A new AI model detects thousands of previously unseen quakes in near real time, helping scientists understand changes in an Italian volcanic area where seismic activity has been intensifying since 2018.
A new AI model detects thousands of previously unseen quakes in near real time, helping scientists understand changes in an Italian volcanic area where seismic activity has been intensifying since 2018.
Like adjusting a camera lens so a blurry image becomes clear, the new approach makes it possible for researchers to identify earthquakes that previous tools could not pick out from massive sets of seismic monitoring data.
The research, a collaboration between Stanford University, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) - Osservatorio Vesuviano, and the University of Naples Federico II, reveals four times as many earthquakes than earlier tools had detected and pinpoints previously unknown faults.
Knowing the location and length of a fault – the space between two blocks of rock that move and cause earthquakes – can help researchers determine the range of magnitudes of future quakes. This information is critical for informing residents and city planners of potential risks and mitigation options.
Read More: Stanford University
