Description

How do Earth Scientists record and use seismic waves to detect earthquakes and image the Earth’ interior?

The apparently “solid” ground on which we are standing continuously vibrates: ocean waves bashing onto coastlines create motions that can be sensed 100-1000 ‘s of kilometers away; wind and atmospheric pressure changes couple to the Earth surface; ubiquitous earthquake activity generates a continuous stream of seismic waves. Besides these natural sources, human and industrial activities excite strong local vibrations.

Using a variety of seismic-sensor networks, we record the ground vibrations. These seismic data are then analyzed to unravel the interior structure of the Earth, to study earthquakes, to monitor volcanoes, to conduct forensic studies on explosions. Seismic waves generated in controlled-source experiments probe the Earth interior in the quest for precious resources: for oil & gas exploration, to detect mineral deposits, to explore geothermal fields.

This lecture will present a journey on ‘seismic sensing through time’. How do Earth Scientists record and use seismic waves to detect earthquakes and to image the Earth’ interior? Starting from the very first 17-metric ton seismographs installed 100 years ago, to the first world-wide seismic network that began operating in the 1960, to the modern high-density broadband “pocket-size” seismometers, the lecture will show how seismology has revolutionized our understanding of how the Earth works.