The QDDS system uses formats from the CUBE (Caltech-USGS Broadcast of Earthquakes) system. The currently used formats are:
The E format messages are used to add an earthquake to the catalog or modify the summary information about and earthquake by issuing a new version. The highest version or most recently received information of the same version is used. The format is:
TpEidnumbrSoVYearMoDyHrMnSecLatddddLongddddDeptMgNstNphDminRmssErhoErzzGpMNmEmLC
12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
a2 * Tp = Message type = "E " (seismic event)
a8 * Eid = Event identification number (any string)
a2 * So = Data Source = regional network designation
a1 * V = Event Version (ASCII char, except [,])
i4 * Year = Calendar year (GMT) (-999-6070)
i2 * Mo = Month of the year (GMT) (1-12)
i2 * Dy = Day of the month (GMT) (1-31)
i2 * Hr = Hours since midnight (GMT) (0-23)
i2 * Mn = Minutes past the hour (GMT) (0-59)
i3 * Sec = Seconds past the minute * 10 (GMT) (0-599)
i7 * Lat = Latitude: signed decimal degrees*10000 north>0
i8 * Long = Longitude: signed decimal degrees*10000 west <0
i4 Dept = Depth below sea level, kilometers * 10
i2 Mg = Magnitude * 10
i3 Nst = Number of stations used for location
i3 Nph = Number of phases used for location
i4 Dmin = Distance to 1st station; kilometers * 10
i4 Rmss = Rms time error; sec * 100
i4 Erho = Horizontal standard error; kilometers * 10
i4 Erzz = Vertical standard error; kilometers * 10
i2 Gp = Azimuthal gap, percent of circle; degrees/3.6
a1 M = Magnitude type
i2 Nm = Number of stations for magnitude determination
i2 Em = Standard error of the magnitude * 10
a1 L = Location method
a1 * C = Menlo Park check character, defined below
"Message Type" field:
The second character, following the 'E', is no longer used for magnitude
validation. Prior "En" format that used the 2nd char for magnitude
validation is no longer supported.
"Event Identification Number" field:
Any string, excluding '[' and ']' characters. Must be a unique
identifier for the event. Two events with the same identifier from the
same source will be the same event. Format varies by source - either
numeric or alpha-numeric.
"Data Source" field: regional seismic network designation:
See http://www.iris.washington.edu/FDSN/networks.txt
"Version Number" field:
May have any value (ASCII 32-126, except 91 or 93). Meaning varies by
source. Used to distinguish between different versions of the same event.
"Location Method" field: varies by source (in parentheses):
Upper-case indicates an unconfirmed event,
Lower-case indicates event is confirmed by human review
A = Binder (AK)
D = Antelope (NN)
F = nonNEIC-furnished (US)
H = Hypoinverse (CI,UU,UW)
L = Earthworm "local" event (NC)
M = macroseismic or "felt" (US)
R = NEIC-furnished (US)
"Magnitude Type" field:
B = body magnitude (Mb)
C = duration magnitude (Md)
D = duration magnitude (Md)
E = energy magnitude (Me)
G = local magnitude (Ml)
I = "Tsuboi" moment magnitude (Mi)
L = local magnitude (Ml)
N = "Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (MbLg)
O = moment magnitude (Mw)
P = body magnitude (Mb)
S = surface wave magnitude (Ms)
T = teleseismic moment magnitude (Mt)
W = regional moment magnitude (Mw)
"Menlo Park Check Character" field:
Menlo-Park checksum, calculated 1st through 79th
char in the message. Checksum method defined by
C language source code, below.
NB: Square bracket characters ARE ACCEPTED in this
field.
/*-------------------------------------------------------
* Menlo Park(USGS) check char (Nov.94) cleaned up by PTG
* Argument: pch = null terminated string
* Returns: Menlo Park check char, excess 36 modulo 91
*/
int MenloCheckChar( char* pch )
{
unsigned short sum;
for( sum=0; *pch; pch++ )
sum = ((sum&01)?0x8000:0) + (sum>>1) + *pch;
return (int)(36+sum%91);
}
Examples:
E 09082344CI21999040217051050339860-1169945017316000014001800120009004332C0002hP
E meav US3199904021838195-201884 1681247 33054 19 192283 062 387 00 B 8 v
Note: when stored in the catalog directory a 20 column time stamp is
put at the beginning of the line and the source code is changed to
upper case if the event is in the networks authoritative region and
lower case if it is not in the networks authoritative region.
The DE format is used to delete an earthquake. A delete message deletes the same, and all lower, versions of an earthquake. The format is:
TpEidnumbrScV message........ to 80 characters
123456789012345678901234567890
1 2 3
a2 * Tp = Message type = "DE" = delete seismic event
a8 * Eid = Event identification number of event to delete
a2 * Sc = Data Source
a1 * V = Version. If version is blank, the version of the latest E message
at the time the message arrived is assumed, and all current
versions are deleted. Subsequent submission of E messages with
higher versions are not deleted.
a ... = Optional text message
Event identification and data source must be the same as specified for "E "
message (format 2, above). The identified event will be deleted by the
receiver.
Example:
DE09081845CI2 EVENT CANCELLED: (LKH)
Note: when stored in the catalog directory a 20 column time stamp is put at the
beginning of the line.
The TR format allows a network operator to declare that the event with this event ID has priority over (or “trumps”) any other event which might be considered a duplicate, even if the latter would otherwise be authoritative. This is used when, for example, an automatic, authoritative event is submitted by one network but another network has a reviewed solution that is better. The format is:
TpEidnumbrScV message........ to 80 characters
123456789012345678901234567890
1 2 3
a2 * Tp = Message type = "TR" = trump corresponding events
a8 * Eid = Event identification number of event to become a "trump" event.
a2 * Sc = Data Source
a1 * V = Version; if blank, any version trumps all corresponding
events from other networks, past present and future.
a ... = Optional text message
Event identification and data source must be the same as
specified for "E " message (format 2, above).
Example:
TR09081845US2 NEIC is trumping all solutions (DHO)
Note: when stored in the catalog directory a 20 column time stamp is put at the
beginning of the line.
The TX format is used to issue a comment about an earthquake. These comments are included in the text file in the recenteqs system if it is being used. They are also stored in the eqcomments directory, with the file name giving the data source, the event id, and the version number followed by .msg. The format is:
"TX" Format, to add text comments
TpEidnumbrScVV message........ to end of file, can include multiple lines
123456789012345678901234567890
1 2 3
a2 * Tp = Message type = "TX" text message
a8 * Eid = Event identification number of event to delete
a2 * Sc = Data Source
a2 * VV = Version # of the text comment.
a ... = text message
A blank message is used to delete all prior messages.
Example:
TX40067298NC01A test message.
With a second line.
Example as stored in eqcomments/nc40067298.01.msg:
event message version 01 issued at 1999/03/31_03:05:44:
A test message.
With a second line.
The LI format is used to issue a link to additional information (addons) about an event that are available on some accessible web site. Addons can be updated by using higher version numbers. The file name gives the data source, the eventid, the version number, the addon type, and is followed by .add or .del (if it is a delete addon message). The format is:
TpEidnumbrScVV message........ must be on one line.
123456789012345678901234567890
1 2 3
a2 * Tp = Message type = "LI" text message
a8 * Eid = Event identification number of event to delete
a2 * Sc = Data Source
a2 * VV = Version # of the addon comment.
a ... = message contains three strings separated by spaces:
1. a string that defines the type of addon, this string should be
unique amoung the addons being used. See the recenteqs system
for more information.
2. the url where the addon information is available
3. the text that will be used to describe what is available at the
url. This third string only may contain spaces. If the text is
"delete" the addon is deleted.
Example:
LI 006729 NC01 fm http://whatever/whoknows This is a test
Example as stored in eqaddons/nc006729.01.fm.add:
::::::::::::::
event addon type fm version 01 issued at 1999/03/31_20:51:41:
"http://whatever/whoknows""This is a test"
Example:
LI 006729 NC01 fm http://whatever/whoknows delete:
Example as stored in eqaddons/nc006729.01.fm.del:
event addon type fm version 01 issued at 1999/03/31_21:00:17:
"http://whatever/whoknows""delete"