How Earthquake Early-Warning Systems Work
During an earthquake, a ruptured fault sends out different types of waves. P-waves are the first waves to arrive because they travel the fastest. They are then followed by S-waves which travel slower, but bring about greater destruction. Both of these waves are detected by sensors and the data is then transmitted to an earthquake alert centre. The alert centre will release critical information about the earthquake, like the location of the epicentre and its magnitude.
