Satellite system could provide earlier earthquake warnings

The TwinSat project will put one micro-sized and one nano-sized satellite into low earth orbit some 400km apart, which will work in unison to collect and interpret electromagnetic signatures from the ground.

Geologists have known for some time that as stress builds up in the earth prior to an earthquake, subtle electromagnetic signals are released.

Prior to last year’s Haiti earthquake, sensors picked up electromagnetic signals from the area.

However, present methods for collecting and analysing seismic-related electromagnetic emissions are too crude and not sensitive enough to be of any real predictive value, as project researcher Dr Dhiren Kataria of University College London explained.

‘The signatures are much too weak and the signal-to-noise level is much worse. Also, to be able to observe it, you need the sensors to be very close to the earthquake site and that is not always possible because most of our ground sensors are at fixed locations.

‘On the other hand, when you’re up in space the noise is reduced and the spread of the signal is over a much wider region, so you can capture it far easier.’