Determine video-to-absolute time offset for CCTV footage

Determine the precise temporal offset between the CCTV video timestamp T and the absolute time t referenced to the earthquake origin time for the footage recorded at 20.8821°N, 96.0353°E during the 2025 Mandalay Earthquake, so that video-derived observations can be synchronized with seismic and geodetic data.

Background

The authors analyze a unique CCTV recording of surface rupture approximately 124 km south of the epicenter. To integrate video-derived observations with seismic timelines, they define the earthquake origin time as t = 0 and denote the video’s timestamp seconds as T.

Because the video timestamp appears offset from local standard time, establishing the exact T–t relationship is necessary to align wave and rupture arrivals observed in the video with absolute origin-referenced timing. The authors explicitly state that this offset remains unknown, hindering precise synchronization.