Articles tagged with Seismology
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A research team from USTC used tele-seismic double-difference tomography technology to reveal the morphological changes of the Pacific subducting slab beneath Northeast China. The study found that the local insertion of the subducting slab into the lower mantle controls deep-focus seismicity and Changbaishan volcanism.
A collaborative research project led by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz aims to understand the impact of thermally induced fracture formation on mineral rock properties. The study will help reduce associated risks and improve geothermal energy's efficiency.
Researchers at Stanford University have discovered a way to reduce fluid pressure in the geothermal reservoir under Campi Flegrei, leading to earthquakes. By managing surface runoff and water flow, they aim to prevent cyclic unrest altogether.
A new study has investigated seismic signal shear-wave splitting to provide early warnings of dangerous eruptions. The research team discovered that the amount of splitting doubles before a larger, more explosive eruption, indicating a useful relationship between the parameter and the size of the eruption.
Researchers from China, UK, and USA collaborated to study Uturuncu volcano's 'zombie' behavior, finding that movement of liquid and gas beneath the crater is the cause of unrest. The risk of an imminent eruption is considered low, alleviating fears for local populations.
A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo used simulations to create a detailed 3D model of a fault, which helped them understand how different parts of a fault contribute to uplift during an earthquake. The study revealed that fault geometry is a critical factor in determining the impact of earthquakes on land.
Advanced signal detectors have a low success rate detecting underground nuclear tests when seismic signals from nearby earthquakes overlap. Researchers found that even sophisticated multi-channel correlation detectors can only identify explosions with a 37% success rate, contrasting with a 97% success rate without earthquake interference.
A study by Christie Rowe and Alex Hatem found that faults are typically branching networks of fault strands, making them hundreds of meters wide. This suggests that significant parts of the broad array of fractures can be activated in a single earthquake.
A team of geoscientists from Rice University and partners have discovered a sharp, volatile-rich cap just 3.8 kilometers beneath Yellowstone's surface. This cap helps trap pressure and heat below it, suggesting the Yellowstone magma reservoir is actively releasing gas while remaining in a stable state.
Researchers found that strong ground acceleration within a stepover geometry can launch boulder-sized rocks briefly defying gravity. The study suggests stronger shaking in the area nearest to the fault around stepovers and complex fault geometries should be accounted for in ground motion predictions.
Researchers at KAUST developed a highly accurate 3D dynamic model to better anticipate large earthquakes. The model provides a more accurate understanding of strong shaking during the Turkiye earthquake, enabling information for future seismic hazard assessments.
Researchers analyzed data from Waze and police crash reports to study the effect of earthquakes on car crashes. While they found some slight increases in specific cases, most earthquakes had no significant impact on crash frequencies.
Compositional rock anomalies within oceanic plates caused by ancient tectonics influence the trajectory and speed of subducting plates. The findings provide a greater understanding of plate subduction, recycling surface materials deep into the Earth's interior.
Fiddler crabs use vibrational signals to communicate during courtship, and a new study reveals that signal features are influenced by the male's claw size. Researchers found that males with larger claws produce higher-energy signals, allowing females to assess their quality from afar.
Researchers have shown that earthquakes in the Marmara region transport a large amount of energy towards Istanbul, with most quakes exhibiting an eastward rupture direction. This finding has important implications for urban planning, emergency response, and seismic hazard maps, which will be taken into account in future studies.
A recent PNAS study suggested Mars has a significant amount of liquid water in its mid-crust, but LASP Senior Research Scientist Bruce Jakosky challenges this conclusion. Using InSight mission data, the team found that the presence of water is not required by the data.
A new research infrastructure called SAFAtor aims to close the gap in ocean data by collecting real-time pressure, temperature, and seismic data from deep-sea telecommunications cables. The project will deploy sensor technology along an undersea cable to monitor climate and geological hazards.
A team of scientists has developed a new method to monitor undersea sediment flows, allowing them to track the longest-runout sediment flows ever recorded. The study reveals that turbulent mixing with seawater influences the behavior of these powerful canyon-flushing turbidity currents over long distances.
Researchers on the SONNE310 expedition investigate canyons on active and passive continental slopes in the southwest Pacific. The study aims to identify factors that determine landslide frequency, size, and location, enhancing global risk assessment and protecting coastal areas.
A new study from USC scientists has found that the near surface of the Earth's inner core may undergo viscous deformation, changing its shape and shifting at the inner core's shallow boundary. This discovery sheds light on the role topographical activity plays in rotational changes in the inner core.
Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered tiny ice quakes deep inside ice streams, explaining the discrepancy between simulations and satellite measurements. The findings impact sea-level rise estimates and may reveal fault planes in ice cores, providing a better understanding of ice stream deformation.
Researchers found that cellular concrete requires less cement, generates fewer air pockets, and reduces overall weight, making it suitable for seismic zones. This material's production results in notable reductions in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
Researchers found evidence that repeated earthquakes like the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake shaped the region's topography. The study used satellite radar images to measure displacements caused by the earthquake, resulting in over 4m of uplift and emergence of new terraces along the northern coast.
Researchers developed a new algorithm that combines fibre optic data with traditional seismometer measurements to improve earthquake detection. The approach works well even in noisy environments and can be applied to any fibre network, enabling more detailed and effective seismic monitoring networks.
Researchers have discovered persistent and large magma bodies beneath dormant volcanoes in the Cascade Range, surprising scientists. The team used seismic waves to identify these magma chambers, which exist beneath volcanoes over their entire lifetime, not just during active eruptions.
Scientists found evidence of relatively recent geological activity on the moon's far side, contradicting previous assumptions about its 'geological dead' status. The team used advanced dating methods to track changes and found small ridges formed within the last 200 million years.
Two large 'islands' with the size of a continent have been found in the Earth's mantle, showing they are at least half a billion years old. Seismologists discovered these regions by studying the tones and sound volume of seismic waves, finding little damping in the islands, but high damping in nearby cold slab graveyard.
Jeffrey Given received the 2025 Frank Press Public Service Award from the Seismological Society of America (SSA) for his work in developing seismic monitoring tools and supporting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization. His expertise spanned fundamental seismology to software development and data management.
A series of small earthquakes in Surrey in 2018 and 2019 may have been triggered by oil extraction from a nearby well, according to a new study. The research used mathematical modeling to predict the frequency of earthquakes based on oil extraction timing and volume, finding a rough match with observed seismic activity.
The 2025 SSA Annual Meeting will present 48 technical sessions covering topics like earthquake forecasting and ocean-bottom seismology. Working journalists can register for free access to plenary talks and poster sessions.
A recent Colorado State University study demonstrates that climate change can affect earthquake frequency, as glaciers recede and slip along faults increases. This suggests that earthquake activity could increase as glaciers melt, impacting hazard assessment and seismology.
Researchers used seismic data to discover glacial landforms in the North Sea, indicating an ice sheet expansion about 1 million years ago, linked to global cooling. The findings provide new insights into how past ice sheets responded to climate changes.
Researchers successfully monitored turbidity currents in the Congo Canyon-Channel, recording massive flows that travelled over 1,000 kilometres at speeds of up to 7.6 metres per second. The study provided critical new data on the duration and behaviour of turbidity currents, challenging traditional models.
Scientists have developed a new technique to study faults, which can improve earthquake forecasts by determining the origins and directions of past rupture events. By analyzing curved scratches left on the fault plane, researchers can pinpoint where earthquakes start and spread, providing valuable insights for modeling future scenarios.
The analysis of historical seismograms from the 1973 Chilean coup provides a unique perspective on the event. The researchers found an abrupt drop in ambient seismic noise as La Moneda was surrounded by vehicles and a radio bulletin warning people to stay at home disrupted the morning routines of locals.
The study discovered significant alterations in the region's state of stress and deformation following the 1975 Kalapana earthquake. The researchers found that Kīlauea's south flank experienced greater displacement prior to the earthquake, pointing to changes in mechanical properties influencing seismic activity.
Researchers analyzed seismic data from southern Israel and found weak ground motions caused by Hamas forces' unusual vehicle movement. This breakthrough highlights the potential of using seismic data to provide early warnings for future terrorist activities.
Geology researchers from UTEP are partnering with Bhutanese scientists to better understand and mitigate the impact of glacial floods on rural mountain villages. The project aims to use geophysical methods to identify changes in water levels and sediment transport, potentially helping vulnerable villages create early warning systems.
Researchers propose that a fracture in oceanic crust beneath the volcano's caldera wall caused the massive January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai. A seismic wave detected 750 kilometers from the seamount may provide valuable early warning signals for impending eruptions.
A new MOF has been developed using a 'Merged-Net Strategy' inspired by skyscraper architecture, resulting in enhanced porosity and structural stability. The material exhibits superior water adsorption capacity and reusability compared to conventional MOFs.
Researchers discovered a mysterious subduction zone deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, reshaping our understanding of Earth's interior structure. The team found an unusually thick area in the mantle transition zone, suggesting the presence of colder material that slows down oceanic slabs as they sink through the mantle.
A landslide in remote Greenland caused a mega-tsunami that sloshed back and forth across a fjord for nine days, generating vibrations throughout the Earth. The study used mathematical models to recreate the event and demonstrate how the sloshing of water would have continued, matching global seismic recordings.
Researchers from Kyushu University have identified a link between fault strength and earthquake magnitude, suggesting that stronger faults are more likely to produce large earthquakes. The study analyzed seismic activity at over 1,000 locations and estimated the stress field and characterized faults as strong or weak.
Researchers questioned the Cascadia subduction zone's earthquake record, finding that turbidite layers showed no better correlation than random chance. The study suggests a need for further research on turbidite layers and their connection to past earthquakes.
A novel negative-stiffness isolation device has been developed to provide multidirectional negative stiffness and energy dissipation, effectively mitigating earthquake impacts. The device's advanced design enhances seismic protection by offering a robust solution for safeguarding buildings in earthquake-prone areas.
Scientists have found that PKP precursors originate from ultra-low velocity zones in the Earth's mantle, which are likely generated by melting mid-ocean ridge basalts. These zones are not limited to hotspots, but rather spread across the core-mantle boundary beneath North America.
A large landslide triggered a megatsunami in Greenland's Dickson Fjord, causing a standing wave that sloshed back and forth for over a week. Researchers detected the unusual event using seismic signals recorded at stations worldwide.
A new study by SMU seismologists confirms that earthquakes in the Permian Basin occurring before 2017 were causally linked to underground wastewater injection. The study uses advanced earthquake location methods to reveal a spatial and temporal correlation with shallow injection activities since 2009.
Researchers have developed a new method to measure soil moisture in the vadose zone using seismic technology that detects vibrations from traffic noise. The technique, called distributed acoustic sensing, can provide real-time information on soil water content, crucial for managing water use and conservation efforts.
Scientists have developed a state-of-the-art computational model predicting land, ice and global sea-level interactions. The model estimates that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could slow melting Antarctic ice enough to allow Earth uplift to partially stabilize the ice sheet and prevent some future sea-level rise.
Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered that Mars experiences around 280-360 meteorite impacts per year, exceeding previous estimates. This new tool, known as a 'cosmic clock,' can help scientists date planetary surfaces across the Solar System more accurately.
A new study using NASA's InSight Lander data reveals that Mars may be getting bombarded by space rocks more frequently than previously estimated. The research team detected eight new impact craters from meteoroids not seen before, including two of the largest impacts ever recorded on the Red Planet.
Researchers estimate that between 280 to 360 meteorites strike Mars each year, forming impact craters greater than 8 meters across. The study uses seismic data from the NASA InSight Mission to make this estimate, which is five times higher than previously thought.
A recent study analyzed ground displacements caused by the December 2020 Petrinja earthquake, showing a magnitude of horizontal shifts of up to 40 centimeters. The research used an unprecedented amount of geodetic data to reconstruct three-dimensional motions and sheds light on the region's tectonic activity.
A study found that heavy snowfall and rain contribute to earthquake swarms in northern Japan by altering underground pressure. Climate conditions are linked to seismic activity, with the timing of intense precipitation events correlating with the start of quakes.
A new study reveals that the Ross Ice Shelf, the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, moves 6-8 centimeters once or twice a day due to slip events triggered by the Whillans Ice Stream. This movement has significant implications for understanding the stability of Antarctica's ice shelves and potential icequakes.
Researchers from Tohoku University have developed a new signal processing technique that improves particle motion analysis in the time and frequency domain. This approach enables the detection and identification of various polarized seismic waveforms, including S-waves and P-waves, with improved accuracy.
The Lunar Environment Monitoring System, developed by UMD researchers, will track seismic activity on the moon's surface during the upcoming Artemis III mission. The system's data will help prepare NASA for a long-term presence on other planetary bodies.
Researchers have discovered distinct characteristics of the lower mantle flow field beneath the Philippine Sea Plate. They found that ancient N-S fast velocity directions exist at depths of 700-900 km and are not related to slab subduction or a mantle plume.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the 2014 meteor fireball's signal was not from an extraterrestrial source but likely from a truck. The team re-examined data and found that the signal matched a road near the seismometer, contradicting earlier reports of alien materials.