The Earth is displaying alarming signs of the impending climate crisis, with worsening natural disasters and pandemics. Now, a new study has revealed that the impact of climate change is causing significant changes in ocean wave behavior, literally shaking the planet.
Seismologists have discovered that the behavior of ocean waves, particularly those driven storms, is affecting the Earth. Seismographs, which are typically used to monitor and study earthquakes, have recorded a decrease in human-caused seismic noise due to COVID-19 lockdown measures in 2020. These sensitive instruments also record a constant background thrum of shakiness, which scientists have identified as being driven storm-driven ocean waves.
The study focused on the primary variant of ocean wave-induced seismic activity and found that 79% of the seismograph stations showed that the waves are becoming more energetic, imparting a stronger hum to the Earth. The energy of ocean waves has been increasing at a median rate of 0.27% per year since the late 20th century, with a faster increase rate of 0.35% per year since 2000.
The most significant increase in microseism energy has been observed in the Southern Ocean near the Antarctica peninsula and the North Atlantic waves. These findings align with research indicating an increase in storm intensity and coastal hazards in the North Atlantic.
The intensifying ocean wave activity poses a significant threat to coastal communities, particularly those already dealing with rising sea levels. Soaring ocean wave heights can cause damage to infrastructure and erode coastlines, exacerbating the impacts of ongoing sea level rise and subsidence.
The seismic data also reveals seasonal variations in strong winter storms between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, along with their connections to phenomena like El Niño and La Niña. These findings highlight the complex relationship between climate change and ocean dynamics.
In conclusion, climate change is not only affecting the environment but is also shaking the Earth beneath our feet. This study serves as a stark warning, demanding attention and action to mitigate the impacts of intensifying ocean wave activity and its potential disaster for coastal communities.