Use Your Smart Phone to Detect Grand Junction’s Next Earthquake Before it Happens

Earthquakes in Western Colorado may be rare, but it's comforting to know you can use your smart phone to detect Grand Junction's next earthquake before it happens.

You may not have realized it, but according to earthquaketrack.com, there have been 7 tremors in Western Colorado in the last two  years. Most recently a 1.9 magnitude quake was felt in Rangely, and just a couple of months ago a 2.9 magnitude quake hit Parachute. It was about a year ago that Loma was shaking to the tune of a 2.4 magnitude quake.

Sure, these are small, and they are rare, but wouldn't  you want to be ready for the "big" one.

Now you can be prepared with a new app for  your smart phone called MyShake.

Popular Science reports the free app for Android smart phones was made available this week thanks to researchers at the University of California Berkeley.

The app uses the accelerometer(that's the device that lets your phone adjust the screen when you turn it sideways) and the GPS. The two of these devices working together can measure how much shaking is going on at any particular location. Basically, you have your own personal seismometer and early warning system.

However, they say for it to be truly effective as an early warning system, a substantial number of people would have to have the app on their phone. The researchers said they would need at least 300 phones equipped with the app in a square area of nearly 5,000 miles. The more apps there are in use, the quicker earthquake teams can get accurate information and consequently warn residents of the impending "big" one.