Technology Area

Very low frequency waves generated by lightning can be used to detect tunnels and underground structures, Map and “surf” with the precision of GPS for underground structures, invisible to the naked eye, the satellite system is for new projects, according to research by DARPA, the research agency that is part of the Pentagon.

Simply increasing prevalence, the spy satellites that can monitor even the smallest details of what happens on the accuracy of the surface, has led many countries to increase interest in building structures and underground tunnels, which can escape through observation. In more recent years, the technology used in the construction of such facilities is rapidly becoming a simple, efficient and economical.

To obtain an intelligence system that allows the verification of underground facilities, scientists and engineers from DARPA decided to focus more on the weather phenomenon: lightning, creating a large number of radio signals at very low frequency (VLF), known as “spherical” , as can penetrate deep very deep.

The first phase of the project is focused on the possibility of developing a receiver can determine the basement signal hundreds of miles from their home: the opening reception of more stations, along with data which show an increase for stations in order to determine the surface emitted by lightning, causing, allowing to determine its position.

Preliminary studies conducted to date seem to indicate a genuinely viable, called D-Bug DARPA and is now preparing to launch the next phase of system development, in collaboration with a number of companies.

This second phase is to verify that the spherical surface of received waves can be compared with those obtained from one tube to permit the proper resolution of geolocation data to develop a complete system, navigation and surveillance on the ground.