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Researchers say they have identified earth movement signals that could predict earthquakes up to two hours before they hit. The signals were recorded, or detected, by GPS collection devices. The devices were positioned in areas where major earthquakes had struck in the past. Scientists noted, however, that the right equipment does not currently exist to use the data to predict earthquakes. But if the sensitivity of current GPS measuring devices can be improved, the researchers say a new earthquake warning system could be possible.

研究人员表示，他们已经识别出地球运动信号，可以在地震发生前两小时预测地震。这些信号由 GPS 收集设备记录或检测。 这些设备位于过去发生过大地震的地区。然而，科学家指出，目前尚不存在使用这些数据来预测地震的合适设备。 但研究人员表示，如果当前 GPS 测量设备的灵敏度能够得到提高，新的地震预警系统就有可能实现。

Earthquakes are caused by movements, or slips, in existing faults under Earth’s surface, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) explains. A fault is a long break in rock attached to Earth’s crust. When tension builds up along a fault, energy waves are released and travel through the crust. This causes the ground to shake. Technology for predicting earthquakes currently remains very limited. But the USGS does have equipment that can pick up seismic data when an earthquake is just starting. The term seismic relates to earthquake activity. The USGS method makes it possible to warn people in areas where seismic activity is expected. But this method generally can only provide a warning several seconds before an earthquake hits. The USGS system is called ShakeAlert. It has already been deployed along the U.S. West Coast. That is where the majority of earthquakes happen in the country.

美国地质调查局 (USGS) 解释说，地震是由地球表面下现有断层的运动或滑动引起的。 断层是附着在地壳上的岩石的长期断裂。 当断层上的张力增强时，能量波就会被释放并穿过地壳。 这会导致地面震动。目前预测地震的技术仍然非常有限。 但美国地质勘探局确实拥有可以在地震刚开始时采集地震数据的设备。 地震一词与地震活动有关。美国地质调查局的方法可以向预计发生地震活动的地区的人们发出警告。 但这种方法一般只能在地震发生前几秒发出警告。 美国地质调查局的系统称为 ShakeAlert。 它已经在美国西海岸部署。 这是该国大多数地震发生的地方。

But the new detection method could produce warnings up to two hours before the damaging effects of an earthquake are felt. Such a system could save lives by giving people the chance to get out of buildings that might collapse in an earthquake. Two scientists from France’s National Research Institute for Sustainable Development carried out a study that described the latest results. The findings recently appeared in the publication Science.↳ For the study, researchers examined GPS data collected before and after past earthquake events around the world. The data was collected on 90 earthquakes measuring larger than 7 on the Richter scale. The study period covered the past 20 years.

但新的检测方法可以在感受到地震破坏性影响之前两个小时发出警告。 这样的系统可以让人们有机会逃离可能在地震中倒塌的建筑物，从而挽救生命。法国国家可持续发展研究所的两名科学家进行了一项研究，描述了最新结果。 该研究结果最近发表在《科学》杂志上。在这项研究中，研究人员检查了世界各地过去地震事件前后收集的 GPS 数据。 这些数据收集了 90 次里氏 7 级以上的地震。 研究时间跨度近20年。