What The Japan Earthquake Sounded Like... Underwater

[n2doc]

Eric Lach | April 14, 2011, 3:39PM


Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Vents Program at Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Oregon State University didn't feel the massive earthquake that struck off Japan on March 11. But they did hear it.

An underwater microphone located near the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, 900 miles from the quake epicenter, captured the sound of the disaster on tape, and a portion of the recording has now been put up on YouTube.

The recording has been sped up 16 times. First comes the roar of the earthquake sounds "propagating through the earth's crust," then you hear a second roar of the sounds "propagating through the ocean."

Listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rWDrZIucAQ


http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/what-the-japan-earthquake-sounded-like-underwater-audio.php

[JuniperLea]

1. Chilling! eom

[LaurenG]

2. 900 miles away and still that loud!

Seems like it would have freaked out the sea life.

[nilram]

3. It sounded clipped at the end -- like it was louder than the hydrophone was designed for

[Wilms]

5. If you notice the meter running at the bottom, it indeed clips at the end.

Don't know if the hydrophone was overwhelmed too. But the recording definitely smushed at the end.

[byronius]

4. Scariest post ever. That's one angry Gaia.