Earth's interior

Seismologists have long relied on earthquakes or expensive tools like explosives to help create images of Earth's interior, but a new method created by University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) researchers will produce quicker, cheaper and clearer images.

Rather than waiting for earthquakes, the researchers have recovered surface-wave information from normal seismic noise that is constantly produced by fluctuations in the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Measuring surface waves is important because the information helps scientists get a clearer picture of the Earth's interior, according to Michael Ritzwoller, director of CU-Boulder's Center for Imaging the Earth's Interior.

The method is described in the March 11 issue of the journal Science.

"This new technique will give us a better fundamental understanding of the planet by providing much better resolution of Earth's interior," Ritzwoller said. "It also will diminish what is known in seismology as the 'tyranny of earthquakes,' which means having to wait for an earthquake to happen to do our jobs."