LITTLE ROCK—A series of small earthquakes that rattled central Arkansas in the last weeks could be the sign of something much bigger to come.

By this weekend, seismologists hope to install three portable measurement devices to gather information about future temblors in the area. That information could show whether the rumbles come from heat-related geological changes or from a yet-to-be discovered fault, which could mean a risk of a substantial earthquakes in the future.

“The potential for generating a high-magnitude earthquake is real,” said Haydar Al-Shukri, the director of the Arkansas Earthquake Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Five earthquakes have hit central Arkansas since Nov. 1. The quakes haven’t been that powerful, ranging in magnitude from 2.2 to 2.7. Those with a magnitude of 2.5 to 3 are typically the smallest felt by people.