Seismologists: pandemic shakes the earth much less | Abroad

Because people were significantly less active due to lockdowns, monitoring stations around the world observed up to half the number of vibrations.

Seismologists measure not only striking earthquakes, but also seismic noise. This noise is a constant vibration from various causes, from traffic to industrial work of people. During the various lockdowns worldwide during 2020, traffic decreased, many companies kept their doors closed and public transport ran adjusted schedules. This made a decrease in vibrations measurable.

Wave of silence

The seismologists involved say the quietest weeks have been measured for 20 years. They describe a ‘wave of silence’ that swept the earth that started in China where the coronavirus was first observed. The wave spread throughout the year to hard-hit Italy and the rest of Europe, and then to the American continent.

The decrease in seismic noise also made it possible for researchers to observe smaller earthquakes, which normally remain under the radar.

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