I2Cner is from Kyushu University.
There are major obstacles that need to be overcome before the technology can be used on a large scale. One obstacle that may be addressed by a new study from Japan is how to continuously and affordably monitor carbon reservoirs. The article was published in Seismological Research Letter.
Seismic waves generated by earthquakes or man-made sources can be used to monitor underground features. Continuous monitoring at the scales needed for carbon reservoirs is difficult and expensive due to the large machinery required.
A research group from the Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo and the International Institute for Carbon-neutral Energy Research, Kyushu University has developed an ultra-compact, centimeter-scale seismic source that can address this problem. The portable active seismosmic source was originally designed to be used for extraterrestrial purposes. There are many possible Earth based applications for the PASS.
Due to the device's small size, the vibrations it produces are relatively weak, but when these are produced continuously, the resulting signals can be stacked together, allowing transmission over long distances. The signal could be sent with a four-centimeter motor.
The small size of the PASS makes it much more affordable than other sources. The ultra-compact device can be powered by a car battery, and can be used by drones in areas that are otherwise difficult to access.
The researchers tested the PASS at a riverbank and a mining area. According to Professor Tsuji, the PASS system has great potential for a wide variety of scientific and engineering applications, including monitoring for potential disasters such as volcanos and tunnels.
It is particularly valuable for the development of carbon sequestration projects because of the affordability and practicality of continuous subsurface monitoring using this newly developed PASS technology. Public acceptance of these and othergeoengineering projects may be encouraged by this enhancement to its safety.
More information: 4 cm Portable Active Seismic Source (PASS) for Meter- to Kilometer-Scale Imaging and Monitoring of Subsurface Structures, Seismological Research Letters (2022). Journal information: Seismological Research Letters Provided by Kyushu University, I2CNER
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