A climatology of infrasound detections in northern Norway at the experimental ARCI array

• Published in: Journal of Seismology
• Main Authors: Evers, Läslo Gerardus, Schweitzer, Johannes
• Other Authors: Seismology and Acoustics De Bilt, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Acoustic Remote Sensing Group Delft, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering Delft, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)-Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), NORSAR, Norwegian Seismic Array (NORSAR)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2011
• Subjects: Infrasound; Array; Signal detection; Source identification; Acoustic propagation; [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences; Norway; Northern Norway
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00687350; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00687350/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00687350/file/PEER_stage2_10.1007%252Fs10950-011-9237-8.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-011-9237-8

International audience The study of infrasound is experiencing a renaissance in recent years since it was chosen as a verification technique for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Currently, 60 infrasound arrays are being installed to monitor the atmosphere for nuclear tests as part of the International Monitoring System (IMS). The number of non-IMS arrays also increases worldwide. The experimental ARCES infrasound array (ARCI) is an example of such an initiative. The detectability of infrasound differs for each array and is a function of the array location and configuration, the state of the atmosphere, and the presence of natural and anthropogenic sources. In this study, a year of infrasound data is analyzed as recorded by ARCI. Contributions of the atmosphere and the sources are evaluated in both a low- (0.1-1.0 Hz) and high-frequency (1.0-7.0 Hz) pass-band. The enormous number of detections in the low-frequency band is explained in terms of the stratospheric wind and ocean wave activity and compared with the detection of microseism. Understanding the detectability in the low-frequency band is of utmost importance for successfully applying infrasound as a verification technique since small-sized nuclear test will show up in this frequency range.