TELEMETRY:   IDA COMMUNICATIONS - IDA TELEMETRY MAP - IDA NRTS - AUTODRM - CURRENT STATUS About IDA Communications Stations of the IRIS/IDA Global Seismographic Network are configured as nodes on the Internet to facilitate access to the Internet and its associated long-haul telecommunications infrastructure. By developing data acquisition and transmission around the Internet’s TCP/IP protocol suite, the task of data collection from remote locations reduces to one of bringing the Internet to the station, a problem for which a multitude of off-the-shelf solutions exist. Nodes at IDA stations are connected to the Internet over a variety of circuits, including through: a local area network (LAN) already on the Internet a dedicated (leased) telecommunications circuit to an Internet “point-of-presence” a dial-up telecommunications circuit to an Internet “point-of-presence” a satellite circuit for those stations unreachable by existing telecommunications circuits Data acquired via telemetry may be used for such diverse purposes as: tsunami warning: When large earthquakes occur at sea, they may generate very large seismic sea waves which pose great danger to many persons around the world who live in coastal communities. Prompt transmission of the seismic data permits experts to locate earthquakes quickly, assess the likelihood they have generated a tsunami, and predict when the destructive wave will arrive. Such predictions have already saved numerous lives. emergency response: Prompt and accurate location of earthquakes allows emergency personnel to better plan their response to disasters that occur in remote regions of the world. monitoring underground explosions: Seismic methods are used increasingly to monitor adherence to nuclear test ban treaties. When a nuclear device is exploded underground, the resulting shock wave can be detected by seismic instruments over great distances.