Glenn Thompson’s team at USF records seismic activity during rocket launches. “For Artemis II, we deployed a record 12 seismic and infrasound stations surrounding the launch site within a 10-mile radius,” Thompson said. “This allows us to study what happens when powerful sound waves in the atmosphere interact with the ground at this scale.”

“By recording low-frequency sound waves and ground motion at the same locations, we can separate the sound from the seismic data,” Thompson said. “That lets us focus on how the ground itself responds to pressure, helping us better understand what’s happening below the surface.” This data will be used to improve geological models of area and better gauge launches’ impacts on the environment around them.

• Glenn Thompson