Harnessing Thunder for Seismic Imaging Breakthrough
By Editor • August 21, 2026 • 1 min read
Scientists at Penn State are exploring an innovative way to gather seismic data by utilizing the energy from thunderstorms. Unlike traditional methods that rely on earthquakes or artificial explosions, this approach leverages the phenomenon of 'thunderquakes'.
Thunder's energy penetrates the Earth’s crust, but extracting clear seismic signals from these complex waves has been a challenge. The Penn State team has developed a new model to decode these intricate signals, enabling them to create detailed images of subsurface terrain.
Source: arstechnica.com
#earth science #Penn State #seismic imaging #seismic waves #thunderquakes
