High-resolution precipitation monitoring with a dense seismic nodal array

Abstract

Accurate precipitation monitoring is crucial for understanding climate change and rainfall-driven hazards at a local scale. However, the current suite of monitoring approaches, including weather radar and rain gauges, have different insufficiencies such as low spatial and temporal resolution and difficulty in accurately detecting potentially destructive precipitation events such as hailstorms. In this study, we develop an array-based method to monitor rainfall with seismic nodal stations, offering both high spatial and temporal resolution. We analyze seismic records from 1825 densely spaced, high-frequency seismometers in Oklahoma, and identify signals from nine precipitation events that occurred during the one-month station deployment in 2016. After removing anthropogenic noise and Earth structure response, the obtained precipitation spatial pattern mimics the one from a nearby operational weather radar, while offering higher spatial (~ 300 m) and temporal (< 10 s) resolution. We further show the potential of this approach to monitor hail with joint analysis of seismic intensity and independent precipitation rate measurements, and advocate for coordinated seismological-meteorological field campaign design.

Seismic Signature of the Super Cyclone Amphan in Bay of Bengal Using Coastal Observatories Operating Under National Seismological Network of India

“…The ambient seismic ground vibration, also called seismic background noise (SBN) of the solid earth is originated mainly due to oceanic‐driven winds such as tropical cyclones, extratropical cyclones, and other stormy phenomena (e.g., Brwomirski, 2001; Chi et al., 2010; Díaz et al., 2023; Gualtieri al., 2018; Hua et al., 2023; Retailleau & Gualtieri, 2021; Schulte‐Pelkum et al., 2004; Webb, 1992) and it can be recorded globally using seismographs. The accepted mechanisms responsible for the generation of SBNs are (a) direct coupling between oceanic waves in shallower water and that near the seafloor in the 10–20 s period (Webb, 2002) and (b) nonlinear interaction of two sets of opposite moving oceanic gravity waves having similar frequency content that generate <10 s microseism (Ekström & Ekström, 2005; Longuet‐Higgins, 1950; Rhie & Romanowicz, 2004).…”

“…Several researchers have carried out different seismological analyses of SBN to characterize cyclone generated oceanic as well as seismic waves for their effective monitoring (e.g., Borzi et al., 2022; Chi et al, 2010; Diaz et al, 2023; Fan et al., 2019; Gerstoft et al., 2006; Gualteri et al, 2018; Hua et al, 2023; Retailleau & Gualtieri, 2019; Sufri et al, 2014; Tabulevich, 1971; Zhang et al, 2010). They applied a wide range of methods to monitor oceanic storms with seismological waveforms, such as single station (Sufri et al., 2014), array analysis (Borzi et al., 2022; Hua et al, 2023), and seismic interferometry (Retailleau et al., 2017). However, no one has yet to monitor the tropical cyclones formed in the Indian Ocean seismically.…”