Infrasonic Waves in Antarctica: A New Proxy for Monitoring Polar Environment

Masa-Yuki Yamamoto, Yoshiaki Ishihara, Masaki Kanao

Kochi University of Technology, Kami-shi, Japan.
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan.
National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/ijg.2013.44074                

Abstract

Characteristic infrasound waves are clearly recorded at Syowa Station (SYO), East Antarctica, involving physical interaction in surrounding environments at the continent and SouthernOcean. A Chaparral microphone type infrasound sensor is deployed at SYO during the International Polar Year (IPY2007-2008), the most diverse international science program held recently. Continuous recorded data in 2008-2010 indicate a contamination of background oceanic signals (microbaroms). The characteristic signals are identified as the “microbaroms” with peaks between 4 and 10 s in the records. The peak amplitudes of microbaroms may be enhanced by the extratropical cyclonic storms and wind noises in Southern Ocean. The microbaroms has relatively lower amplitudes during austral winters, which may be caused by the larger amount of the sea-ice extent around theLützow-HolmBaynear SYO, with decreasing the ocean wave loading effects. In addition, the large energy with intrinsic periods between 12 and 30 s are observable under excellent storm conditions, particularly in local winter. The oceanic effects appearing on infrasound data are modulated by the presence of sea-ice and explained by a relationship between the atmosphere-ocean-cryosphere systems. Microbaroms measurements could be a useful tool for characterizing ocean wave climate, as well as a new proxy for monitoring a regional environmental variation inAntarctica.

Keywords

Infrasound; Antarctica; Microbaroms; Environmental Monitoring; Global Network

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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