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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Big Data Seismology

The discipline of seismology is based on observations of ground motion that are inherently undersampled in space and time. Our basic understanding of earthquake processes and our ability to resolve 4D Earth structure are fundamentally limited by data volume. Currently, Big Data Seismology is an emergent revolution involving the use of large, data-dense inquiries that is providing new opportunities to make fundamental advances in these areas. This article reviews recent scientific advances enabled by Big Data Seismology through the context of three major drivers: the development of new data-dense sensor systems, improvements in computing, and the development of new types of techniques and algorithms. Each driver is explored in the context of both global and exploration seismology, alongside collaborative opportunities that combine the features of long-duration data collections (common to global seismology) with dense networks of sensors (common to exploration seismology). The review explores some of the unique challenges and opportunities that Big Data Seismology presents, drawing on parallels from other fields facing similar issues. Finally, recent scientific findings enabled by dense seismic data sets are discussed, and we assess the opportunities for significant advances made possible with Big Data Seismology. This review is designed to be a primer for seismologists who are interested in getting up-to-speed with how the Big Data revolution is advancing the field of seismology.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

The behavior of transverse waves in nonuniform solar flux tubes. II. Implications for coronal loop seismology

The seismology of coronal loops using observations of damped transverse oscillations in combination with results from theoretical models is a tool to indirectly infer physical parameters in the solar atmospheric plasma. Existing seismology schemes based on approximations of the period and damping time of kink oscillations are often used beyond their theoretical range of applicability. These approximations assume that the variation of density across the loop is confined to a nonuniform layer much thinner than the radius of the loop, but the results of the inversion problem often do not satisfy this preliminary hypothesis. Here, we determine the accuracy of the analytic approximations of the period and damping time, and the impact on seismology estimates when largely nonuniform loops are considered. We find that the accuracy of the approximations when used beyond their range of applicability is strongly affected by the form of the density profile across the loop, that is observationally unknown and so must be arbitrarily imposed as part of the theoretical model. The error associated with the analytic approximations can be larger than 50% even for relatively thin nonuniform layers. This error directly affects the accuracy of approximate seismology estimates compared to actual numerical inversions. In addition, assuming different density profiles can produce noncoincident intervals of the seismic variables in inversions of the same event. The ignorance about the true shape of density variation across the loop is an important source of error that may dispute the reliability of parameters seismically inferred assuming an ad hoc density profile.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Machine Learning in Seismology: Turning Data into Insights

In this article, we provide an overview of current applications of machine learning (ML) in seismology. ML techniques are becoming increasingly widespread in seismology, with applications ranging from identifying unseen signals and patterns to extracting features that might improve our physical understanding. The survey of the applications in seismology presented here serves as a catalyst for further use of ML. Five research areas in seismology are surveyed in which ML classification, regression, clustering algorithms show promise: earthquake detection and phase picking, earthquake early warning (EEW), ground-motion prediction, seismic tomography, and earthquake geodesy. Lastly, we conclude by discussing the need for a hybrid approach combining data-driven ML with traditional physical modeling.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1993

Seismology and space-based geodesy

The potential of space-based geodetic measurement of crustal deformation in the context of seismology is explored. The achievements of seismological source theory and data analyses, mechanical modeling of fault zone behavior, and advances in space-based geodesy are reviewed, with emphasis on realizable contributions of space-based geodetic measurements specifically to seismology. The fundamental relationships between crustal deformation associated with an earthquake and the geodetically observable data are summarized. The response and spatial and temporal resolution of the geodetic data necessary to understand deformation at various phases of the earthquake cycle is stressed. The use of VLBI, SLR, and GPS measurements for studying global geodynamics properties that can be investigated to some extent with seismic data is discussed. The potential contributions of continuously operating strain monitoring networks and globally distributed geodetic observatories to existing worldwide modern digital seismographic networks are evaluated in reference to mutually addressable problems in seismology, geophysics, and tectonics.

Tralli, David M.↗
DOE OSTI2013

CORONAL ALFVEN SPEED DETERMINATION: CONSISTENCY BETWEEN SEISMOLOGY USING AIA/SDO TRANSVERSE LOOP OSCILLATIONS AND MAGNETIC EXTRAPOLATION

Two transversely oscillating coronal loops are investigated in detail during a flare on the 2011 September 6 using data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We compare two independent methods to determine the Alfven speed inside these loops. Through the period of oscillation and loop length, information about the Alfven speed inside each loop is deduced seismologically. This is compared with the Alfven speed profiles deduced from magnetic extrapolation and spectral methods using AIA bandpass. We find that for both loops the two methods are consistent. Also, we find that the average Alfven speed based on loop travel time is not necessarily a good measure to compare with the seismological result, which explains earlier reported discrepancies. Instead, the effect of density and magnetic stratification on the wave mode has to be taken into account. We discuss the implications of combining seismological, extrapolation, and spectral methods in deducing the physical properties of coronal loops.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Editorial: Advances in Ocean Bottom Seismology

Among the physical sciences, seismology is relatively young; with the continued advances in instrumental technologies and computer capacity, ours has to be one of the most rapidly evolving subject areas within the Earth Sciences writ large. Exploration of the Earth by way of seismic observation and modeling is expanding not only in the range of capabilities - from reservoir scale to whole-Earth sensing - but in recent decades seismology has resolutely marched from the Earth’s continents and sea shores into the oceans, which cover nearly 75% of the Earth and have until recently hindered our ability to more fully explore the planet.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Reconsidering seismological constraints on the available parameter space of macroscopic dark matter

Using lunar seismological data, constraints are proposed on the available parameter space of macroscopic dark matter (macros). Here we show that actual limits are considerably weaker by considering in greater detail the mechanism through which macro impacts generate detectable seismic waves, which have wavelengths considerably longer than the diameter of the macro. We show that the portion of the macro parameter space that can be ruled out by current seismological evidence is considerably smaller than previously reported, and specifically that candidates with greater than or equal to nuclear density are not excluded by lunar seismology.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Super-large optical gyroscopes for applications in geodesy and seismology: state-of-the-art and development prospects

A brief survey of the history of the invention and development of super-large laser gyroscopes (SLLGs) is presented. The basic results achieved using SLLGs in geodesy, seismology, fundamental physics and other fields are summarised. The concept of SLLG design, specific features of construction and implementation are considered, as well as the prospects of applying the present-day optical technologies to laser gyroscope engineering. The possibilities of using fibre-optical gyroscopes in seismologic studies are analysed and the results of preliminary experimental studies are presented. (laser gyroscopes)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Aerial Seismology Using Balloon-Based Barometers

Seismology on Venus has long eluded planetary scientists due to extreme temperature and pressure conditions on its surface, which most electronics cannot withstand for mission durations required for ground-based seismic studies. Here, we show that infrasonic (low-frequency) pressure fluctuations, generated as a result of ground motion, produced by an artificial seismic source known as a seismic hammer, and recorded using sensitive microbarometers deployed on a tethered balloon, are able to replicate the frequency content of ground motion. We also show that weak, artificial seismic activity thus produced may be geolocated by using multiple airborne barometers. The success of this technique paves the way for balloon-based aero-seismology, leading to a potentially revolutionary method to perform seismic studies from a remote airborne station on the earth and solar system objects with substantial atmospheres such as Venus and Titan.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2013

Saturn Ring Seismology: Interpreting the Seismogram

Marley (1990) and Marley and Porco (1993) proposed that f-mode oscillations of Saturn could excite resonant density and bending waves in the inner C-ring. They hypothesized that certain wave features discovered by Rosen et al. (1991) that were not associated with known satellite resonances could be the result of such resonant interactions with the planetary oscillation modes. They also predicted that if this was the case the waves would be found to be density (and not bending) waves by Cassini and predicted the azimuthal wave number of the C-ring waves m. Employing Cassini VIMS stellar occultation data Hedman and Nicholson (2013) have now confirmed the predictions and demonstrated that at least some of the C-ring features identified by Rosen et al. are indeed likely caused by resonant oscillation modes of Saturn. Given this context we have taken a fresh look at the Saturn ring seismology. First we propose that an apparent bending wave denoted 'j' by Rosen may be a second order outer vertical resonance with the l=3, m=2 f-mode of Saturn and discuss the locations of other plausible second order resonances in the rings. Since only a handful of ring resonances have been identified, measuring even one or two additional planetary mode frequencies would substantially assist the process of inverting mode frequencies to constrain Saturn interior's structure. Using the available mode frequencies, modern inversion technique employed in stellar seismology, and a recent set of Saturn interior models we provide an initial estimation of what available mode frequencies are telling us about the interior structure of the planet. Since the f-modes are confined relatively closely to the planetary surface, most of the observed modes probe only the outermost layers of the planet that are already comparatively well understood. However the l = 2 mode does probe relatively deeply into the planet and we will discuss the potential the measurement of this mode frequency has for placing new constraints on the interior structure.

Seismogram↗
NASA NTRS2015

Planetary Seismology

Of the many geophysical means that can be used to probe a planet's interior, seismology remains the most direct. In addition to Earth, seismometers have been installed on Venus, Mars, and the Moon. Given that the seismic data gathered on the Moon (now over 40 years ago) revolutionized our understanding of the Moon and are still being used today to produce new insight into the state of the lunar interior, it is no wonder that many future missions, both real and conceptual, plan to take seismometers to other planets. To best facilitate the return of high-quality data from these instruments, as well as to further our understanding of the dynamic processes that modify a planet's interior, various modeling approaches are used to quantify parameters such as the amount and distribution of seismicity, tidal deformation, and seismic structure of the terrestrial planets. In addition, recent advances in wavefield modeling have permitted a renewed look at seismic energy transmission and the effects of attenuation and scattering, as well as the presence and effect of a core, on recorded seismograms. In this talk I will discuss some of these methods and review the history of planetary seismology.

planetary seismology↗
DOE OSTI2021

Deep convolutional autoencoders as generic feature extractors in seismological applications

The idea of using a deep autoencoder to encode seismic waveform features and then use them in different seismological applications is appealing. In this paper, we designed tests to evaluate this idea of using autoencoders as feature extractors for different seismological applications, such as event discrimination (i.e., earthquake vs. noise waveforms, earthquake vs. explosion waveforms), and phase picking. These tests involve training an autoencoder, either undercomplete or overcomplete, on a large amount of earthquake waveforms, and then using the trained encoder as a feature extractor with subsequent application layers (either a fully connected layer, or a convolutional layer plus a fully connected layer) to make the decision. By comparing the performance of these newly designed models against the baseline models trained from scratch, we conclude that the autoencoder feature extractor approach may only outperform the baseline under certain conditions, such as when the target problems require features that are similar to the autoencoder encoded features, when a relatively small amount of training data is available, and when certain model structures and training strategies are utilized. The model structure that works best in all these tests is an overcomplete autoencoder with a convolutional layer and a fully connected layer to make the estimation.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Seismology in the Cloud: A New Streaming Workflow

Data-intensive research in seismology is experiencing a recent boom, driven in part by large volumes of available data and advances in the growing field of data science. However, there are significant barriers to processing large data volumes, such as long retrieval times from data repositories, complex data management, and limited computational resources. New tools and platforms have reduced the barriers to entry for scientific cluster computing, including the maturation of the commercial cloud as an accessible instrument for research. Here, we build a customized research cluster in the cloud to test a new workflow for large-scale seismic analysis, in which data are processed as a stream (retrieved on-the-fly and acted upon without storing), with data from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center. We use this workflow to deploy a spectral peak detection algorithm over 5.6 TB of compressed continuous seismic data from 2074 stations of the USArray Transportable Array EarthScope network. Using a 50-node cluster in the cloud, we completed the noise survey in 80 hr, with an average data throughput of 1.7 GB per minute. By varying cluster sizes, we find the scaling of our analysis to be sublinear, due to a combination of algorithmic limitations and data center response times. The cloud-based streaming workflow represents an order-of-magnitude increase in acquisition and processing speed compared to a traditional download-store-process workflow, and offers the additional benefits of employing a flexible, accessible, and widely used computing architecture. It is limited, however, due to its reliance on Internet transfer speeds and data center service capacity, and may not work well for repeated analyses or those for which even higher data throughputs are needed. These research applications will require a new class of cloud-native approaches in which both data and analysis are in the cloud.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Seismology on Venus with infrasound observations from balloon and orbit

The study of Venus' evolution is inexorably linked with studying its interior properties, which can be investigated by performing seismic studies on the planet. However, seismology on Venus has long eluded planetary scientists due to technological challenges presented by high surface temperature and pressure, which limit lifetimes of surface-based instrumentation. In this white paper, we present two complementary techniques for performing seismology on Venus by measuring the low-frequency acoustic signature (infrasound) produced by seismic activity through coupling between the solid planet and the atmosphere. These techniques may be implemented with technology available today, without the use of high-temperature electronics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A high-damping magnetorheological elastomer with bi-directional magnetic-control modulus for potential application in seismology

A high-damping magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) with bi-directional magnetic-control modulus is developed. This MRE was synthesized by filling NdFeB particles into polyurethane (PU)/ epoxy (EP) interpenetrating network (IPN) structure. The anisotropic samples were prepared in a permanent magnetic field and magnetized in an electromagnetic field of 1 T. Dynamic mechanical responses of the MRE to applied magnetic fields are investigated through magneto-rheometer, and morphology of MREs is observed via scanning electron microscope (SEM). Test result indicates that when the test field orientation is parallel to that of the sample's magnetization, the shear modulus of sample increases. On the other hand, when the orientation is opposite to that of the sample's magnetization, shear modulus decreases. In addition, this PU/EP IPN matrix based MRE has a high-damping property, with high loss factor and can be controlled by applying magnetic field. It is expected that the high damping property and the ability of bi-directional magnetic-control modulus of this MRE offer promising advantages in seismologic application.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

GLOBAL CORONAL SEISMOLOGY IN THE EXTENDED SOLAR CORONA THROUGH FAST MAGNETOSONIC WAVES OBSERVED BY STEREO SECCHI COR1

We present global coronal seismology for the first time, which allows us to determine inhomogeneous magnetic field strength in the extended corona. From the measurements of the propagation speed of a fast magnetosonic wave associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) and the coronal background density distribution derived from the polarized radiances observed by the STEREO SECCHI COR1, we determined the magnetic field strengths along the trajectories of the wave at different heliocentric distances. We found that the results have an uncertainty less than 40%, and are consistent with values determined with a potential field model and reported in previous works. The characteristics of the coronal medium we found are that (1) the density, magnetic field strength, and plasma β are lower in the coronal hole region than in streamers; (2) the magnetic field strength decreases slowly with height but the electron density decreases rapidly so that the local fast magnetosonic speed increases while plasma β falls off with height; and (3) the variations of the local fast magnetosonic speed and plasma β are dominated by variations in the electron density rather than the magnetic field strength. These results imply that Moreton and EIT waves are downward-reflected fast magnetosonic waves from the upper solar corona, rather than freely propagating fast magnetosonic waves in a certain atmospheric layer. In addition, the azimuthal components of CMEs and the driven waves may play an important role in various manifestations of shocks, such as type II radio bursts and solar energetic particle events.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

CORONAL FOURIER POWER SPECTRA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CORONAL SEISMOLOGY AND CORONAL HEATING

The dynamics of regions of the solar corona are investigated using Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 171 Å and 193 Å data. The coronal emission from the quiet Sun, coronal loop footprints, coronal moss, and from above a sunspot is studied. It is shown that the mean Fourier power spectra in these regions can be described by a power law at lower frequencies that tails to a flat spectrum at higher frequencies, plus a Gaussian-shaped contribution that varies depending on the region studied. This Fourier spectral shape is in contrast to the commonly held assumption that coronal time series are well described by the sum of a long timescale background trend plus Gaussian-distributed noise, with some specific locations also showing an oscillatory signal. The implications of the observed spectral shape on the fields of coronal seismology and the automated detection of oscillations in the corona are discussed. The power-law contribution to the shape of the Fourier power spectrum is interpreted as being due to the summation of a distribution of exponentially decaying emission events along the line of sight. This is consistent with the idea that the solar atmosphere is heated everywhere by small energy deposition events.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SEISMOLOGY OF A CORONAL LOOP SYSTEM BY THE FIRST TWO MODES OF STANDING KINK WAVES

We report the observation of the first two harmonics of the horizontally polarized kink waves excited in a coronal loop system lying southeast of AR 11719 on 2013 April 11. The detected periods of the fundamental mode (P {sub 1}), its first overtone (P {sub 2}) in the northern half, and that in the southern one are 530.2 ± 13.3, 300.4 ± 27.7, and 334.7 ± 22.1 s, respectively. The periods of the first overtone in the two halves are the same considering uncertainties in the measurement. We estimate the average electron density, temperature, and length of the loop system as (5.1 ± 0.8) × 10{sup 8} cm{sup –3}, 0.65 ± 0.06 MK, and 203.8 ± 13.8 Mm, respectively. As a zeroth-order estimation, the magnetic field strength, B = 8.2 ± 1.0 G, derived by the coronal seismology using the fundamental kink mode matches with that derived by a potential field model. The extrapolation model also shows the asymmetric and nonuniform distribution of the magnetic field along the coronal loop. Using the amplitude profile distributions of both the fundamental mode and its first overtone, we observe that the antinode positions of both the fundamental mode and its first overtone shift toward the weak field region along the coronal loop. The results indicate that the density stratification and the temperature difference effects are larger than the magnetic field variation effect on the period ratio. On the other hand, the magnetic field variation has a greater effect on the eigenfunction of the first overtone than the density stratification does for this case.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗