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posted by janrinok on Tuesday July 28 2015, @03:53PM   Printer-friendly
from the ping-rumble-crash dept.

A new NASA challenge is looking for evidence to support a theory that electromagnetic pulses (EMP) may precede an earthquake, potentially offering a warning to those in the quake's path.

The "Quest for Quakes" two-week algorithm challenge seeks to develop new software codes or algorithms to search through data and identify electromagnetic pulses that may precede an earthquake. Some researchers have speculated such pulses originating from the ground near earthquake epicenters could signal the onset of some quakes.

"Developing a reliable approach that can separate potential earthquake-induced electromagnetic pulses from the myriad of natural and anthropogenic sources has been a significant challenge," said Craig Dobson, program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas from this competition and learning more about this controversial phenomenon."

The challenge opened for registration on Tuesday. Competitors will be able to submit entries from Monday, July 27 at 1 p.m. ET through Monday, Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

Contestants will be provided with electromagnetic signal data collected over three-month periods from multiple sensors in the proximity of past earthquakes. Control data with no earthquakes also will be included. Coders will have two weeks to develop a new approach to extract the signals and identify potential earthquake precursors. The individuals or teams developing winning approaches will share a $25,000 prize.

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2015, @05:37PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2015, @05:37PM (#214953)

    I just can't get over a NASA scientist using the phrase "a myriad of".

    Is this how we've ended up?

    Wait, I mean, "Is this how up to which we've ended?"

  • (Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Wednesday July 29 2015, @06:31AM

    by PiMuNu (3823) on Wednesday July 29 2015, @06:31AM (#215291)

    Wondering what you were worrying about, I looked it up. It appears there is significant precedent for using "myriad" as a noun.

    Recent criticism of the use of myriad as a noun, both in the plural form myriads and in the phrase a myriad of, seems to reflect a mistaken belief that the word was originally and is still properly only an adjective. As the entries here show, however, the noun is in fact the older form, dating to the 16th century. The noun myriad has appeared in the works of such writers as Milton (plural myriads) and Thoreau (a myriad of), and it continues to occur frequently in reputable English. There is no reason to avoid it.

    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myriad [merriam-webster.com]