Thunder + fiber-optic cabling used for seismic imaging
Scientists at Penn State have developed a model to use seismic waves generated by thunderstorms, known as 'thunderquakes,' for subsurface imaging. By utilizing fiber-optic cabling, researchers can now reconstruct terrain features without the need for earthquakes or artificial explosions.
Why it matters
This innovation provides a non-invasive, cost-effective method for geological surveying, potentially improving our understanding of the Earth's interior.
Boom! Thunder + fiber-optic cabling used for seismic imaging Thunderstorms make seismic waves that can be used to find sub-surface features.
6 Credit: Nature247 Credit: Nature247 Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav Most of what we know about the Earth’s interior comes from observing seismic waves. These travel at somewhat different speeds depending on the details of the rock they’re moving through—whether it’s solid or semi-molten, how much water is present, whether it’s fractured or solid material, and so on. Get enough data from enough seismic events, and you can start piecing together a picture of what’s present at different depths below the surface.
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