Specialists The Federal Research Center for Integrated Study of the Arctic named after Academician N.P. Laverov of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has proven that passive seismic methods work successfully in difficult geological conditions, including the Arctic. These technologies can be useful both for science and for industrial enterprises operating in the northern regions and the Far East.
Passive methods differ from traditional ones in that they do not require the artificial creation of seismic waves. Instead, they use natural microseismic background, which makes research faster, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
“Our set of methods is ideal for rapid assessment of the geological environment in hard-to-reach areas, including zones permafrost“explained Galina Antonovskaya, head of the center’s seismology laboratory, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The technology has already been tested in Transbaikalia, where scientists helped adjust the location of the construction of a mining and processing plant. And in 2022, the first stationary seismic station was installed on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
“We chose the optimal location for the station by studying the deep structure of an area of 0.5 square meters. km. This made it possible to ensure stable operation of the equipment for three years,” noted Konstantin Danilov, senior researcher at the seismology laboratory.
The technique is especially relevant in conditions of climate change, when permafrost degradation creates additional risks for construction. In Transbaikalia, for example, scientists discovered that the initially chosen site for an industrial facility was unsafe, and proposed an alternative option.
The research results were published in the authoritative journal Surveys in Geophysics, which confirms their scientific value. Scientists are confident that passive methods will become an important tool for the development of the Arctic and other difficult regions.
Russian developments in the field of passive seismic open up new opportunities for industry and science. They allow accurate research to be carried out at minimal cost, which is especially important in the Arctic and other hard-to-reach areas.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology
Source: geoinfo.ru
Photo: nauka.tass.ru
