Ocean Bottom Seismometer Data Acquisition and Analysis

Ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) are specialised instruments deployed on the seafloor to record ground motion from natural and induced seismic sources. Acquisition begins with precise instrument design to withstand hydrostatic pressure, mitigate current-induced noise and ensure stable coupling with the sediment or rock substrate. Deployments range from single-station experiments to large-scale arrays installed from research vessels, often at depths exceeding several kilometres. Data retrieval employs acoustic or buoyed release mechanisms, with subsequent off-board data logging. Analysis encompasses filtering to separate seismic signals from environmental noise, correction for instrument response and computation of parameters such as wave velocity, focal mechanisms and anisotropy. Recent advances in low-power electronics, anti-current shields and autonomous node networks have expanded the spatial and temporal resolution of seafloor seismic monitoring, deepening insights into tectonic processes, earthquake hazard and subsurface resource exploration.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Research from all publishers

Recent studies have clarified how deep ocean currents modulate OBS noise spectra, splitting ambient signals into high-frequency (short-period), microseismic and low-frequency (tilt) bands. This work demonstrates that non-tidal bottom currents and local flow regimes induce harmonic tremors through interaction with exposed mechanical components, and that optimised housing designs can suppress such artefacts. A novel broadband OBS featuring a compact gimbal and shielding structure has been shown to reduce current-induced noise on horizontal components and extend deployment life through low power consumption, yielding high-fidelity recordings in the South China Sea. Foundational experiments from a 13-month deployment of over fifty broadband OBS around an oceanic hotspot have established best practices in sensor integration, deployment yield assessment and long-period noise characterisation, informing future large-scale seafloor seismic networks.

Ocean Bottom Seismometer Data Acquisition and Analysis publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ocean bottom seismometer data acquisition and analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ocean bottom seismometer (OBS): A seismograph designed to record ground motions on the seafloor, often equipped with pressure-resistant housings, levelling gimbals and noise-reduction features.

Microseisms: Continuous seismic waves generated by ocean wave interactions and atmospheric forcing, typically observed in the 0.05–1 Hz frequency band.

Tilt noise: Long-period signal contamination caused by instrument tilting under varying current loads, affecting low-frequency (< 0.05 Hz) measurements.

Broadband seismometer: A sensor capable of recording a wide frequency range of ground motion, from long-period earth tides to high-frequency seismic waves.

Gimbal: A mechanical support that maintains the seismometer’s orientation for level response, critical for accurate three-component data capture.

References

1. The effect of deep ocean currents on ocean- bottom seismometers records. Natural Hazards and Earth System Science (2023).
2. Pankun: A New Generation of Broadband Ocean Bottom Seismograph. Sensors (2023).
3. Performance report of the RHUM-RUM ocean bottom seismometer network around La Réunion, western Indian Ocean. Advances in Geosciences (2016).