COMPLEX EXPLORATION AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE GEOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT USING ADVANCED MONITORING TECHNIQUES AND MULTIPARAMETRIC ANALYSIS TOWARDS DETECTION OF  PRECURSORY ANOMALIES RELATED TO CRUSTAL AND SUBCRUSTAL EARTHQUAKES

ACRONYM    EX-STRIM

The proposal theme is the complex geophysical environment exploration and surveillance, using advanced recording techniques and multiparametric analysis of the characteristic fields, for observing the anomalous changes of the geomagnetic, geoelectric and acoustic fields intensities associated with crustal and intermediate earthquake occurrence.

The proposed project is within the general objectives of program 4 by means of the competitive increase of research/development is assured due to the fact that it is stimulated a partnership into a prior domain, of great social and scientific interest (as a general objective of program 4).

The project is in the parameters of Domain 8: - Space and security, Research Direction 8.2 – Space applications and it is bonded with Research thematic 8.2.7 – “Global monitoring systems. GMES” (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) and 8.2.9. – “Systems and platforms for observation and monitoring” thru which it is within the UE and ESA preoccupations in Earth observation domain, to reduce the socio-economical impact of natural hazards.

The project's main purpose is to develop a complex and innovative system of research of the interactions that occur in the geophysical environment, using monitoring techniques, multi-parametrical analyze and interpretation of the characteristic fields (acoustic, magnetic, electric), which will lead to solving some complex problems regarding the identification of some precursors phenomenon of strong earthquakes: the changes in total electron content from the ionosphere, anomalies of geomagnetic fields and atmospheric electric, infrasonic perturbations of the atmosphere (occurred either by nature – such as strong earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or gravitational waves, either by artificial events – such as nuclear explosions in the atmosphere).

The project's goal is to develop a method of geophysical fields exploration, and it envolves the achievement of the following results: (1) a system and a technology of tracing the anomalies which manifest and can be characterized as precursor manifest of crustal and subcrustal earthquakes; (2) 3 national patent requests, referring to the complex surveillance system of geophysical fields using the Internet, to the infrasonic monitoring system, to the differential method of processing observation data, with applications in the identification of anomaly variations of geophysical fields before crustal and subcrustal earthquakes; (3) the development of collaboration between research units – national interest development with profile activity, school units and IMM AZEL, to identify and resolve the problems regarding to seismic risk; (4)  the competitive and creativity increase within the education and research system (5) opening a reference centre for research and applications, destined to the attraction and education of young researches, with the financial effort of AZEL partner , who understands this activity as a moral duty to the educational and research system from Romania; (6) the development of existing structures with equipment, destined for monitoring; (7) unification of the efforts of the specialized institutions in research-development of the Earth Physics and Space Domain, using a new approach, meant to use revolutionary ideas and real collaboration and to discourage the dissipation of the creative energy, which slows down the process of knowledge in the domain; (8) publishing articles in different scientific journals, including ISI ones, that will show the actual status of researches and obtained results.

The project contribution to the knowledge in the domain is significant and it consists in the way that the investigation theory is used (the multi-disciplinary character of research activities), primary information processing, dissemination of data and results (full access to the monitored data) and to the ways of distribution of local monitoring networks (in regions with crustal seismic activity, subcrustal seismic activity and in aseismic regions of reference) and in the advanced technical structure that is involved.

The usage of the newest technical and scientifically concepts and the recruiting of young researchers, with high experience, imagination and work power, capable to respond to the challenges that the research activity involves, and also the way of approaching the problem (with highly innovating character, national and international) consist strong arguments in the favour of the above statement.

  “Romania is a country with a high seismic and scientific potential” This observation makes the members of the partnership to offer a system representing the state-of-the-art in this domain.

 The specifically objectives of the project are structured on stages, each stage containing more sub-objectives represented by research activities (10% from the whole project), industrial research and support activities.