The microseism mystery

DAVID HAMBLING listens out for the tremors that make up the planet’s background noise

Renewed interest in fracking in the UK will bring more attention to bear on microseisms, the faint earth tremors which make up the planet’s background noise. This all-pervasive vibration is sometimes figuratively called the ‘Earth Hum’, but unlike the many mystery hums around the world, the Earth Hum is much too low-pitched for human ears. While some microseisms are caused by human activity, the vast majority are the result of natural phenomena – though exactly which phenomena is not always known, and some regular signals remain enigmatic. The most famous of these regular microseism sources was first recorded in 1961 by Jack Oliver of Columbia University, using the seismographs at Palisades, New York, instruments so sensitive they could pick up activity on the other side of the world. A few…

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Fortean Times (Digital) - 1 Issue, 425

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