[OANNES Foro] Tiny, wind-generated ripples on the sea surface can produce pressure changes felt on the ocean floor

[Mario Cabrejos]

Nature 455, 888 (16 October 2008)
Published online 15 October 2008
doi:10.1038/455888a
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v455/n7215/full/455888a.html
Oceanography: Ripples run deep

Steve Elgar. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA. 
Email: elgar en whoi.edu

Abstract
Tiny, wind-generated ripples on the sea surface can interact and produce pressure changes felt on the ocean floor. The same line of study points to a basic distinction between two types of surface wave.

The sea floor is a vibrant place - earthquakes, volcanoes, man-made explosions and ships are all causes of disturbances that can be monitored by instruments on the ocean bottom. Data from arrays of sea-floor seismometers also provide information about the structure of Earth's interior1, but in this case in particular, intricate analysis is required to separate the desired signal from 'noise'.