The project entitled Seismic Monitoring of Évora Region, supported by CIÊNCIA VIVA Programme (PIII-433), developed a prototype EARTHQUAKE MACHINE for showing the behaviour earthquakes mechanisms.

For the simulation of earthquake's dynamics, we have projected and built a mechanical prototype - "EARTHQUAKE MACHINE"- inspired by Burridge-Knopoff model, equipped with accurately instrumental devices. The data obtained by the prototype seem to be coherent with the geophysical data when analysed through two different methodologies - seismology and modern developments of chaos's theory.

The team who developped the prototype was invited to be placed in the following Exhibitions:

• Exhibition at Pavilhão do Conhecimento, "Terra - Um planeta dinâmico" (Lisboa), January - July of 2002
• Permanent Exhibition at "Centro Ciência Viva" de Estremoz, from August 2002.

The internet address to access the exhibition of the prototype at Pavilhão do Conhecimento is: http://www.pavconhecimento.mct.pt/index.asp and click on "Terra". 

• A rig for analogical modelling of transpressive / transtensive geological regimes presenting characteristics that made it unique in Portugal;
• the opposite walls moves with a coupled behaviour allowing that the central region of the deformed material became always in a stable position during the experiment;
• potentially for achieving different automatic low deformation velocities;
• potentially for control the shortening / lengthening vector from 0º (simple shear) to 90º.
• An Earthquake Machine and chaotic behaviour of the experimental spring-block model B-K.

In cooperation with Centro Ciência Viva de Estremoz development and construction of several equipments planed to easily explain to non specialist some of the scientific concepts of geology and geophysics. These prototypes are in utilization in the Centro Ciência Viva de Estremoz where they are intensively used by the visitors. Some of the most important are:

• Interactive apparatus for automatically chose geological cross sections with different orientations along the Estremoz anticline;
• Earthquake machine simulating the main mechanisms involved in this natural disaster;
• Didactic seismic station registering the movements of the visitors;
• A Solar bike that emphasize the interaction between the solar energy and the earth surface systems;
• A 4 meter interactive volcano instrument for simulating eruptions and some of the processes involved.
• A mobile educational laboratory, for schools and high schools, is being developed in the scope of the project “Seismology: Experimenting to know”. This laboratory is constituted by the following didactic prototypes: 1) earthquake machine (2nd model), 2) vertical and horizontal seismometers, 3) tsunami simulation experiment, 4) seismic shake table and 5) sand pile apparatus experiment (self-organized criticality state, Per Bak experiment).

SPATRAM (UV-Vis SPectrometer for Atmospheric TRAcers Monitoring)

Prototype of UV-Vis Spectrometer for retrieval of atmospheric trace gas content and profile. Presently it is installed at the CGE Atmospheric Physics Observatory, since April 2004.

MIGE – (Multiple Input Geometry Equipment)

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