Monitoring Pacific Ocean seismicity from an autonomous hydrophone array

Abstract

Since May 1996, an array of autonomous hydrophone moorings has been continuously deployed in the eastern equatorial Pacific to provide long‐term monitoring of seismic activity, including low‐level volcanic signals, along the East Pacific Rise between 20°N and 20°S and the Galapagos Ridge. The instruments and moorings were designed to continuously record low‐frequency acoustic energy in the SOFAR channel for extended periods and produce results comparable to those previously derived by using the U.S. Navy Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) in the northeast Pacific. The technology and methodology developed for this experiment, including instrument design, mooring configuration, analysis software, location algorithms (with an analysis of errors), and a predicted error field, are described in detail. Volcanic activity is observed throughout the Pacific, along with seismicity along transform faults, subduction zones, and intraplate regions. Comparison data sets indicate detection thresholds and accuracy better than the land networks for open ocean areas and results comparable to, or better than, SOSUS. Volcanic seismicity along the fast spreading East Pacific Rise appears similar to documented examples in the northeast Pacific but with much shorter durations. One example from the intermediate spreading Galapagos Ridge is comparable to northeast Pacific examples, and several episodes of activity were observed in the Wilkes Transform Fault Zone. A site of continuing off‐axis seismicity is located near 18°S and 116°W. Isolated intraplate earthquakes are observed throughout the study area. Earthquake information from this experiment and future observations will be provided through the World Wide Web and earthquake data centers.