Is it possible to predict an earthquake?
This question forms the starting point for the new seminar organised by the Politecnico di Milano in collaboration with Luca Serafini, a researcher at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) in Milan.
Entitled Innovative seismic prediction using high-energy muon beams, the seminar will illustrate how a beam of high-energy muons (500 GeV), travelling through approximately one kilometre of the Earth’s crust in an area characterised by the presence of an active seismic fault composed of granite-like rocks, can interact with specific properties of the rocks.
This interaction produces signals, linked to accumulated tectonic stress, which can be detected using muon-sensitive instruments. By analysing their evolution over time, it is possible to track the build-up of stress until the point of rupture in the Earth’s crust, which triggers earthquakes.
Continuous monitoring of these signals could enable the occurrence of an earthquake to be predicted well in advance, thereby helping to safeguard human lives.
During the meeting, the main physical mechanisms involved will also be described, along with some preliminary experiments demonstrating the feasibility of the ERMES project, which is based on an interdisciplinary approach combining high-energy physics with the study of geological materials under stress.
The seminar will take place on Wednesday 18 March, starting at 4.00 pm, in the room Castigliano (Building 5).
You can also watch it via live stream by clicking on the following link.
To take part, you must register using the form provided.