Global Earthquake Prediction Systems

Abstract

Terra Seismic can predict most major earthquakes (M6.2 or greater) at least 2 - 5 months before they will strike. Global earthquake prediction is based on determinations of the stressed areas that will start to behave abnormally before major earthquakes. The size of the observed stressed areas roughly corresponds to estimates calculated from Dobrovolsky’s formula. To identify abnormalities and make predictions, Terra Seismic applies various methodologies, including satellite remote sensing methods and data from ground-based instruments. We currently process terabytes of information daily, and use more than 80 different multiparameter prediction systems. Alerts are issued if the abnormalities are confirmed by at least five different systems. We observed that geophysical patterns of earthquake development and stress accumulation are generally the same for all key seismic regions. Thus, the same earthquake prediction methodologies and systems can be applied successfully worldwide. Our technology has been used to retrospectively test data gathered since 1970 and it successfully detected about 90 percent of all significant quakes over the last 50 years.