Context:
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is holding a workshop for scientists on using ‘infrasound’ in the coming months.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
About Infrasound
- Definition: Infrasound refers to sound waves with very low frequencies, in contrast to more common ultrasound.
- Sources: It can be generated by a variety of phenomena, including:
- Meteors
- Storms
- Auroras
- Volcanoes
- Earthquakes
- Even nuclear explosions.
- Effects: Infrasonic waves can create minute changes in atmospheric pressure, which can be detected by instruments such as microbarometers.
- Travel Distance: These low-frequency sounds can travel over vast distances without significant loss of energy, making them effective for detecting distant nuclear explosions.
- Global Monitoring: The CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (IMS) uses infrasound to detect nuclear activities. It is the only global monitoring network of its kind, and when complete, it will consist of 60 array stations in 35 countries.
Applications of Infrasound
- Structural Monitoring:
- Infrasound is employed to assess the structural health of buildings, dams, or bridges. It can detect internal stress, cracks, and defects in dense materials.
- Aerospace:
- In the aerospace sector, low-frequency sound waves can provide data on rocket stress and aerodynamic instabilities during rocket launches or flight.
- Mining:
- In mining, infrasound is useful for determining the integrity of mine shafts and assessing the success of dynamite blasts.
- Wildlife Tracking:
- It has been used in wildlife tracking, particularly for monitoring the movements of animals such as whales.
-Source: Indian Express
