This time, scientists are after the sound waves created by earthquakes. Is it possible for us to listen to the sound waves caused by the earthquake under the sea water? Scientists are searching for the answer to this question in this small port in Southern France.
Yann Hello, who works as an electronics engineer in the Geoazur laboratory, introduced us to the hydrophone device:
“We call this device a hydrophone that helps us listen to earthquakes. Apart from an earthquake, this device can listen to many sounds that occur under the sea. For example, waves caused by wind, marine mammals, crackling in icebergs. But we only listen to the noise caused by the earthquake.”
The device is first programmed on the surface of the water by seismologists whose ears are specialized in this work.
Osean scientist Romain Verfaillie manages to program the device:
“We send different programming parameters via radio signals. Thanks to an internal clock and a pressure transducer, we are able to lower the device to the desired depth. In addition, we can determine the duration of the task and how long the data recording process will continue with this programming.”
Every recorded earthquake sound means something to researchers. The hydrophone device rises to the surface independently and sends signals with the help of satellite. At the end of their mission, they are reprogrammed to start their duties again.
So what is hiding inside these floating computers? We're going to the lab to find out.
Devices play a key role in electronic and hydraulic work. The main issue for researchers is to carefully distinguish the sounds of earthquakes from the noisy air under the sea water.
Guust Nolet, a seismic tomographer from Geoazur, states that they were able to accomplish this difficult task with a computer program:
“Below the ocean is a very noisy environment. There is noise from ships, especially oil companies. Then, whales everywhere sing their own song, causing a different sound wave. And sea storms.
Among these noises, we listen to the sound caused by the earthquake. The artificial intelligence we developed in the computer helps us distinguish these sounds from each other, and this is how we can distinguish the sound of an earthquake.”
The developed devices can be used in many areas. For example, it is possible to use these devices to track marine mammals and even to find the black box after plane crashes.
The project in the minds of scientists is clear. Exploring the unknown spots of our Earth through these hydrophones.
Yann Hello:
“There are 600 of these devices in all oceans around the world. We monitor them through a network we have created with the help of international cooperation. Through the whole system we have more information about what is happening on our Earth. Especially in the Southern Hemisphere, which is covered with oceans.”
Source : tr.euronews
📩 21/01/2014 23:44
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