Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
ANU scientists discovered that storms in the North Atlantic send seismic waves through Earth’s core—unlocking fresh insights into our planet’s deep interior.
These PKP waves, triggered by winter storms, traveled thousands of kilometers, reaching Australia, revealing how storms can act like planetary X-rays.
Credit: Michael Thorne, University of Utah
By using spiral-arm arrays in remote Australia, the team captured faint signals that traditional sensors miss, marking a seismic detection breakthrough.
The study pinpointed Greenland and Newfoundland as major microseismic sources, providing new data on how energy pulses through Earth’s interior.
This method could be key for exploring planets and moons without quakes, offering a way to detect hidden cores and study planetary structures.
These tiny seismic signals, created by ocean waves colliding with the Earth’s crust, offer a delicate yet powerful glimpse into planetary depths.
The technique opens doors to study icy moons and silent planets, where traditional seismic events are absent but secrets still lie beneath.
Representative pic
ANU’s approach, blending state-of-the-art tech with remote placements, could revolutionize future missions aiming to map planetary interiors.
Professor Tkalčić believes this method could help unlock the cores of worlds previously inaccessible to seismic science—without waiting for natural quakes.
Credit: Australian National University