Scientists have developed a new method to monitor Earth’s changes using satellite data, marking a breakthrough in information resources. Researchers from the FFG project at Graz University of Technology analyzed communication signals from satellites like Starlink and OneWeb to detect minute changes in their transmission patterns.
The researchers found that shifts in sea levels and groundwater reserves alter the gravitational field, influencing the orbits of satellites. By analyzing these changes, scientists can identify shifts in the gravitational field and its underlying terrestrial causes.
Using the Doppler effect, the team accurately identified Starlink satellite positions within 50 meters. This method already enables radar systems to determine speed, distance, and location.
However, further work is needed to improve data collection accuracy to just a few meters. Researchers plan to use multiple networked antennae to triangulate their readings and reduce error rates.
The breakthrough has enormous potential for the detailed investigation and measurement of Earth’s gravitational field changes. While some privacy concerns exist, researchers assure that they only analyze communication signals for positioning and observing orbits, not decoding message content.
Source: https://thedebrief.org/scientists-reveal-new-method-of-harnessing-hidden-data-to-track-earth-changes-with-starlink-satellites