Updated global reference models of broadband coherent infrasound signals
for atmospheric studies and civilian applications
Abstract
The International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network has been
established to detect nuclear explosions and other signals of interest
embedded in the station specific ambient noise. The ambient noise can be
separated into coherent infrasound (e.g. real infrasonic signals) and
incoherent noise (such as that caused by wind turbulence). Previous work
statistically and systematically characterizing coherent infrasound
recorded by the IMS. This paper expands on this analysis of the coherent
ambient infrasound by including updated IMS datasets up to the end of
2020, for all 53 of the currently certified IMS infrasound stations
using an updated configuration of the Progressive Multi-Channel
Correlation (PMCC) method. This paper presents monthly station dependent
reference curves for the back azimuth, apparent speed, and root-mean
squared amplitude, which provide a means to determine the deviation from
nominal monthly behaviour. In addition, a daily Ambient Noise
Stationarity (ANS) factor based on deviations from the reference curves
is determined for a quick reference to the data quality compared to the
nominal situations. Newly presented histograms provide a higher
resolution spectrum, including the observations of the microbarom peak,
as well as additional peaks reflecting station dependent environmental
noise. The aim of these reference curves is to identify periods of
sub-optimal operation (e.g. non-operational sensor) or instances of
strong abnormal signals of interest.