Eqassemble Configuration File Commands

(last revised February 13, 2007)
Page Index:
1. Example configuration file
2. Functional command listing
3. Alphabetic command listing & description
4. Description of eqassemble's log file
5. The "mega-module" which begins with eqassemble

On startup, eqassemble reads the configuration file named on the command-line. Commands in this file set up all parameters used in making earthquake notifications. In the control file, lines may begin with a valid eqassemble command (listed below) or with one of 2 special characters:


    #  marks the line as a comment (example: # This is a comment).

    @  allows control files to be nested; one control file can be
       accessed from another with the command "@" followed by
       a string representing the path name of the next control file
       (example: @model.d).

Command names must be typed in the control file exactly as shown in this document (upper/lower case matters!).

1. EXAMPLE CONFIGURATION FILE

# This is Eqassemble's Parameter File

# Basic Earthworm setup:
#-----------------------
 MyModuleId   MOD_EQASSEMBLE    # Module id for this instance of eqassemble
 RingName     PICK_RING     # Ring to get input from
 HeartbeatInt 30            # seconds between heartbeats to statmgr
 LogFile      1             # 0 = turn off disk log file;
                            # 1 = turn on disk log
                            # 2 = write disk log but not to stderr/stdout

# List the message logos to grab from transport ring
#               Installation       Module          Message Types
#-----------------------------------------------------------------
 GetPicksFrom   INST_WILDCARD    MOD_WILDCARD    # pick2k & coda2k
 GetAssocFrom   INST_MENLO       MOD_BINDER      # quake2k & link2k

# Send output to the following command (uncomment one):
#------------------------------------------------------
 PipeTo "exec eqbuf eqbuf.d"     # buffer events for downstream modules
#PipeTo "log_everything"	 # end chain here for debugging

# Load station list
#------------------
 maxsite     3500
 site_file   calsta.hinv

# Load crustal model
# Refer to file containing "lay" commands, or list them here
#-----------------------------------------------------------

@ncal_model.d# Load the central California crustal model


# Set pick/quake FIFO lengths (must be >= binder's fifo lengths)
#---------------------------------------------------------------
 pick_fifo_length  1000  # optional: default = 1000
 quake_fifo_length  100  # optional: default = 100

# Control how/when events are reported
#-------------------------------------
 ReportS      0     # 0 = do not send S-phases to next process
                    # non-zero = do send S-phases to next process
 HypCheckInterval  5.0	# interval (sec) at which to check all hypocenters
                    #   to see if it's time to report an event


# Rules for reporting events
#---------------------------
# At least one of these rules must be given; there are no defaults
# Syntax:
#	PrelimRule numPhases
#		Event2K message released with version 0 when event has
#		 P phases associated.
#	RapidRule numPhases seconds SinceOrigin
#     or
#	RapidRule numPhases seconds SinceDetection
#		Event2K message released with version 1  since
#		origin or detection time provided  P phases
#		associated.
#	FinalRule numPhases seconds [WaitForCodas]
#		Event2K message released with version 2 when solution has
#		been stable for , has  P phases associated,
#		and optionally after codas have arrived.
# Codas are reported only with the FinalRule and only if the
# WaitForCodas flag is included in the FinalRule command
#
PrelimRule    25
RapidRule     5 30 SinceDetection
FinalRule     4 60 WaitForCodas

# If we are going to wait for codas, and some picks are imported from
# other Earthworm Installations, eqassemble can optionally wait for codas
# from those other installations with one or more of:
# CodaFromInst InstId
# You do not need to list your own Inst ID.
# CodaFromInst is ignored if the FinalRule does not wait for codas.
CodaFromInst INST_MENLO

# DataSrc: single character to indicate the source of phase data
DataSrc    W

# MaxPhasesPerEq: restrict the number of phases to be reported for
# the RapidRule and FinalRule to this value. Cannot be set greater than
# the Earthworm limit of 250, which is also the default for this parameter
MaxPhasesPerEq 250

# Control debugging info to log
#------------------------------
 WaifTolerance   4.0  # tolerance (sec) for noting waif picks for
		      #   in log file. (optional: default = 4.0)


2. FUNCTIONAL COMMAND LISTING

Below are the commands recognized by eqassemble, grouped by the function they influence. Some of the commands are marked "required"; they describe the Earthworm system setup and the network model. These commands must be specified in the control file in order for eqassemble to operate.

	Earthworm system setup:
                GetAssocFrom    required
  		GetPicksFrom	required
 		MyModuleId	required
                PipeTo          required
		RingName	required
		pick_fifo_length
		quake_fifo_length

        Seismic network/model definition:
                lay             required
                psratio
                site            \  site list required; specify with
                site_file       /  either "site" or "site_file"
                maxsite

        Event Notification:
                PrelimRule
                RapidRule
                FinalRule
                CodaFromInst
                HypCheckInterval
                ReportS          required
                DataSrc
		MaxPhasesPerEq

        Output Control:
                LogFile          required
                WaifTolerance

3. ALPHABETIC COMMAND LISTING & DESCRIPTION

In the following section, all configuration file commands are listed in alphabetical order. Listed along with the command (bold-type) are its arguments (in red), the name of the subroutine that processes the command, and the function within the module that the command influences. A detailed description of the command and is also given. Default values and the values used by Calnet are listed after each command description.


command arg1				processed by		function

CodaFromInst inst_id		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
Identify from which installations (by inst_id) eqassemble should wait for coda messages for the FinalRule, other than the local inst_id. This optional command is only useful if the FinalRule is turned on and configured to WaitForCodas. If you are importing TYPE_PICK_SCNL and TYPE_CODA_SCNL messages from other Earthworm installations, then you may want eqassemble to wait for those codas. But if another Earthworm installation was sending only TYPE_PICK_SCNL messages, then you would not want eqassemble to wait for those TYPE_CODA_SCNL messages. You can list as many CodaFromInst as needed. But you do not need to list your own inst_id.

Default:  none
Calnet:   CodaFromInst  INST_UCB

DataSrc name		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
Identify the source of the phase data with a single-character name. This code will be inserted into the hypoinverse input message by eqcoda and will be passed through hypoinverse to show up in the hypoinverse archive message as the Data Source Code (column 109 in the phase lines.)

Default:  " "
Calnet:   DataSrc  W

FinalRule Np Msec WaitForCodas		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
The final TYPE_EVENT2K message will be released after binder has not changed the solution (no TYPE_QUAKE2K messages) in Msec seconds, provided there are at least Np P phases associated with the event. If the optional string WaitForCodas is included in the FinalRule command, eqassemble will wait up to 150 seconds after a phase arrival until the corresponding coda message is received. Normally the extra wait for codas applies only to TYPE_CODA_SCNL messages from the local inst_id. Use the CodaFromInst command to tell eqassemble to wait for codas from other Earthworm installations.

The final TYPE_EVENT2K message is assigned version number 2. This version number will show up in the hypoinverse archive message produced by hyp2000_mgr, usually the last program in the "sausage".

The FinalRule command is optional. If it is absent, the final ruleset will not be applied and no version 2 event messages will be released from eqassemble. However, you must have at least one of PrelimRule, RapidRule, FinalRule, or eqassemble won't have anything to do.


Default:  none
Calnet:   FinalRule	4 60 WaitForCodas

GetAssocFrom inst mod_id		eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Controls the association messages input to eqassemble. Eqassemble will only process quakes and links that come from module mod_id at installation inst. inst and mod_id are character strings (valid strings are listed in earthworm.h/earthworm.d) which are related to single-byte numbers that uniquely identify each installation and module. Only 2 "Get*From" commands may be issued; wildcards (INST_WILDCARD and MOD_WILDCARD) will force eqassemble to process all quakes & links, regardless of their place of origin.

Default:  none
Calnet:   GetAssocFrom  INST_MENLO  MOD_BINDER

GetPicksFrom inst mod_id		eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Controls the pick and coda message input to eqassemble. Eqassemble will only process picks and codas that come from module mod_id at installation inst. inst and mod_id are character strings (valid strings are listed in earthworm.h/earthworm.d) which are related to single-byte numbers that uniquely identify each installation and module. Only 2 "Get*From" commands may be issued; wildcards (INST_WILDCARD and MOD_WILDCARD) will force eqassemble to process all picks & codas, regardless of their place of origin.
Note: both binder and eqassemble should be set to listen to the same pick source(s)!

Default:  none
Calnet:   GetPicksFrom  INST_WILDCARD  MOD_WILDCARD

HypCheckInterval M		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
Check the list of currently active events every M seconds to see if they are ready for release under the rapid or final rules.

Default:  10 (seconds)
Calnet:   HypCheckInterval   5

lay depth velocity   	               t_com                   model	 
Defines the layered velocity structure to be used for calculating travel times. depth is the distance (km) to the top of the layer, and velocity is the seismic P-wave velocity (km/sec) within that layer. No default velocity structure is defined; therefore, the user must always supply one in the control file. Up to 20 layers can be specified, and they should be listed in order of increasing depth.
Note: binder and eqassemble calculate travel times independently. Be sure that both programs are using the same velocity model!

Default:  none                          Calnet:  lay   0.0  4.0
                                                 lay   3.5  5.9
                                                 lay  15.0  6.85
                                                 lay  25.0  7.85

LogFile switch				eqas_config		output	 

Sets the on-off switch for writing a log file to disk. If switch is 0, no log file will be written. If switch is 1, eqassemble will write a daily log file(s) called eqassemblexx.log_yyyymmdd where xx is eqassemble's module id (set with "MyModuleId" command) and yyyymmdd is the current UTC date (ex: 19960123) on the system clock. The file(s) will be written in the EW_LOG directory (environment variable).

Default:  none

maxsite N	                         eqas_config		Event Notification	 
Restrict the number of phases to be reported for the RapidRule and FinalRule to nsite. Cannot be set greater than the Earthworm limit of 250, which is also the default for this parameter.
        
Default:  MaxPhasePerEq 250
Calnet:   MaxPhasePerEq 250

maxsite nsite	                         site_com                model	 
Allocates memory to store nsite station locations in the site table.
        
Default:  maxsite 1000                  Calnet:  maxsite 1000

MyModuleId mod_id			eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Sets the module id for labelling all outgoing messages. mod_id is a character string (valid strings are listed in earthworm.d) that relates (in earthworm.d) to a unique single-byte number.

Default:  none				Calnet:  MyModuleId MOD_EQASSEMBLE

pick_fifo_length N		eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Specify the size of the pick FIFO buffer as N picks. This value should be at least as large as binder's pick_fifo_length.

Default:  1000
Calnet:   pick_fifo_length 4000

PipeTo cmdstring			eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Sets the command to which eqassemble will pipe a "binder-finalized" event for the next step in earthquake processing. Blank spaces are allowed in cmdstring as long as the entire command is enclosed in double-quotes.

Note that on unix-like systems, you can precede the command with "exec". This will cause the shell which invokes the command to be replaced by the command instead of remaining as the command's parent process. Using this trick in the PipeTo command in each of the sausage sub-programs will save you from keeping several shell instances for no useful purpose.


Default:  none
Calnet:   PipeTo "exec eqbuf eqbuf.d"

PrelimRule N		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
The preliminary TYPE_EVENT2K message will be released when N P phases are associated with the event, provided that no higher version TYPE_EVENT2K has already been released for the event. The preliminary event message is assigned version 0.

The PrelimRule command is optional. If it is absent, the preliminary ruleset will not be applied and no version 0 event messages will be released from eqassemble. However, you must have at least one of PrelimRule, RapidRule, FinalRule, or eqassemble won't have anything to do.


Default:  none
Calnet:   PrelimRule	25

psratio value                        	 t_com                   model	 

Sets the value of the P/S seismic velocity ratio.

Default:  psratio  1.72                 Calnet:  psratio  1.72

quake_fifo_length N		eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Specify the size of the quake FIFO buffer as N events. This value should be at least as large as binder's quake_fifo_length.

Default:  100
Calnet:   quake_fifo_length  100

RapidRule Np Msec SinceX		eqas_config		Event Notification	 
The "rapid" TYPE_EVENT2K message will be released at a fixed time after either event origin time, or event detection time (when eqassemble receives the first TYPE_QUAKE2K message for the event), provided at least Np P phases are associated with the event. The time delay is specified as Msec seconds. The starting time of the delay is given in the SinceX string, which can be either SinceOrigin or SinceDetection. This TYPE_EVENT2K will be assigned version 1. It will not be released by eqassemble is a higher version message has already be released for the event.

This ruleset is intended to be used to initiate a magnitude calculation as soon as possible after an event, before the binder solution has stablized.

The PrelimRule command is optional. If it is absent, the preliminary ruleset will not be applied and no version 0 event messages will be released from eqassemble. However, you must have at least one of PrelimRule, RapidRule, FinalRule, or eqassemble won't have anything to do.


Default:  none
Calnet:   RapidRule	5 30 SinceOrigin

ReportS switch				eqas_config		notification	 

Sets the switch for reporting picks that binder has associated as S-phases. If switch is 0, S-phases are not sent along to the next process; if switch is non-zero, S-phases are included in the event message (hypocenter plus associated picks) that is sent to the next process.

Default:  none				Calnet:  ReportS  0

RingName ring				eqas_config		Earthworm setup	 
Tells eqassemble which shared memory region to use for input. ring is a character string (valid strings are listed in earthworm.d) that relates (in earthworm.d) to a unique number for the key to the shared memory region.

Default:  none				Calnet:  RingName PICK_RING

site name latitude longitude		site_com		model	 
Enters a station location into the station site table, where name is the station code used by the picker, and latitude and longitude are expressed in decimal degrees (positive to the north and east). Use either multiple "site" commands or one "site_file" command to load the station list into eqassemble.

site_file filename			site_com		model	 

Enters site codes and station locations into the site table by reading a HYPOINVERSE format station file called filename. In this file, stations are described by a 5-letter site name, a 2-letter network code and a 3-letter component code. The picker must also be using this station-naming convention. The format of the file is described under "NEW HYPOINVERSE STATION FILE FOR FULL 10-LETTER STATION NAMES" in calsta2.doc by Fred Klein. Use either one "site_file" command or multiple "site" commands to load the station list into eqassemble.

WaifTolerance N		eqas_config		OutPut Control	 
When eqassemble is preparing to release a final (version 2) TYPE_EVENT2K message, it logs information about phases associated with the event, and about phases not associated with this event but which have "small" travel time residuals relative to this event. This command gives the largest absolute value residual as N seconds. See Description of eqassemble's log file for more details about eqassemble's log files.

Default:  none
Calnet:   WaifTolerance  4.0

4. DESCRIPTION OF EQASSEMBLE'S LOG FILE


Eqassemble writes a number of different lines of information to its log file
when an event is first detected, as binder evolves its location, and when
eqassemble releases the various versions of TYPE_EVENT2K message or the
TYPE_CANCELEVENT messages. This section describes the log file entries.

Every time eqassemble grabs a TYPE_QUAKE2K message from the shared memory
ring, it writes a line to its log file.  It's sort of giving you a time-stamped
summary of binder's output.  Here are some example lines and what they contain:

 146 56.00:70131066  146 41.07  38.3540 -122.7992 18.00 0.00  0.0  0.0   0  5
 146 56.00:70131066  146 39.49  38.2606 -122.7295 25.50 0.18 19.7 54.7 282  5
 146 56.00:70131066  146 39.48  38.2603 -122.7294 25.50 0.27 19.8 54.0 282  6
123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789

field  columns   Description
       (approx)
1,2      1-10    System time (hrmn sec) at which this TYPE_QUAKE2K message
                 was received.
 3      12-19    Binder's event id.
4,5     21-30    hrmn sec of event origin time
 6      32-39    latitude
 7      41-49    longitude
 8      50-55    depth
 9      56-60    rms
10      61-65    dmin: distance to nearest station
11      66-70    ravg: average epicentral distance of all associated stations
12      72-74    maximum azimuthal gap
13      75-77    total # picks associated with this event.

You'll notice that the first line has zero's for rms, dmin, ravg, and gap.
This is binder's initial stack location for the event.
The subsequent locations for the event come from binder's simple L1 locator.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The log entries for an event meeting the rapid rule set produces log entries
similar to these:

 147 51.00:70131066 #### Rapid report: 200702120146_66
70131066 2007Feb12  146 48.02  38.8037 -122.7957  0.65 0.10  0.5 21.6  73 13
GCR   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 49.64 P D0   7.7   0.00
GBG   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 50.14 P D1  10.1   0.01
GSG   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 50.19 P U0  10.4  -0.00
GAX   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 50.37 P D2  10.9   0.08
GPM   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 50.97 P U0  14.2  -0.00
GRT   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 51.33 P D2  18.6  -0.58
GMK   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.39 P ?2  18.4   0.53
NHS   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.75 P D3  23.0  -0.05
GSS   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.76 P U2  22.5   0.06
NMT   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 54.03 P D2  30.9  -0.13
NSH   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 54.94 P U2  35.7  -0.00
NEA   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 P ?2  56.4   0.81
123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789
The first line tells you that a rapid message is being released
Field    Description
 1,2     system time (hrmn sec) when the event met the "rapid" ruleset
  3      binder's event id,
  5      a string that contains the event origin time (yyyymmddhhmm_xx)
         where xx is the last 2 digits of the event id.

The second line is a summary line with:
Field    Description
  1      the event id from binder
 2,3,4   origin time,
  5      latitude,
  6      longitude,
  7      depth,
  8      rms,
  9      dmin,
 10      ravg,
 11      gap,
 12      # associated phases.

The remaining lines describe the phases associated with the event:
    columns  Description
       1-10  station (site,net,component),
      12-21  arrival time,
      31-32  phase that binder called it,
         33  polarity,
         34  pick quality (0-4),
      35-40  epicentral distance, and
      41-47  traveltime residual (sec).
      49-?   optional comment (only in final event report)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When eqassemble decides that binder is finished with an event, you'll see
a set of lines that look something like this:

 148 16.00:70131066 #### Final report: 200702120146_66
70131066 2007Feb12  146 48.02  38.8037 -122.7957  0.65 0.10  0.5 21.6  73 13
GCR   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 49.64 P D0   7.7   0.00
GBG   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 50.14 P D1  10.1   0.01
GSG   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 50.19 P U0  10.4  -0.00
GAX   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 50.37 P D2  10.9   0.08
GPM   EHZ NC  02 2007Feb12  146 50.97 P U0  14.2  -0.00
GRT   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 51.33 P D2  18.6  -0.58
GMK   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.39 P ?2  18.4   0.53
NHS   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.75 P D3  23.0  -0.05
GSS   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 52.76 P U2  22.5   0.06
NMT   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 54.03 P D2  30.9  -0.13
NSH   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 54.94 P U2  35.7  -0.00
NEA   EHZ NC  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 P ?2  56.4   0.81
KPK   EHZ WR  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 P ?2 158.3   0.54 WAIF
ANT   SHZ NN  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 Pn?2 388.7  -0.98 WAIF
ANT   SHZ NN  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 Pg?2 388.7  -3.04 WAIF
MGN   SHZ NN  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 Pn?2 380.6   3.86 WAIF
MGN   SHZ NN  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 Pg?2 380.6   1.87 WAIF
ADH   SHZ NN  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 PgD2 374.3   3.89 WAIF
TER   EHZ CI  -- 2007Feb12  146 59.15 PnU1 491.7  -2.77 WAIF
123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789

The format is the same as for the preliminary and rapid event reports, except
that the phase lines may have entries in the comment field here.
These are the lines that have either "#xxxx" (an event id) or "WAIF" written
after the residual in the optional comment field.  These are phases that
eqassemble thought could possibly have been associated with this event, but
that weren't.  If the comment is "#xxxx" then that phase is actually
associated with a different event (whose id is xxxx).  If the comment is
"WAIF" then the phase is not associated at all.

5. THE "MEGA-MODULE" WHICH BEGINS WITH EQASSEMBLE

The eqassemble "mega-module" is a chain of processes that produces final earthquake locations for the Earthworm system. Only eqassemble, the first link in the mega-module, is listed in startstop's configuration file to be started by startstop. Eqassemble then starts the next process, specified in its "PipeTo" command, and communicates with it via a pipe. Each newly created process starts the next link in the same way. From startstop's point of view, the whole mega-module inherits the name of the first link (eqassemble) and that's the only name it displays. From statmgr's point of view, all processes within the mega-module share one module id, one heartbeat, and one descriptor file. However, each process has its own configuration file and its own log file.

Note that Earthworm logo of heartbeat and error messages from all the "mega-module" processes is set by hyp2000_mgr, not by eqassemble or any other sausage process.

As of 11 February 2007, the eqassemble mega-module consists of the following "links":

  SUB-MODULE    INPUT FROM   		  	OUTPUT TO
  ----------	----------		  	---------
  eqassemble 	shared memory (PICK_RING)	pipe to eqbuf
  eqbuf   	stdin (pipe from eqassemble)   	pipe to eqcoda
  eqcoda	stdin (pipe from eqbuf)    	pipe to eqverify
  eqverify	stdin (pipe from eqcoda)   	pipe to hyp2000_mgr
  hyp2000_mgr	stdin (pipe from eqverify)	shared memory (HYPO_RING)

Inter-link (Intra-mega-module) Communication:

All messages are passed between the processes of the mega-module via pipes. The pipe communications are encapsulated in a set of routines containing the peculiarities of the operating system. Messages, with types defined in earthworm.d, are sent from one link to the next, in one direction only! If a process doesn't need to do anything with a given message type, it just pipes it along to the next link. The current pipe routines (in pipe.c) are:
  pipe_init   	starts up the next "link", replacing its stdin with
		a pipe from the "parent" program.
  pipe_put	writes a message of a given type to the pipe.
  pipe_get	gets the next message from the pipe.
  pipe_close    closes the pipe.

Heartbeats:

The mega-module has one module-id and one heartbeat. The heartbeat initiates at the first link (eqassemble), is piped through all the links, and is deposited into shared memory by the last link (in this case, hyp2000_mgr). If any of the links dies, no heartbeat will be seen by statmgr and it will complain appropriately.

Error Messages:

Since the whole mega-module has only one module-id, the sub-modules need to share the complete set of error numbers within a common descriptor file. Each link is assigned a block of error numbers to use for its complaints. Each link passes along any error messages it reads from the pipe. The last link puts all error messages into shared memory where they are available to statmgr. Statmgr reads one descriptor file for the mega-module.

Final Output from Mega-module:

The last link in the mega-module, hyp2000_mgr, deposits heartbeats, error messages, and event messages (that look like hypoinverse archive files) onto shared memory where any other Earthworm module can find them.
Module Index | Eqassemble Overview

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