Phys.org July 28, 2022
Note: This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting...
The ground movements induced by seismic waves create acoustic waves propagating upward in the atmosphere, providing a practical solution to perform remote sensing of planetary interiors. However, a terrestrial demonstration of a seismic network based on balloon-carried pressure sensors has not been provided. Researchers in France reported the detection of a large, distant earthquake in a network of balloon-bound pressure sensors in the stratosphere. They demonstrated that quakes properties and planet internal structure can be probed only from balloon-borne pressure records because these are generated by the ground movements at the planet surface bellow the balloon. Various seismic waves were identified, thus allowing them to infer the quake magnitude and location, as well as planet internal structure. The mechanical resonances of balloon system were also observed. According to the researchers their study demonstrates the interest of planetary geophysical mission concepts based on seismic remote sensing with balloon platforms, and their interest to complement terrestrial seismic networks…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
A balloon hangs above the mountains, waiting for waves of infrasound generated by an earthquake to hit. Here, those waves are approximately visualized by the gray dots. Credit: CNES/Raphael Garcia.