It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 long ago that COVID-19 forced hundreds of thousands around the world to self-isolate in their homes, bringing with it eerily empty streets, parks and other public spaces.
A new international study has found that social contact restrictions at the height of the global pandemic went so far to cause an unprecedented drop in noise.
Seventy international researchers reviewed seismic data from stations in 117 countries 香蕉视频直播� including in Vancouver 香蕉视频直播� and found that 香蕉视频直播渟eismic noise,香蕉视频直播� or vibrations generated by everyday human activity, dropped by as much as 50 per cent in March and April, according to the the study findings published in the journal Science.
The quiet period, which has been dubbed the 香蕉视频直播渁nthropause香蕉视频直播� was particularly noticeable in urban areas as vehicle traffic, cruise ships and even concerts and sports games were halted.
香蕉视频直播淗uman activity is constantly driving a seismic buzz 香蕉视频直播� everything from walking around, car traffic and industrial activities create unique seismic signatures in the subsurface. We noticed seismometerz all over the planet were much, much quieter as lockdown protocols rolled out,香蕉视频直播� explained Mika McKinnon, one of the study香蕉视频直播檚 authors.
香蕉视频直播淥ur interpretation is that the decrease in tourism, the reduction in commuting as more people work from home, and the travel restrictions all combined together limit how much seismic noise humans are generating.香蕉视频直播�
The research isn香蕉视频直播檛 just a never-before-seen analysis of how human香蕉视频直播檚 generate seismic noise but will also be able to help scientists better understand earthquakes, specifically how to differentiate between human-caused and natural seismic noises.
香蕉视频直播淪tudying these smaller but widespread human-generated seismic noises is another tool for understanding our planet, but in this research it香蕉视频直播檚 also a way to better understand people and how we香蕉视频直播檙e all working together as we face this pandemic,香蕉视频直播� McKinnon said.
