An automatic volcano warning system, developed by the resource management team at HS Orka, has been nominated for the Ský IT Awards this year. The warning system is the first of its kind in the world.
The software in the system reads data sent every minute from a pressure and temperature gauge located at a depth of 850 meters in borehole 12 in Svartsengi. The software then analyzes the data, and if the pressure signal indicates that magma is moving, automatic warning messages are sent to the Icelandic Meteorological Office. The warning system has proven crucial in informing the Meteorological Office and Civil Protection about impending volcanic eruptions and is used in decision-making regarding evacuations.
The awards will be presented at the UTmessan conference in Harpa in Reykjavík on Friday, February 7th. Eighteen workplaces and projects are nominated this time, and HS Orka’s project is one of three in the category of digital public services. The IT Awards are given for significant contributions to information technology in Iceland and are now being awarded for the sixteenth time. Mrs. Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, will present the awards this year.
Ský is an association for people and companies in information technology. The association is open to everyone and operates on a non-profit basis, with about 1,100 members. Ský was founded in 1968, and its role is to share knowledge among people working in or interested in information technology. Ský also operates fourteen working groups and annually hosts dozens of diverse events on technology in addition to the UTmessan conference, which thousands attend.
