HURRICANE SWELL AS A GENERATOR OF MICROSEISMS

Abstract

Seismographs were operated in the Bahama Islands and on the east coast of the United States during the hurricane season of 1950. Data from these instruments do not support the hypothesis that microseisms originate in the ocean floor immediately beneath the low-pressure region. On the other hand, there is no apparent difficulty in interpreting the observed characteristics of microseisms associated with hurricanes if it is assumed that microseisms are created near the shore by swell. The manner in which standing waves exert periodic forces on the ocean bottom, as described by Miche or Longuet-Higgins and Ursell, seems to provide a satisfactory explanation for the origin of microseisms.