (SismoCitoyen) project presents and tests a new paradigm of collaborative monitoring of geohazards in urban and peri-urban environments. Seismological observations are obtained using a large number of low cost internet-connected equipment (Raspberry Shake seismic sensors and associated open access data). The breakthrough strategy of the project relies on the deployment of the sensors in residences or administrative buildings of non-seismologist voluntary citizens or authorities. The aim is to use those stations to densify the french permanent seismic network, and to improve the detection and location of seismic events, in particularly small ones. The volunteers take part in a sociological survey to estimate the impact of that participative project on their perception of science. Candidates are primarily chosen according to the seismic interest of their location and for some of them to represent the social variability of the population. 

 

Since the “Sismocitoyen” project was launched in 2018 by BCSF-Rénass and EOST (CNRS and Strasbourg University), sixty sensors have been deployed and are currently hosted by voluntary citizens in the region of the Upper Rhine Graben, in the area of Strasbourg, Mulhouse and alongside Vosges mountains. They were able to strongly improve our monitoring of the seismic events induced by a deep geothermal project close to Strasbourg where several events have been largely felt (2019-2022). The topic is becoming a major issue in the development of renewable energies that involve the subsurface as seismic hazards are of significant public concern and can have major socio-economic impacts. 

 

With the new PrESENCE ANR project (2022-2025) we focus on seismic hazards induced by deep geothermal operations in northern Alsace and their associated societal perception.  Seventy Raspberry Shake seismic stations are being deployed since the end of 2022 and installations will continue in 2023. We will use our previous experience to improve, refine and develop all aspects such as site selection, protection of privacy and confidentiality of volunteers data and information, station calibration before deployment, data transmission and protocol to minimize data losses, stations monitoring and data analysis.

 

During the project, interactions with the station hosts will be reinforced, in particular with convivial meetings (Stammtisch) to answer questions, present the use of the data and the results obtained.