Study of the Feasibility of Long-Range Seismic Communications

Abstract

The fact that seismic energy from earthquakes and large explosions can be readily detected by seismic stations all over the world suggests the possibility of using seismic waves for worldwide communications. Although it is clear that seismic communications will be restricted to a narrow bandwidth and will propagate at relatively low velocities, such a system may nevertheless have some unique advantages. This study is undertaken in order to explore the characteristics and potential applications of seismic communications and to determine whether further studies are warranted. The fact that such a communication link would be virtually indestructible (enabling it to serve as a hardened, emergency backup for a limited vocabulary of critical messages) makes an evaluation of the feasibility of seismic communication worthwhile. A brief comparison of the characteristics of possible techniques for achieving a hardened backup communication system will help delineate the potential value of a seismic system.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 31, 1972
Accession Number
AD0904729

Entities

People

  • Howard W. Briscoe

Organizations

  • BBN Technologies

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Waves
  • Air Guns
  • Bandwidth
  • Communication Systems
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Earth Sciences
  • Explosions
  • Frequency
  • Geography
  • Measurement
  • Plate Tectonics
  • Seabed
  • Seismic Waves
  • Seismology
  • Surface Waves
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Seismology
  • Systems Analysis and Design