Michigan Tech is pushing boundaries once again -- this time they just happen to be pushing them downward.
The Houghton-based university, which is
ranked as one of the top institutions in the country by
U.S. News & World Report, is part of the USArray project, which seeks to characterize deep earth structure and the source of earthquakes.
To best accomplish this, scientists are installing underground seismographs across the country.
"Many people are surprised to know how much we can learn about earthquakes and Earth structure by recording them in the Upper Peninsula," says Greg Waite, assistant professor at MTU. "Signals from moderate to large earthquakes all over the world produce energy that propagates through the deep Earth and can be recorded anywhere."
The project, which is being funded by the National Science Foundation, is placing 400 broadband seismometers across the U.S. In a grid pattern. The devices are buried down seven feet in a near-four-foot diameter tank with a concrete base. Each station also has solar panels to power it and are expected to be in use for two years.
By analyzing the data from the sensors, scientists can learn about Earth structure and dynamics and the physical processes controlling earthquakes and volcanoes.
Michigan Tech's involvement has just begun and will include helping place stations in the upper Midwest in 2011.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Greg Waite, Michigan Tech University
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