Tremor study shows surge in storms
Tremor study shows surge in storms
2008-04-18Newsfeed
Analysis of tiny earth tremors caused by ocean waves show extreme storms have become more frequent in the past three decades, scientists have reported.
Analysis of tiny earth tremors caused by ocean waves show extreme storms have become more frequent in the past three decades, scientists have reported.
The faint "microseisms", which are often dismissed as "background noise", show up as five to 30-second oscillations at seismographic stations around the world - even in the middle of continents.
Triggered by ocean waves, they are amplified as storm winds drive the waves higher, allowing researchers to track storm intensities around the world.
Scientists presenting research to the Seismological Society of America said they had examined the tremors to see if climate change predictions of stronger and more frequent storms were already coming true.
Richard Aster, of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, said in all 22 of the seismographic stations included in the study, the number of extreme storm events had increased over that time.
Prof Aster said while the work on evaluating changes in extreme storms because of climate change was still in its early stages, he hoped the study would offer a global look at the effects of global warming on stormy weather and ocean waves.
Copyright © The Press Association 2008
