Latest news with #NotoPeninsulaEarthquake
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Japanese study unveils how earthquakes quietly disrupt satellites and communications
Source: Reuters While earthquakes have been traditionally linked to surface-level destruction, new findings show that their effect goes far beyond the crust of the Earth reaching into the upper atmosphere and even interfering with space-based technologies. In a pioneering piece of research, scientists from Nagoya University have been able to develop the first-ever 3D visualisation of atmospheric disturbances in the ionosphere resulting from a significant earthquake. With data from Japan's extensive network of more than 4,500 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, the scientists charted the ripple of the 7.5-magnitude Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1, 2024. What they found, reported in the journal Earth, Planets and Space , not only deepens the knowledge of earthquakes travelling through the atmosphere but also poses serious issues of satellite vulnerability and communication. 3D imaging reveals how earthquakes disrupt the ionosphere The ionosphere is a highly charged atmosphere of Earth between 60 and 1,000 kilometres high that plays a critical role in global communications by bending and slowing down radio waves from satellites. Earthquakes, as it happens, can perturb this sensitive layer by creating acoustic waves that propagate upward from the surface. To observe these disturbances, scientists tracked delays in GNSS satellite signals induced by changes in the electron density of the ionosphere. By using tomography methods, as in medical CT scans, they imaged the dynamic 3D behaviour of the ionosphere in response to the seismic shockwaves. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo About ten minutes following the earthquake, wave-like ripples that are similar to those patterns created in concentric circles when a stone is thrown into water started to emanate in the ionosphere. These ripples, also referred to as seismo-ionospheric perturbations, showed unexpected tilts in their structures that were not included in previous models. New insights reveal earthquakes don't emit waves from a single source Earlier science reference models had long considered that the waves created by a quake have a single point source. The 3D visualizations presented in this study told a different story. The waves were not coming from one but rather from several rupture points along a 150-kilometre fault. Dr. Weizheng Fu, lead author, said earthquakes release energy not from a point source but evolve gradually along fault lines. The researchers' new model took this dynamic rupture process into account by modeling wave emissions from sections of the fault in time intervals of some 30 seconds. This new method successfully replicated the angled sound wave patterns observed in the ionosphere. This change in comprehension greatly enhances our potential to forecast and make sense of the atmospheric influence of immense seismic occurrences. Study warns of seismic effects on navigation and communication tools The potential of this research extends far beyond scientific understanding. Ionospheric disturbances have the potential to degrade the precision of GPS systems, to slow down satellite communications, and to affect navigation tools—concerns which are of the utmost importance during disaster relief and aviation. Co-author Professor Yuichi Otsuka highlighted the wider technological significance of the research. "By knowing how these waves are created and how they change, we can start to predict and buffer risks in communication systems before and after earthquakes," he explained. In addition to increasing technological resilience, the research also opens the door to better earthquake early warning systems . Historically dependent on ground-based sensors, the systems could be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of atmospheric data, specifically patterns seen in the ionosphere. Also Read | Strawberry Moon 2025: June's full moon to light up the sky this month- know date, time, and the science behind the name
India Today
3 days ago
- Science
- India Today
Japanese scientists reveal how earthquakes can disrupt satellites in space
Earthquakes, the ripples beneath the planet from collision of tectonic plates, not only damages assets on the surface but also above the planet in University scientists, using Japan's dense network of over 4,500 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, have produced the first 3D visualisation of atmospheric disturbances triggered by the 7.5-magnitude Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1, in Earth, Planets and Space, their study unveils how seismic activity generates complex sound waves in the ionosphere, disrupting satellite communications and challenging prior scientific Ionospheric Turbulence The ionosphere, a charged atmospheric layer 60–1,000 km above Earth, slows radio waves from analysing signal delays, the team calculated electron density changes caused by upward-travelling sound waves from the quake. Using tomography—akin to medical CT scans—they combined multi-angle satellite data to build dynamic 3D models of these 10 minutes post-quake, ripples resembling 'pond waves' emerged in the ionosphere. The 3D images revealed a key anomaly: tilted sound wave patterns south of the epicenter that gradually straightened vertically. The findings also offer clues for improving earthquake early warning systems. (Photo: Getty) advertisementTraditional models, assuming waves originate from a single point, failed to explain this breakthrough came when researchers incorporated multiple wave sources along the 150-km fault line. 'Earthquakes don't rupture at one spot but propagate across faults,' explained lead author Dr. Weizheng Fu. Their revised model showed waves generated 30 seconds apart from different fault sections, aligning with observed tilted disturbances can degrade GPS accuracy and satellite communications. 'Understanding these patterns helps mitigate tech vulnerabilities during quakes,' said Professor Yuichi Otsuka, findings also offer clues for improving earthquake early warning systems by tracking atmospheric waves alongside ground team plans to apply their model to study ionospheric impacts of volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and extreme weather. This approach could enhance disaster preparedness and real-time monitoring, bridging Earth's surface and space-based unraveling the ionosphere's seismic fingerprints, this research marks a leap toward safeguarding critical infrastructure while deepening our grasp of Earth's interconnected Watch
Yomiuri Shimbun
28-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Residents in District of Japan's Quake-Hit Noto Area Learn Disaster Radio Knowhow; Volunteers Learning from Area in Miyagi Hit by 2011 Quake
The Yomiuri Shimbun Shin Nakayama, right, and other members of the Machino district in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, learn broadcasting techniques during a training session in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, on June 17. KANAZAWA — Members of a community affected by a major earthquake and heavy rains are working on opening a temporary disaster radio station in June that will provide information to the area in emergencies. The Machino district of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, suffered damage from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and heavy rainfall that hit the prefecture. Volunteers are being taught how to broadcast information by a radio station in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, an area affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Lessons from Miyagi A temporary disaster radio station is an FM station set up by local governments to provide information on disaster relief, such as water supplies and food distribution. The system was established after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, with 28 municipalities opening such stations during the 2011 earthquake in the Tohoku region. The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry issues licenses to municipalities and decides the station's broadcast frequency. Supervision by a qualified individual with a second-class technical radio operator for on-the-ground services or higher is required, but qualified individuals from companies or volunteer organizations are permitted to help out. In mid-May, six Machino volunteer members visited Onagawa FM's radio room for their five-day training program to learn how to run a radio station. 'Wajima is just like Onagawa in that it is by the sea and is rich in nature. We want to rebuild it into a stylish town like Onagawa,' one of them said in a test broadcast via video streaming. After the earthquake in January 2024 and the heavy rains that followed in September, television signals and Internet connections in the Machino district were lost, leaving residents without access to information. Drawing lessons from these major disasters, a group of local volunteers called the Machino reconstruction project committee is preparing to launch a temporary disaster radio station with the cooperation of Wajima City. After test broadcasts were conducted in February, other residents who wanted to help the project came forward. One of the members, Shin Nakayama, 29, lost his older sister, then 31, who was swept away by mudslides during the heavy rains. He currently lives in temporary housing. 'My sister would've been listening to our radio,' Nakayama said about the reason to join the project. 'I want to deliver information to the community.' During his visit to Onagawa, Nakayama said he was able to share his feelings with people who also lost their loved ones in the 2011 earthquake. Enhancing readiness Onagawa FM's predecessor Onagawa Saigai FM served as a temporary disaster radio station until 2016, when its duties were taken over by a general incorporated association. It ceased broadcasting in 2022 and now supports the opening of similar radio stations nationwide. Former Onagawa Saigai radio host Machiko Abe, 42, was among the instructors teaching the Machino team in the training program. 'Rather than telling people about problems, communicate with residents to enhance disaster readiness,' Abe told the trainees. Yusuke Yamashita, 39, who represents the Machino committee, was taught about reporting and production skills. 'We will practice together while being aware that residents would be listening on the other side of the microphone,' Yamashita said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Expo Osaka: Kimono Sashes Damaged in Noto Reborn as Art; Joint Project Depicts Phoenix, Dragon with Ishikawa Materials
The Yomiuri Shimbun An object created by collecting kimono sashes that could no longer be stored after the disasters including the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, on display in Osaka, on Monday. 'Horyu,' an art piece created by collecting kimono sashes damaged in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and Okunoto torrential rains last year, was unveiled in front of the Expo Hall Shining Hat at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on Monday. Standing 3 meters high and 1.8 meters wide, it depicts the wings of a phoenix and the belly of a dragon. Soil and wood from a collapsed house in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, were placed inside to express the artist's wish to overcome hardship and move toward reconstruction. The project was a collaborative effort organized in part by stage director Hiroaki Omote, who also directed the kagura performance on the day, and Tsutomu Shinohara, president of a Kanazawa-based non-profit organization, the Japan kimono culture promotion association. Fifty sashes were used from approximately 5,500 kimonos and sashes donated by quake victims. Omote oversaw design, and Minoru Ishikawa, a Kagawa Prefectural traditional craftsman, sewed the cut sashes. The exhibit was on display only on Monday. Visitors stopped to take pictures while admiring the craftwork. 'The desire that everyone wants to revitalize Noto together pours out of the work,' said Yoshie Benno, 75, from Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture.
Yomiuri Shimbun
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Asbestos in Noto's Damaged Buildings Causes Health Concerns; Volunteering Suspended, Other Measures Requested
The Yomiuri Shimbun Members of a survey team inspect a damaged building in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, on May 6. WAJIMA/SUZU, Ishikawa — Exposed asbestos was found in several damaged buildings in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, which was hit severely by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and torrential rains last year, and restrictions have been placed on volunteering and other activities amid health concerns. Asbestos, a fibrous mineral that could cause mesothelioma and lung cancer if inhaled, was found in the ceiling and beams of Hotel Kairakuso, a Japanese style inn in Suzu, in mid-April. The inn closed after heavy rainfall in September last year caused soil and sand to surge inside. Five or six pieces of asbestos with diameters of 3 to 10 centimeters were found broken and determined to be the highly toxic blue asbestos variety. The Ishikawa prefectural government has asked the owner of the inn to stop accepting volunteers and to take measures to keep the asbestos contained. A notice saying 'No entry except by authorized personnel' was posted at the entrance of the inn, and wood was used to block people from entering. Courtesy of the Mesothelioma, Pneumoconiosis, and Asbestos Center Asbestos sprayed on steel frames is seen in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, in April The central government and experts are continuing to investigate the situation and raising awareness. From February to March last year, the Environment Ministry conducted an asbestos survey on disaster-hit buildings in six municipalities. Exposed asbestos was found in 12 of the 64 buildings surveyed, and owners were instructed to take measures to prevent the fibrous mineral from being dispersed. A team also surveyed buildings in Nanao and Wajima in the prefecture on May 6. The team was led by Fuyushi Nagakura, secretary general of the Tokyo-based non-profit organization Mesothelioma, Pneumoconiosis, and Asbestos Center, and Shigeharu Nakachi, professor of environmental chemistry at Kumamoto Gakuen University. In Nanao, exposed asbestos was found in a building scheduled to be demolished with public funds. The team asked the prefectural government to take such measures as covering the building with blue sheets. As of the end of April, about 26,000 buildings in the prefecture had been demolished with public funds, according to the prefectural government. Another 14,000 buildings are scheduled to be demolished in the same way by October. The prefectural government is calling on demolition contractors to wear dust masks and take other measures.
