According to research, as global warming increases, sea waves become stronger.

Last weekend, ‘Giant waves’ surprised bathers on Rio de Janeiro beaches. The hangover caused by a hurricane at sea caused powerful waves to overwhelm the promenade and some nearby streets. It’s not just today that we notice the oceans becoming more turbulent, so what’s causing this?

As oceans rise and fall, they exert force on the seafloor below, creating seismic waves that reverberate around the world. These signals, normally associated with earthquakes, has become more intense in recent years, reflecting climate change.

Consequences of climate change

Scientists have been tracking the intensification of these seismic waves around the world for the last four decades.

These data, combined with ocean, satellite and regional seismic studies, show a long-term increase in wave energy. And the reason behind this might be: a result of rising global temperatures and the storms they bring.

Seismographs are extremely sensitive devices that can continuously capture a large portion of natural or human-caused seismic events such as nuclear explosions, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The devices can also capture seismic signals from water, wind and some type of earthquake. incessant humming caused by ocean waves.

unraveling the waves

Ocean waves produce microseismic signals in two different ways. Secondary microseisms, the more energetic of the two, pulse for periods of eight to 14 seconds and are the result of waves moving in different directions creating pressure changes on the seafloor.

Primary microseisms, on the other hand, occur when ocean waves directly push and pull on the seafloor. It manifests itself as a continuous humming sound with periods of 14 to 20 seconds, especially in areas with water depths below 300 meters.

An intense awakening

The study analyzed historical primary microseismic intensity data from 52 seismograph sites around the world dating back to the late 1980s. Surprisingly, 79% of these stations exhibited significant and progressive increases in energy over the decades.

Stating that the results are surprising Global average ocean wave energy has increased by an average of 0.27% annually since the end of the 20th century..

Since 2000, this annual increase has increased to 0.35%. The stormy Southern Ocean near the Antarctic Peninsula has the highest microseismic energy, but the North Atlantic has seen the most significant recent intensification; this is a trend consistent with increasing storm intensity and coastal hazards.

A melody of change

Decades of microearthquake records not only show increases in ocean wave energy but also reveal seasonal ebbs and flows of winter storms between the northern and southern hemispheres.

It also records the impact of the growth and retreat of Antarctic sea ice. Consequences of El Niño and La Niña and their far-reaching effects on ocean waves and storms.

Stay up to date with the latest studies on the effects of global warming at TecMundo. If you wish, learn why it is so difficult to explore the bottom of the sea.