Photo: David Schmidt

High Precision Seafloor Geodesy Sheds Light on Oregon Segment of the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Scientists from U.S. and international institutions are collaborating to collect high precision data of tectonic plate movements in the Pacific. With bottom-mounted Sonardyne Fetch arrays and Wave Gliders at the surface, movements can be measured with 1 cm precision using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The University of Washington and Scripps Institution of Oceanography are conducting surveys off the U.S. West Coast to further investigate the Oregon Segment of the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Customer Missions Geodesy

Photo: Zumberge Lab, IGPP, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Lock Up the Stress or Release It? Using Seafloor Acoustic Measurements to Gain New Insights Into Plate Tectonics Off New Zealand

To better understand the likelihood and risks of earthquakes and tsunamis in New Zealand, a team of researchers is keeping a close eye on the tectonic plate boundary where the Pacific plate ‘dives’ beneath the Australian plate. Through a combination of instruments moored to the seafloor and high precision antennas on the Wave Glider, subtle offshore plate movements can be cost-effectively monitored in multi-year studies.

Customer Missions Geodesy

Graphic: Scripps

Real-Time, Deep Ocean Seismic Detection

When it comes to a tsunami, minutes matter. But historically, deep ocean seismic observations have been sparse due to the high cost, risk, and difficulty in collecting data. Scripps Institution of Oceanography had an ambitious goal to change that—so they created an innovative, unmanned observatory for real-time seismic detection.

Customer Missions Geodesy

Photo: GEOMAR

Tracking Seafloor Motion with Wave Gliders

Scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have installed a network of seafloor sensors off the coast of northern Chile, where some of the most powerful earthquakes on the planet originate. Their goal? Measure seafloor motion with millimeter accuracy in order to better understand earthquake and tsunami risk.

Customer Missions Geodesy