The silencing of U.S. campuses following the COVID-19 response: Evaluating root mean square seismic amplitudes using power spectral density data

David L. Guenaga, Omar E. Marcillo, Aaron A. Velasco, Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, many populated and active regions have become deserted and show significant reductions in their background seismicity, especially campuses across the United States (U.S.). Seismic sensors located in the vicinity of or within U.S. campuses show that anthropogenic seismic noise remains elevated during the ordinary, nonpandemic, academic year, only subduing during periods of recess (e.g., winter break). Here, we use power spectral density (PSD) data computed by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center for quality assessment to calculate root mean square (rms) amplitude and analyze the effects of the COVID-19 school closures. We processed and analyzed PSD data for 46 seismic stations located within 50mof a U.S. university or college. Results show that 42 campus stations show an overall rms drop following a statewide school closure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)941-950
Number of pages10
JournalSeismological Research Letters
Volume92
Issue number2A
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2021

Funding

This article has been authored in part by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract Number DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this article, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (see Data and Resources). Furthermore, D.L.G. is supported by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD R&E), National Defense Education Program (NDEP)/BA-1, Basic Research via a Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship.

FundersFunder number
Basic Research
U.S. Department of Energy
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
National Defense Education Program/BA-1
U.S. Department of Energy

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