Microseisms and Their Relationship With Solid Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Dynamics: Insights From Ocean Bottom Seismometer Observations in the Northern Okinawa Trough‐Ryukyu Arc‐Trench System

Abstract This study investigates the characteristics and generation mechanisms of ocean microseisms in the Northern Okinawa Trough‐Ryukyu Arc‐Trench System, using continuous recordings from in situ ocean‐bottom seismometers and nearby land stations, integrated with the ERA5 climate and ocean reanalysis data sets. The power spectral densities (PSDs) of double‐frequency microseisms (DFMs) deviate notably from the classical Peterson's model in the 0.8–4 s period range, suggesting regional noise characteristics that may not be fully captured by global reference curves, especially in complex marine environments. Two distinct DFM peaks are identified at 2–6 s (SPDFM) and 6–10 s (LPDFM), both of which intensify during winter monsoons and typhoons as strong seasonal winds generate high‐energy waves that couple efficiently with the seafloor, amplifying microseism activity. SPDFM PSDs correlate strongly with significant wave height (SWH) in marginal seas, such as the East China Sea, where local wave conditions and bathymetric barriers predominantly govern asymmetric energy distributions. In contrast, LPDFM exhibits broader, more symmetrical correlations with SWH, extending into the deeper Philippine Sea and Western Pacific. Single‐frequency microseisms (SFM, 10–20 s) display similar patterns but weaker correlations, with both LPDFM and SFM linked to distant swells from the North Atlantic and equatorial Indian Oceans. Polarization analysis indicates that Love waves dominate SPDFM, with contributions from S waves, while sediment cover and topographic features introduce complexity in wave separation. These findings emphasize the role of local and distant wave sources, atmospheric conditions, and bathymetric undulations in modulating microseism generation and propagation, providing a framework for studying atmosphere‐ocean‐solid earth interactions.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024jb031060
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Seismic Waves and Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.87
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Microseisms and Their Relationship With Solid Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Dynamics: Insights From Ocean Bottom Seismometer Observations in the Northern Okinawa Trough‐Ryukyu Arc‐Trench System

Ban‐Yuan Kuo, Lalit Arya, Ramakrushna Reddy, S. Hung et al.
1 citations
Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
Seismic Waves and Analysis
1.87
article

Microseisms and Their Relationship With Solid Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Dynamics: Insights From Ocean Bottom Seismometer Observations in the Northern Okinawa Trough‐Ryukyu Arc‐Trench System

Ban‐Yuan Kuo, Lalit Arya, Ramakrushna Reddy, S. Hung, Pei‐Ying Patty Lin, Ching‐Ren Lin, Yasushi Ishihara
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the characteristics and generation mechanisms of ocean microseisms in the Northern Okinawa Trough‐Ryukyu Arc‐Trench System, using continuous recordings from in situ ocean‐bottom seismometers and nearby land stations, integrated with the ERA5 climate and ocean reanalysis data sets. The power spectral densities (PSDs) of double‐frequency microseisms (DFMs) deviate notably from the classical Peterson's model in the 0.8–4 s period range, suggesting regional noise characteristics that may not be fully captured by global reference curves, especially in complex marine environments. Two distinct DFM peaks are identified at 2–6 s (SPDFM) and 6–10 s (LPDFM), both of which intensify during winter monsoons and typhoons as strong seasonal winds generate high‐energy waves that couple efficiently with the seafloor, amplifying microseism activity. SPDFM PSDs correlate strongly with significant wave height (SWH) in marginal seas, such as the East China Sea, where local wave conditions and bathymetric barriers predominantly govern asymmetric energy distributions. In contrast, LPDFM exhibits broader, more symmetrical correlations with SWH, extending into the deeper Philippine Sea and Western Pacific. Single‐frequency microseisms (SFM, 10–20 s) display similar patterns but weaker correlations, with both LPDFM and SFM linked to distant swells from the North Atlantic and equatorial Indian Oceans. Polarization analysis indicates that Love waves dominate SPDFM, with contributions from S waves, while sediment cover and topographic features introduce complexity in wave separation. These findings emphasize the role of local and distant wave sources, atmospheric conditions, and bathymetric undulations in modulating microseism generation and propagation, providing a framework for studying atmosphere‐ocean‐solid earth interactions.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid EarthVol. 130(12)
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JP), National Taiwan Normal University (TW), National Taiwan University (TW), Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica (TW)
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Seismic Waves and Analysis
1.87
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.