Georisks: Monitoring earthquakes underground

Natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanism occur underground. Scientific drilling is used to study geological conditions at fault lines, along tectonic plate boundaries, and in volcanically active areas.

The diagram shows a schematic representation of an earthquake fault beneath a large city. By inserting measuring devices such as seismometers into boreholes, movements underground are recorded. Important parameters are determined at the fault zones by taking measurements in the borehole, i.e. directly at the fault.

What is measured in the borehole? The following data is important for science:

• Propagation of seismic signals through space and time.
• Changes in temperature, pressure and other underground parameters.
• Propagation and composition of underground fluids (liquids and gases).
• Deformation processes in the borehole.

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