Earthquake felt by GOCE

ESA's GOCE satellite detected sound waves from the massive earthquake that hit Japan on 11 March 2011. At GOCE's orbital altitude, the concentration of air molecules is very low so weak sound waves coming up from the ground are strongly amplified. Variations in air density owing to the earthquake were measured by GOCE and combined with a numerical model to show the propagation of low frequency infrasound waves.

Credits: ESA/IRAP/CNES/TU Delft/HTG/Planetary Visions