It is posited that electromagnetic pulses, or EMP, may precede an earthquake but while the idea that electromagnetic waves that come from the ground near the epicenter of an earthquake could serve as a bellwether for potentially destructive tremors, this theory has yet to be proven.
Now, a new NASA challenge is encouraging those with talents and skills in writing software codes and devising algorithms to find for evidence that could support the theory of EMP preceding earthquakes. The challenge dubbed "Quest for Quakes" could potentially offer life-saving warnings to those in the path of quakes.
The two-week challenge aims to develop algorithms or software code to sift through data and look for electromagnetic pulses that may come before an earthquake. A $25,000 is at stake for those whose work will be used for this purpose.
Some researchers put forward the theory that EMPs that originate from the ground of quake epicenters could serve as a red flag for the start of some quakes and this could give those who live in earthquake zones more time to look for safety before a potentially devastating tremor could occur.
Fracturing rock in the planet's crust is theorized to produce an electrically charged pulse which travels to the land surface and shows itself as a small change in the magnetic field. A number of natural and man-made electromagnetic noise sources, however, can mask or mimic these pulses and could be associated with earthquakes.
NASA program scientist Craig Dobson said that developing an approach that can reliably separate potential quake-induced EMPs from anthropogenic and natural sources has been challenging.
"We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas from this competition and learning more about this controversial phenomenon," Dobson said.
Those who wish to join the competition can submit their entries starting July 27 until Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.
The U.S space agency said that competitors will receive electromagnetic signal data gathered over a three-month period from multiple sensors in areas where earthquakes have occurred in the past. Control data without earthquakes will also be included.
Coders will be given two weeks to come up with a new approach for extracting signals and find potential signs of earthquakes. Those who develop winning solutions will share the prize of $25,000.
The link between EMPs and earthquakes has been debated for some time now and researchers have been examining the causes of distinct ultra-low frequency electromagnetic pulses coming from the ground near the epicenters of earthquake weeks prior to tremors.
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