← Back to Sessions

Using Ambient Seismic Noise to Characterize the Polar Environment Near Baffin Bay

Description: 

Baffin Bay is a marginal sea located between the west coast of Greenland and the northeast coast of Canada. It connects to the Arctic Ocean through Nares Strait and to the Labrador Sea through Davis Strait, and is typically covered by sea ice from November to May. Its location at the confluence of major ocean currents, combined with strong seasonal sea-ice variability and dynamic climatic forcing, makes Baffin Bay a unique opportunity to use ambient seismic noise to characterize polar environment.

In this study, we analyze long-term seismic recordings from stations along the northeastern coast of Canada and Greenland to characterize the spectral and temporal properties of ambient seismic noise across multiple frequency bands. We find that the ambient noise power spectrum can be divided into four frequency ranges: primary microseism (10–20 s), secondary microseism (5–10 s), short-period secondary microseism (1–5 s), and high-frequency ambient noise (<1 s), each exhibiting pronounced seasonal variability. Both the primary and secondary microseisms show stronger amplitudes during the winter months (September to February), with spectral power increasing from high to low latitudes, likely reflecting enhanced storm activity over the Labrador Sea. The short-period secondary microseism also displays a clear seasonal pattern, with stronger amplitudes from July to November and weaker signals during winter, consistent with the influence of sea-ice coverage. In addition, stations along the Greenland margin record transient high-frequency noise in the 1–5 Hz band from June to September, which is likely associated with glacier meltwater discharge.

Session: Cryoseismology: Advances in Technology and Scientific Discovery [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/15/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Jianhua Gong

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 5

Authors