Microseism

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/microseism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the dominant seismic wave type?Rayleigh waves, though Love waves and body waves are also significant components
2. What is the scientific application?Ambient noise tomography for Earth's crust and upper mantle imaging
3. Why do microseisms happen?They happen when ocean waves travel in opposite directions and interfere with each other. This creates a standing wave that pushes on the seafloor, turning the pressure into tiny ground motions.
4. Can we feel microseisms?No, microseisms are far too small to feel. Their motion is less than the width of a human hair.

Ambient Noise Tomography: A geophysical imaging technique using naturally occurring seismic noise to map subsurface structures.
Rayleigh Waves: Surface seismic waves characterized by retrograde elliptical particle motion in the vertical plane.
Love Waves: Surface seismic waves characterized by horizontal shear motion perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
Seismic Arrays: Networks of seismometers used to improve the detection and location of seismic sources and analyze wave propagation.