The Portable Active Seismic Source (PASS), originally designed to be used in outer space, could have significant uses on the planet where it was developed. 

The team of researchers led by The University of Tokyo and Kyushu University have found that the device could help advance carbon-sequestration technology by providing continuous kilometre-scale subsurface monitoring to detect carbon dioxide leaks

Underground features like carbon reservoirs can be monitored using seismic waves, either generated by earthquakes or by man-made sources. But seismic monitoring typically requires large, expensive machinery, making continuous monitoring at the scales needed for carbon reservoirs cost prohibitive and practically challenging.

In contrast, PASS is an ultra-compact, centimetre-scale seismic source that can address this problem by allowing continuous monitoring of carbon reservoirs.

“Because of the device’s small size, the vibrations it produces are relatively...