NASA uses satellite technology to better understand earthquakes

High above Earth, a new radar satellite is giving scientists an unprecedented look at how the ground beneath Southern California is moving, sometimes by just millimeters.

Scientists are using cutting-edge satellite technology from NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NASIR) to rethink how we understand earthquakes.

“The NISAR satellite is a radar satellite,” said NASA researcher Eric Fielding. “It visualizes the ground with radar waves and using a very special technique called interferometry, we can tell the difference between one date and the next and see how the ground moved and what areas didn't move during the earthquake.”

This ability distinguishes the NISAR system, especially in places where older satellites had difficulties.

“NISAR will give us much better images because the radar wavelength is less sensitive to vegetation; it's able to see through vegetation and see the Earth's surface and how the Earth's surface is moving,” Fielding said.

For Southern California, that means a clearer view of how faults behave between earthquakes.

“One of the things we use high sensitivity for is studying the gradual deformation that occurs between earthquakes,” he said.

By mapping where stress builds quietly or releases slowly, scientists can better understand earthquake risks.

“If we can see where faults are accumulating stress or gradually releasing stress, we can have a better idea of ​​where earthquakes are likely to occur in the future,” he said.

Hence, when a large earthquake strikes, NISAR can quickly help guide emergency response.

“We have this special urgent response mode that automatically activates after a major earthquake, prioritizing data processing to process the data as soon as it is acquired and transmitted to scientists,” he explained.

This data can also show where damage is likely to occur.

“It allows us to discover places where buildings were destroyed and other things changed radically because of the earthquake,” he said.

From earthquakes to landslides, Nazar truly delivers.

“The most important thing is to be able to measure these natural hazards and prepare in advance, and NISAR's emergency response capability will be very useful in the event of a future disaster,” Fielding said.

From hundreds of miles above Earth, NISAR helps scientists here at JPL turn movement into meaning and data into readiness.

During CBS LA Ready SoCal Week, it's a reminder that the more we understand about what's happening beneath our feet, the better prepared we will be when the shaking starts.

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