Planetary observation – plan to turn the atmosphere into one massive sensor Science and technology

June 13, 2020

When the earthquake shook Nepal in 2015, geophysicists were surprised to find that they could see its reflection in the ionosphere, a layer of the atmosphere that exceeds about 75 km above the surface of the Earth. Earth tools have undergone changes in the density of free electrons in this electrically charged region. This has spread out from a point in the ionosphere just above the epicenter.

Similar effects have been observed with other phenomena, both natural (hurricanes, volcanoes and meteorite passage) and artificial (metallurgical explosive). All of these things cause electrical changes in the sky that can be discovered hundreds of kilometers away.

Such observations prompted David Lewis, director of programs at the American Military Research Organization (DARPA) (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), to ask how much information could be extracted from the atmosphere in this way. This led him to set up a new DARPA program called AtmoSense – for “Atmosphere as a sensor”. This is now sorting bids from prospective academic institutions and large and small companies, to establish a system for messing around.

Sensation and sensitivity

The ionosphere’s reaction to events on Earth is simple in principle, but it is complex in practice. Seismic events occur in the lower atmosphere. These can take the form of sound waves, shock waves, or slow-moving phenomena called gravitational waves. These oscillations generally spread in all directions, including the bullish trend towards the ionosphere.

Before you get there, these waves travel through a neutral gas electrically. This makes it difficult to track them remotely due to the lack of electrical effects, such as radio emissions, for use in detectors. But this changes when they pray. The movements of charged particles at high altitudes (electrons and electrically charged atoms, which are called ions, which give the ionosphere its name) can be captured in response to waves passing in several ways. One of its effects is on the reception of the GPS satellite signal (which is how the Nepalese earthquake was detected). The other is by the use of ionizing ions, a special type of radar that bounces off radio waves from this layer of the atmosphere. The third is to use radio waves to stimulate the ionosphere, so that it glows. This is like creating an artificial twilight, making the ionosphere’s movements visible. Observing the ionospheric waves in these ways may answer questions about what drives them. But that means collecting a lot of data to understand what’s going on.

One of AtmoSense’s first goals will be to identify and study phenomena on or near the surface of the Earth – storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mining operations and “mountain waves”, which are the winds associated with mountain ranges. The goal is to find out if atmospheric sensing can outperform current methods: seismometers, weather radars from Doppler for storms, etc.

After that, the project will continue to try to collect data beyond the capabilities of existing sensors. Radar can, for example, track the locations of storms, but AtmoSense may also be able to indicate how much energy the storm releases, thus determining whether it is weakening or strengthening. Seismology can also be strengthened. According to Colonel Lewis, “There may be precursors of earthquakes that have not been captured on Earth. There may be all kinds of information.” This has a confusing possibility of being able to issue earthquake warnings.

Ripples in the air

The armed forces, which are pushing the project, are particularly interested in getting an insight into activities such as missile launches and underground nuclear tests. These should definitely be accessible to the system when fully developed. But it may also be possible to capture fewer events as well.

If meteor shock waves can be tracked through the ionosphere, for example, what about supersonic missile waves? Or a plane? Previous work indicates that small events such as the explosion of a ton of explosives can be detected. With appropriate sensors and filters, it may be possible to track smaller disturbances. Colonel Lewis will look at new ways to do this, as well as trying to upgrade the old ones. Among the new methods under consideration are instruments carried by drones and balloons at high altitudes, both of which can remain in the upper atmosphere for days at a time.

The first 27 months of the program will be devoted to understanding the science behind the ripples in both the ionosphere and the electrically neutral atmosphere beneath it, and then building a computer simulation of what’s going on. It will be tested to see if it can duplicate the exact effects seen in the past.

Once the team has a better understanding of the basic sciences, they will proceed to the second stage: field experiments. This will include three tests over three-month periods in which researchers try to determine related events, such as storm cells, mining operations, and earthquakes. If successful, then the project will move on to issues of military concern by spying on rocket fire, tracking aircraft and even seeing underground bunkers being excavated. The result, if all goes well, may be the first real panopticon in the world. ■

This article appeared in the Science and Technology section of the print entitled “Something in the air”

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