Using Seismographs to Study Hurricanes

5min 19s Novice Spanish

How can a seismograph help determine the strength of a hurricane?

The earth is a noisy place and modern, highly sensitive seismographs record anything that shakes the ground, including traffic, industrial noise, explosions, “fan quakes” at sporting events, wind. The vast majority of the seismic record shows low-intensity  seismic “noise' from a different source: the oceans.  Hurricanes and typhoons can increase the amplitude of ocean waves which, in turn, drum on the ocean floor. These produce Rayleigh waves that can be recorded hundreds of miles from an oncoming hurricane.

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