A comparison of microseisms and ocean waves recorded in southern New England

Abstract

A comparison of ocean‐wave and microseism recordings is made for two cases of very high waves off southern New England. No prominent microseism activity of the type usually associated with marine cold fronts and cyclones occurred. However, very weak fairly regular microseisms of short period, only slightly above normal background, were observed. These correlate very well with times of high wave activity rather than with that of offshore winds and are suggested as being of true surf or shallow‐water wave origin. A third case is shown for control in which, following conditions similar to the above, an intense microseism storm was generated by a vigorous cold air mass moving offshore hand suggests that pressure fluctuations in this air mass are the generating mechanism.

A case study bearing on the origin and propagation of 2‐ to 6‐second microseisms

“…Puerto Rico differs from this other area in the very narrow shelf zone that borders the island. These data lend further support to the theory proposed by Ewing and Donn [1952] and Ewing and Press [1952] that generation is only efficient in regions of strong crustal thickness gradient, for example, a shelf zone. The small size of this zone north of Puerto Rico would thus pre clude the generation of strong microseisms there.…”