Quakefinder
Encyclopedia
QuakeFinder is a private research organization focused on creating a system for earthquake prediction
. QuakeFinder operates as a humanitarian R&D division of Stellar Solutions and is funded by Stellar Solutions, by grants from NASA
,
and by subscriptions and sponsorships from the public.
QuakeFinder has developed science, technology, infrastructure and expertise that it intends as the foundation for a practical earthquake forecasting solution based on detection of geophysical and atmospheric phenomena. There is no independent verification of their results so far.
The QuakeFinder researchers believe that they have observed a dramatic increase in the number of ultra low frequency magnetic pulses emitted by the earth near the locations of impending earthquakes, starting two weeks prior to the event and lasting for one or two days. The team also believes that observations of air conductivity changes and infrared emissions coincident with the pulses corroborate the results.
Researchers from the USGS studied similar phenomena during the Parkfield earthquake
experiment. These researchers did not find evidence of electromagnetic earthquake precursors.
A possible explanation for QuakeFinder's observations is that when the sides of a fault move against each other, the increased stress activates charge carriers and very large underground electrical currents, producing electromagnetic pulses that can be detected with magnetometers. The stress of the rocks pushing against each other also produces an increase in positive ions, which migrate through the ground into the air where they can be detected with sensitive air-conductivity sensors. It has been claimed that neutralization of these ions in the air gives off infrared radiation that shows up as "apparent heating" at night, when the ground should be cooling, as detected by NASA’s GOES
weather satellite.
The QuakeFinder team believes that the effects they study are localized in time and space, and aim to eventually be able determine "the time (within 1-2 weeks), location (within 20-40km) and magnitude (within +/- 1 increment of Richter magnitude) of earthquake greater than M5.4."
QuakeFinder has deployed a network of sensors that detect the electromagnetic effects the team believes precede major earthquakes. Each sensor is believed to have a range of approximately 10 miles (16 km) from the instrument to the source of the pulses,
and includes instrumentation to detect 3 axes of magnetic field disturbances, 2 types of ions in the air, a geophone to detect mechanical disturbances, temperature and relative humidity sensors, and associated data acquisition and transmission equipment. The sensors collect and store the data locally, and then transmit the raw data to the QuakeFinder Data Center in Palo Alto, Ca.
The network produces very large amounts of raw data that are automatically analyzed by proprietary algorithms invented and developed by QuakeFinder. This processed data is available free of charge to the public on QuakeFinder's web site.
According to its news releases, the QuakeFinder network currently includes more than 70 sensors in California, 2 in Peru and 2 in Taiwan. More instruments will be added in 2011 in Peru, Taiwan, Greece, and Turkey.
Earthquake prediction
An earthquake prediction is a prediction that an earthquake of a specific magnitude will occur in a particular place at a particular time . Despite considerable research efforts by seismologists, scientifically reproducible predictions cannot yet be made to a specific day or month...
. QuakeFinder operates as a humanitarian R&D division of Stellar Solutions and is funded by Stellar Solutions, by grants from NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
,
and by subscriptions and sponsorships from the public.
QuakeFinder has developed science, technology, infrastructure and expertise that it intends as the foundation for a practical earthquake forecasting solution based on detection of geophysical and atmospheric phenomena. There is no independent verification of their results so far.
The QuakeFinder researchers believe that they have observed a dramatic increase in the number of ultra low frequency magnetic pulses emitted by the earth near the locations of impending earthquakes, starting two weeks prior to the event and lasting for one or two days. The team also believes that observations of air conductivity changes and infrared emissions coincident with the pulses corroborate the results.
Researchers from the USGS studied similar phenomena during the Parkfield earthquake
Parkfield earthquake
Parkfield earthquake is a name given to various large earthquakes that occurred in the vicinity of the town of Parkfield, California, United States...
experiment. These researchers did not find evidence of electromagnetic earthquake precursors.
A possible explanation for QuakeFinder's observations is that when the sides of a fault move against each other, the increased stress activates charge carriers and very large underground electrical currents, producing electromagnetic pulses that can be detected with magnetometers. The stress of the rocks pushing against each other also produces an increase in positive ions, which migrate through the ground into the air where they can be detected with sensitive air-conductivity sensors. It has been claimed that neutralization of these ions in the air gives off infrared radiation that shows up as "apparent heating" at night, when the ground should be cooling, as detected by NASA’s GOES
Goes
Goes is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands in Zuid-Beveland, in the province Zeeland. The city of Goes has approximately 27,000 residents.-History of Goes:...
weather satellite.
The QuakeFinder team believes that the effects they study are localized in time and space, and aim to eventually be able determine "the time (within 1-2 weeks), location (within 20-40km) and magnitude (within +/- 1 increment of Richter magnitude) of earthquake greater than M5.4."
QuakeFinder has deployed a network of sensors that detect the electromagnetic effects the team believes precede major earthquakes. Each sensor is believed to have a range of approximately 10 miles (16 km) from the instrument to the source of the pulses,
and includes instrumentation to detect 3 axes of magnetic field disturbances, 2 types of ions in the air, a geophone to detect mechanical disturbances, temperature and relative humidity sensors, and associated data acquisition and transmission equipment. The sensors collect and store the data locally, and then transmit the raw data to the QuakeFinder Data Center in Palo Alto, Ca.
The network produces very large amounts of raw data that are automatically analyzed by proprietary algorithms invented and developed by QuakeFinder. This processed data is available free of charge to the public on QuakeFinder's web site.
According to its news releases, the QuakeFinder network currently includes more than 70 sensors in California, 2 in Peru and 2 in Taiwan. More instruments will be added in 2011 in Peru, Taiwan, Greece, and Turkey.