New research supported by New Zealand’s Natural Hazards Commission (Toka Tū Ake) suggests that low-cost, publicly available seismometers may offer significant benefits when used alongside professional earthquake monitoring systems.
The study, conducted by researchers at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and co-funded by the Rachael Westergaard Memorial Scholarship, examined the reliability of Raspberry Shake devices, which are priced at around $1,000 and available to the general public. These devices were tested across the Wellington region to evaluate their performance relative to the GeoNet network operated by GNS Science.
Dr Finn Illsley-Kemp, who co-led the study, said community-deployed sensors have typically been viewed as non-scientific, but this research shows their potential value.
“The citizen science data collected through Raspberry Shakes has been often dismissed as a hobby of people interested in earthquakes, and very rarely has it been used for scientific research because it’s been assumed that the data isn’t good enough,” he said. “But we show that, when paired with the GNS Science’s GeoNet seismometer network, the data is high quality and reliable and can help us accurately monitor earthquakes.”
Researchers distributed 22 Raspberry Shake units to Wellington-area residents without providing installation support, aiming to replicate real-world conditions in which citizens deploy the devices independently. The additional sensors were used to supplement GeoNet’s 20 professional-grade seismometers in the region.
Over one week, the network collectively recorded 19 seismic events ranging from magnitude 1.1 to 3.5. According to the study, the Raspberry Shakes produced amplitude readings consistent with those of the GeoNet sensors and, in some cases, detected smaller quakes beyond the GeoNet network’s range due to denser local coverage.
“The amplitudes measured by the Shakes was comparable to the GeoNet network, and we were surprised to see the Shakes picking up low-magnitude earthquakes that were even outside the range of GeoNet seismometers due to the increased sensor density in the study,” Illsley-Kemp said.
The researchers emphasised that while the Raspberry Shake units are not intended to replace professional systems, they offer value as a complementary tool, especially in urban areas where established networks already exist.
Parallel to this study, the NHC is investing in offshore monitoring through a temporary network of ocean-bottom seismometers to enhance data collection along the Hikurangi subduction zone, which lies off the southern North Island coast.
Currently, approximately 50 Raspberry Shake devices are operational in New Zealand, based on a global user map.
Illsley-Kemp said scaling up community deployment could help create a more robust earthquake monitoring network.
“A dense distribution of Raspberry Shakes could act as an early warning system, picking up signals seconds before they reach the GeoNet network,” he said. “One of the biggest barriers to an earthquake early warning system in New Zealand is the cost, whereas we show that the instrumentation can be affordable while still being very useful.”
The research team intends to expand its investigation to include the devices’ usefulness in monitoring fault activity, earthquake swarms, and volcanic behaviour.
The findings were released as Parliament continues to discuss the development of a national climate adaptation strategy. The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s recent inquiry recommends a coordinated framework to manage natural hazard risk, clarify governmental roles, and improve access to risk data.
Dr Natalie Balfour, head of research at the Natural Hazards Commission, said the study contributes to the broader goal of increasing public participation in hazard monitoring and risk management.
“We’re interested in innovative research that helps communities be more resilient to natural hazards. These results are promising because they show that it’s possible to supplement our high-quality GeoNet network with low-cost, readily available devices to better understand earthquake hazard,” she said.
