We developed a new Remote GPS Monitoring System (REGMOS) -Hybrid which utilized the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) of Inmarsat PLC and solar cell modules for data transfer and power supply, respectively. It can equip many kinds of sensors including GPS, camera, thermometer, tiltmeter and so on to monitor volcanoes and crustal activities. The original REGMOS was first developed in 1998. The purpose of the development is to monitor crustal deformation in a severe environment where infrastructures including electric power and wired telephone line is not available, for example, a volcanic field and an area damaged by an earthquake. In the original system, the data transfer using satellite telephone services is unstable and slow (4.8 kbps) and GPS is an only sensor for crustal monitoring. It was pointed out that various kinds of data such a photo of a crater were important to monitor volcanic activities. Therefore, we developed the new REGMOS-Hybrid to overcome the problems of the data communication and power generation in the original system. We installed the REGMOS-Hybrid on the summit of Mt. Tarumae volcano in Hokkaido in August 2010. It has enabled us to monitor the volcanic activity for more than one year without any troubles of the whole system. The other kinds of data including a movie and geomagnetism have been already supported by the REGMOS-Hybrid. We plan to acquire these data in a practical field.
