Portable broadband seismic network in Vietnam for investigating tectonic deformation, the Earth’s interior, and early-warning systems for earthquakes and tsunamis

As part of a collaborative project involving researchers from the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (Hanoi, Vietnam), National Taiwan University (Taipei, Taiwan), and Academia Sinica (Taipei, Taiwan), a 25-station broadband seismic array was installed in northern Vietnam during December of 2005 with the aim of acquiring a wide dynamic range of seismic data at a high spatial density. The stations were designed to image and interpret crustal and mantle structures beneath northern Vietnam, including information that would help to reconstruct the geodynamic evolution of the Red River Fault Zone. Since its deployment, the array has recorded significant local, regional, and teleseismic events. The high-quality distance and azimuth coverage of available events will help us to answer questions regarding the nature of deep seismic structures beneath the array and the regional tectonic evolution. As an unexpected bonus, the array recorded near-antipodal seismic waves from significant seismic events in South America, thereby providing valuable seismic data for analysis of the Earth’s deep interior. A similar network is planned for South Vietnam in the near future with the aim of studying the deep structure of the South China Sea. The proposed stations are scheduled for upgrades to enable the real-time transmission of data for earthquake monitoring and tsunami warnings for the South China Sea.