Characterizing Local Variability in Long‐Period Horizontal Tilt Noise

Research Article| March 29, 2017 Characterizing Local Variability in Long‐Period Horizontal Tilt Noise M. D. Rohde; M. D. Rohde aCarleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057 U.S.A.maxdrohde@gmail.com Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. T. Ringler; A. T. Ringler bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C. R. Hutt; C. R. Hutt bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar D. C. Wilson; D. C. Wilson bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. A. Holland; A. A. Holland bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar L. D. Sandoval; L. D. Sandoval cHoneywell Technology Solutions Incorporation, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar T. Storm T. Storm bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information M. D. Rohde aCarleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057 U.S.A.maxdrohde@gmail.com A. T. Ringler bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. C. R. Hutt bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. D. C. Wilson bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. A. A. Holland bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. L. D. Sandoval cHoneywell Technology Solutions Incorporation, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. T. Storm bU.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, P.O. Box 82010, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198 U.S.A. Publisher: Seismological Society of America First Online: 13 Jul 2017 Online Issn: 1938-2057 Print Issn: 0895-0695 © Seismological Society of America Seismological Research Letters (2017) 88 (3): 822–830. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220160193 Article history First Online: 13 Jul 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation M. D. Rohde, A. T. Ringler, C. R. Hutt, D. C. Wilson, A. A. Holland, L. D. Sandoval, T. Storm; Characterizing Local Variability in Long‐Period Horizontal Tilt Noise. Seismological Research Letters 2017;; 88 (3): 822–830. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220160193 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search ABSTRACT Horizontal seismic data are dominated by atmospherically induced tilt noise at long periods (i.e., 30 s and greater). Tilt noise limits our ability to use horizontal data for sensitive seismological studies such as observing free earth modes. To better understand the local spatial variability of long‐period horizontal noise, we observe horizontal noise during quiet time periods in the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory (ASL) underground vault using four small‐aperture array configurations. Each array comprises eight Streckeisen STS‐2 broadband seismometers. We analyze the spectral content of the data using power spectral density and magnitude‐squared coherence (γ2‐coherence). Our results show a high degree of spatial variability and frequency dependence in the long‐period horizontal wavefield. The variable nature of long‐period horizontal noise in the ASL vault suggests that it might be highly local in nature and not easily characterized by simple physical models when overall noise levels are low, making it difficult to identify locations in the vault with lower horizontal noise. This variability could be limiting our ability to apply coherence analysis for estimating horizontal sensor self‐noise and could also complicate various indirect methods for removing long‐period horizontal noise (e.g., collocated rotational sensor or microbarograph). You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.