The past 2021 year has been marked with a number of important events related to the activity of the scientists and engineers of the Institute of Seismology and Atmospheric Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan.
At present, seismic monitoring network in the territory of Turkmenistan and neighboring states counts 19 stationary and 22 independent stations. In cooperation with a closed joint-stock company «Turkmen hemrasy», communication with eight of them is established to send operative 24-hour information on seismic events via Turkmen satellite. As a result, at present, information from the seismic stations concerning the earth quaking transmitted online directly to the operator's room of the institute. This greatly improves the processing of incoming information and contributes to the more accurate determination of earthquake parameters.
One of notable events in 2021 in the Institute was a two-week online training on engineering survey, held for the specialists of Turkmenistan in the beginning of the year. The event was held within the framework of the joint project of UNDP and the Institute of Seismology and Atmospheric Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and was dedicated to the Turkmenistan's national capacity building for seismic risk assessment, prevention and response to potential earthquakes. One of the main tasks of the project was to assess and map the seismic risk for the territory of Ashgabat.
Th main objective of the engineering survey of the structures and objects located within the area is an assessment of their technical condition in terms of seismic resistance. In this regard, this project provided the engineering survey of the representative types of buildings, including for the purpose of assessment of their actual seismic resistance. The seismic vulnerability – is a characteristic of buildings and structures (as opposed to the concept of "seismic resistance"), reflecting their susceptibility to earthquake damage. At the same level of seismic intensity, more vulnerable structures receive a greater degree of damage.
Training with equipment and processing of measurement results was conducted by experienced specialists from Germany and Kyrgyzstan. After successful online training the listeners - specialists of the institute performed the engineering survey of several dozen buildings of different floors in Ashgabat. The most advanced seismic oscillation equipment was used for this purpose.
Another important event of past year for the Institute was signing on video link format of the Memorandum on cooperation between the Institute of Seismology and Atmospheric Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and the Shmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Science. The document is another testament to the bilateral partnership in the implementation of joint programs and projects, the exchange of research experience and the implementation of other activities in the field of seismology, modern geodynamics and geophysics.
On 23 January, 2019, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a Decree, having approved the program «Seismic risk reduction in seismically hazardous areas of Turkmenistan» and action plan for its implementation. The staff of the Institute take an active part in the implementation of this program, because all new buildings of the country are built with regard to the seismological, environmental and climatic conditions.
