Characteristic atmosphere-ocean-solid earth interactions in the Antarctic coastal and marine environment inferred from seismic and infrasound recording at Syowa Station, East Antarctica

• Published in: Geological Society, London, Special Publications
• Main Authors: Kanao, Masaki, Maggi, Alessia, Ishihara, Yoshiaki, Stutzmann, Eléonore, Yamamoto, Masa-Yuki, Toyokuni, Genti
• Other Authors: National Institute of Polar Research Tokyo (NiPR), Sismologie (IPGS) (IPGS-Sismologie), Institut de physique du globe de Strasbourg (IPGS), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), National Astronomical Observatory, National Institutes of Natural Sciences Tokyo (NINS), Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-IPG PARIS-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), KUT, Kochi University of Technology (KUT), Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions, Tohoku University Sendai
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2013
• Subjects: geo; demo; Antarctic; Broad Peak; East Antarctica; Syowa Station; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; International Polar Year; Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1144/SP381.8; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00825141/file/4078_1_art_file_121971_m6kkqc.MK.20120730.final.pdf; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00825141

International audience Several characteristic waves detected by seismographs in Antarctic stations have been recognized as originating from the physical interaction between the solid earth and the atmosphere-ocean-cryosphere system surrounding the Antarctic and may be used as a proxy for characterizing ocean wave climate. A Chaparral-type infrasound sensor was installed at Syowa Station (SYO; 39.6E, 69.0S), East Antarctica, in April 2008 during the International Polar Year (IPY2007-2008). Matching data are also available for this time period from the existing broadband seismic recorder located close by. Continuous infrasound data for 2008-2009 include background signals (microbaroms) with a broad peak in the wave period between the values of 4 and 10 s. Signals with the same period are recorded by the broadband seismograph at SYO (microseisms). This period band is identified as double-frequency microseisms/baroms (DFM). The DFM have relatively lower amplitudes during winter. We suggest that this is due to the sea-ice extent around the coast causing a decreased ocean loading effect. In contrast, the single frequency microseisms/baroms with a peak in period between 12 and 30 s are observed under storm conditions, particularly in winter. On the infrasound data, stationary signals are identified with harmonic overtones at a few Hertz to lowermost human audible band, which we suggest is due to local effects such as sea-ice cracking and vibration. Microseism measurements are a useful proxy for characterizing ocean wave climate, complementing other oceanographic and geophysical data. At SYO, continuous monitoring by both broadband seismograph and infrasound contributes to the Federation of Digital Seismographic Networks, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in the high southern latitudes and the Pan-Antarctic Observations System under the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.