Localization of microbarom sources using the IMS infrasound network

Abstract

Multiyear continuous infrasound monitoring with the global International Monitoring System (IMS) demonstrates that microbaroms, generated by nonlinear interaction of opposing oceanic surface waves, are globally observed at equatorial, middle, and high latitudes. Direction of arrival of microbarom signals are systematically estimated at all IMS infrasound stations. Using a cross-bearing method, we perform a monthly localization of worldwide microbarom sources. At most stations, microbarom detections show clear seasonal trends, driven by stratospheric wind reversals and source effects. Five-year averaging of the detections provides global and statistical observations of seasonal source variations. Our microbarom source locations represent a first attempt to infer ocean swell characteristics from global and long-term measurements. We show that the monthly averaged source locations exhibit clear seasonal switching between the northern and southern hemispheres. Such an approach can help with evaluating the network detection capability, and provides new insights into quantitative relationships between infrasonic observables, atmospheric specifications, and ocean-atmosphere interactions.