Debris flows constitute a severe natural hazard and studies are performed to investigate triggering mechanisms and to identify and evaluate early warning systems. We present a seismoacoustic analysis of debris flow activity at Illgraben, Switzerland, with infrasound data collected with a small aperture array. Events are recorded as emergent signals of long duration, with seismic and infrasound amplitudes scaling with the flow discharge. The spectral content is stable and peaking at 8 Hz for the seismic and at 5 Hz for the infrasound that suggests two separate processes of elastic energy radiation, most likely bed‐load transport for the seismic and waves at the free surface for the infrasound. Although amplitude and frequency content of the infrasound signal are well within the processing limits, most of the signal is not showing any correlation among the array elements. We suggest that this is a consequence of the contribution of multiple sources of infrasound acting with variable amplitude and phase along the surface of the debris flow. At Illgraben, coherent infrasound is recorded only from fixed sources, corresponding to check dams within the channel. Here infrasound radiation is increased and the dams turn into predominant sources of energy. This allows to unambiguously identify the occurrence of debris flow at Illgraben with the infrasound array, from a remote and safe position and with a timing that is similar to the early warning system based on in‐channel sensors. This clearly shows how infrasound arrays could be used as an efficient early warning systems.
Abstract. While flowing downhill, a snow avalanche radiates seismic waves in the ground and infrasonic waves in the atmosphere. Seismic energy is radiated by the dense basal layer flowing above the ground, while infrasound energy is likely radiated by the powder front. However, the mutual energy partitioning is not fully understood. We present infrasonic and seismic array data of a powder snow avalanche, which was released on 5 February 2016, in the Dischma valley above Davos, Switzerland. A five-element infrasound array, sensitive above 0.1 Hz, and a seven-element seismic array, sensitive above 4.5 Hz, were deployed at a short distance (<500 m) from each other and close (<1500 m) to the avalanche path. The avalanche dynamics were modelled by using RAMMS (rapid mass movement simulation) and characterized in terms of front velocity and flow height. The use of arrays rather than single sensors allowed us to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and to identify the event in terms of back-azimuth angle and apparent velocity of the recorded wave fields. Wave parameters, derived from array processing, were used to identify the avalanche path and highlight the areas, along the path, where seismic and infrasound energy radiation occurred. The analysis showed that seismic energy is radiated all along the avalanche path, from the initiation to the deposition area, while infrasound is radiated only from a limited sector, where the flow is accelerated and the powder cloud develops. The recorded seismic signal is characterized by scattered back-azimuth angle, suggesting that seismic energy is likely radiated by multiple sources acting at once. On the contrary, the infrasound signal is characterized by a clear variation of back-azimuth angle and apparent velocity. This indicates that infrasound energy radiation is dominated by a moving point source, likely consistent with the powder cloud. Thanks to such clear wave parameters, infrasound is revealed to be particularly efficient for avalanche detection and path identification. While the infrasound apparent velocity decreases as the flow moves downhill, the seismic apparent velocity is quite scattered but decreases to sound velocity during the phase of maximum infrasound radiation. This indicates an efficient process of infrasound to seismic energy transition, which, in our case, increases the recorded seismic amplitude by ∼20 %, at least in our frequency band of analysis. Such an effect can be accounted for when the avalanche magnitude is estimated from seismic amplitude. Presented results clearly indicate how the process of seismo-acoustic energy radiation by a powder avalanche is very complex and likely controlled by the powder cloud formation and dynamics, and the process is hence affected by the path geometry and snow characteristics.
Volcanic explosions release large amounts of hot gas and ash into the atmosphere to form plumes rising several kilometers above eruptive vents, which can pose serious risk on human health and aviation also at several thousands of kilometers from the volcanic source. However the most sophisticate atmospheric models and eruptive plume dynamics require input parameters such as duration of the ejection phase and total mass erupted to constrain the quantity of ash dispersed in the atmosphere and to efficiently evaluate the related hazard. The sudden ejection of this large quantity of ash can perturb the equilibrium of the whole atmosphere triggering oscillations well below the frequencies of acoustic waves, down to much longer periods typical of gravity waves. We show that atmospheric gravity oscillations induced by volcanic eruptions and recorded by pressure sensors can be modeled as a compact source representing the rate of erupted volcanic mass. We demonstrate the feasibility of using gravity waves to derive eruption source parameters such as duration of the injection and total erupted mass with direct application in constraining plume and ash dispersal models.
Abstract. While flowing downhill, a snow avalanche radiates seismic waves in the ground and infrasonic waves in the atmosphere. Seismic energy is radiated by the dense basal layer flowing above the ground, while infrasound energy is likely radiated by the powder front. However, the mutual energy partitioning is not fully understood. We present infrasonic and seismic array data of a powder snow avalanche, that released on 5 February 2016, in the Dischma valley above Davos, Switzerland. A five element infrasound array and a seven element seismic array were deployed at short distance (
The protection of marine habitats from human-generated underwater noise is an emerging challenge. Baseline information on sound levels, however, is poorly available, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. To bridge this knowledge gap, the SOUNDSCAPE project ran a basin-scale, cross-national, long-term underwater monitoring in the Northern Adriatic Sea. A network of nine monitoring stations, characterized by different natural conditions and anthropogenic pressures, ensured acoustic data collection from March 2020 to June 2021, including the full lockdown period related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Calibrated stationary recorders featured with an omnidirectional Neptune Sonar D60 Hydrophone recorded continuously 24 h a day (48 kHz sampling rate, 16 bit resolution). Data were analysed to Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs) with a specially developed and validated processing app. Here, we release the dataset composed of 20 and 60 seconds averaged SPLs (one-third octave, base 10) output files and a Python script to postprocess them. This dataset represents a benchmark for scientists and policymakers addressing the risk of noise impacts on marine fauna in the Mediterranean Sea and worldwide.
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