Mt. Rainier, harboring more glacial ice than any other peak in the lower 48, gives off the sounds of the glaciers’ movements. These rumblings make it difficult to detect noises that portend a volcanic eruption. (Image Source: glennwilliamspdx/Flickr Creative Commons CCBY)
Scientists trying to detect volcanic activity need to listen for tiny earthquakes that may portend an eruption. The trouble is, the noise these earthquakes — so small that humans can’t feel them and they don’t register on the Richter scale — can be matched or overwhelmed by the tiny earthquakes that come from shifting glaciers. ESS‘ Kate Allstadt and Steve Malone share their research challenges; read more here!
Follow CoEnv