T-Wave Generation and Seismic Signal Propagation in Oceanic Environments

T-waves originate when seismic events beneath the ocean floor impart energy into the water column, generating low-frequency acoustic waves that traverse vast oceanic distances. These tertiary waves travel within sound channels, refracting and reflecting off bathymetric features such as seamounts, ridges and continental slopes, often following complex three-dimensional pathways. Upon reaching coastlines or islands, T-waves convert back into seismic signals at T-phase stations, providing insights into submarine earthquake processes and allowing for remote monitoring of undersea events. The intricate coupling between solid earth and ocean acoustics informs early-warning systems for tsunamis, complements global seismic networks in verifying compliance with nuclear-test-ban treaties, and enhances our understanding of geophysical processes in marine environments.

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T-Wave Generation and Seismic Signal Propagation in Oceanic Environments publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in t-wave generation and seismic signal propagation in oceanic environments across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

T-wave (tertiary wave): underwater acoustic wave generated by seismic energy coupling into the ocean from seabed motions.

Hydroacoustic signal: sound wave propagating through seawater, often recorded by submerged hydrophone arrays.

Back azimuth: the horizontal angle between true north and the direction from which a wave arrives at a sensor.

Parabolic equation model: numerical approach for simulating wave propagation in three-dimensional ocean environments by approximating the full wave equation.

Seamount: undersea mountain formed by volcanic activity that influences acoustic propagation through reflection and scattering.

References

1. Megameter propagation and correlation of T-waves from Kermadec Trench and Islands. Frontiers in Marine Science (2022).
2. Calculation of Hydroacoustic Propagation and Conversion to Seismic Phases at T-Stations. Pure and Applied Geophysics (2020).
3. Three-dimensional modeling of T-wave generation and propagation from a South Mid-Atlantic Ridge earthquake. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2021).
4. Conversion from seismic to underwater sound waves along the Louisville Seamount Chain. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2024).
5. The Hydroacoustic Network of the CTBT International Monitoring System: Access and Exploitation. Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament (2022).