SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY

Radar Lets NASA See Beneath Surface of Faults

from the San Francisco Chronicle

California's two most dangerous earthquake faults -- the Hayward and the San Andreas -- are undergoing a new kind of seismic investigation as NASA scientists probe the faults with radar from the sky.

The new airborne radar is able to see what lies beneath the surface of the faults, providing information that researchers hope will lead to improved quake forecasting, updated building codes, and emergency planning to meet seismic hazards, according to quake forecasters at the U.S. Geological Survey.

Seismic probes aren't the NASA scientists' only goal: They're also seeking signs of danger in the steep East Bay hills where almost imperceptible movements even in dry weather can presage destructive landslides that threaten every year when the rains come and the ground turns soggy.