[Rockhounds] Coronavirus lockdowns hushed seismic noise around the world

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

During lockdowns and other measures to control the spread of the novel
coronavirus there was as much as a 50% drop globally in the seismic
vibrations humans normally generate, according to new research.

Why it matters: Human seismic noise can drown out signals from earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions and other geological hazards and natural sources. The
"quiet period" of 2020 may help to improve warning systems by offering an
opportunity to separate natural sounds from those generated by human
activity.

Driving, drilling, walking, flying and other human activities vibrate the
Earth's surface, creating seismic noise.

What they found: Using data from 268 seismic stations in 117 countries,
researchers measured the effects of lockdowns on high-Frequency (4–14 Hz)
Seismic Ambient Noise (hiFSAN), which corresponds to vibrations typically
generated by human activities.

https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-lock-downs-seismology-noise-baf566fb-2efd-4d7e-9c9f-973d2f25cc53.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcI3yiIqFh4