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Diurnal and Weekly Acoustic Background Noise Fluctuations in the Vicinity of the P-tunnel Complex at the Nevada National Security Site

Description: 

Infrasound microbarometers are often subject to background noise from wind and nearby human activity. Wind varies on a diurnal to seasonal cycle, whereas anthropogenic interference has daily to weekly periodicity. This may lead to predictable periods of optimal vs. degraded sensor performance, provided these trends are well understood. Quantifying these fluctuations also gives insight into the micrometerology and human dynamics of specific sites. Here we examine background noise trends on a set of infrasound microbarometers located in complex topography near an active underground facility. Background noise below 10 Hz tends to be lowest around sunset and sunrise. Local anemometer data indicates that this is due to twice-daily wind lulls, a particular regime often found in mountain valleys. Daily variations in higher frequency noise appears to be related to traffic on access roads, while weekly fluctuations are associated with the continuous activity of the tunnel ventilation system from Monday-Thursday. Our study highlights the complex interplay between micrometeorological and anthropogenic noise sources on a daily to weekly scale. These results suggest that performing a background noise assessment should be considered before siting sensors with specific sensitivity requirements.

Session: Advancements in Forensic Seismology and Explosion Monitoring - IV

Type: Oral

Date: 4/17/2025

Presentation Time: 05:30 PM (local time)

Presenting Author: Daniel

Student Presenter: No

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