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Unlocking the secrets of earthquakes with stratospheric balloons

Publication Date

10 March 2025

Category

Research

A new approach to studying earthquakes from the stratosphere

A team of researchers led by Solène Gerier, a doctor in Earth and solid planet sciences, an engineer in applied mathematics and a post-doctoral researcher at ISAE-SUAPERO, has taken a major step forward in the analysis of earthquakes.

Their study focuses on the analysis of acoustic waves generated by earthquakes using an innovative recording method for the object of study. The waves were recorded in the stratosphere using pressure sensors installed on high-altitude balloons. This new approach makes it possible to study earthquakes by analysing the infrasound signals they emit through the atmosphere.

It is based on the pioneering work of Raphaël Garcia, a teacher-researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO and a specialist in space and planetary seismology. In 2022, he and his team demonstrated in the Geophysical Research Letter the feasibility of such observations during the CNES Stratéole-2 mission in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique. The breakthrough proposed by Solène Gerier makes it possible to trace the seismic source of these signals, analysing only the acoustic contributions in the atmosphere.

Complex modelling to decipher signals

To disentangle the various components of the signals recorded, the scientist and her team developed a sophisticated model. This incorporates not only the trace of the infrasound rays, but also the analysis of the background noise and the response of the ‘balloon platforms’. An additional analysis was carried out to gain a better understanding of the origin of the signals, using the infrasound ray tracing technique as well as an analysis of the noise associated with balloon platform movements.

The simulations, carried out using the SPECFEM2D-DG-LNS software, revealed that the wave signature was mainly influenced by the characteristics of the earthquake and the earth’s internal structure, and not by atmospheric conditions. “Ground vibrations produce acoustic waves that can be detected in the atmosphere. These waves have a particular signature because they were produced by seismic waves, which are themselves characteristic of the earthquake and the nature of the ground in which these waves propagate”, explains Solène Gerier. “Modelling has enabled us to check that these characteristics are preserved even in the atmosphere.

Promising results

While the simulations were unable to reproduce exactly the shape of the waves observed in the 0.05 to 0.3 Hz frequency band, they did reveal some interesting phenomena. In particular, the researchers observed a dispersion of seismic surface waves in the pressure recordings. The prolonged oscillations observed after the main signal can be explained in part by the complex vertical movements of the ground and by the multiple reflections of the infrasound on the topography.

In addition to its application on Earth, this methodology could prove particularly valuable for exploring other planets, as Raphaël Garcia points out:“These platforms are interesting for planets on which we cannot deploy a seismometer on the surface because the atmosphere is too hot. This is particularly the case for the planet Venus (450°C at the surface), where we think that earthquakes will be detected in the future through the atmospheric disturbances they cause.

This study, which is a continuation of the research carried out by the Institute’s DEOS/SSPA team, demonstrates the considerable potential of airborne platforms for studying earthquakes, both on Earth and on other planets.

Solène Gerier, a PhD in Earth and solid planet sciences, applied mathematics engineer and post-doctoral researcher at ISAE-SUPAERO, is interested in various aspects of the Earth's atmosphere, including :

  • modelling acoustic waves produced by natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions)
  • detection of disturbances induced in the stratosphere or ionosphere
  • atmospheric characteristics and models

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