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IV.—On the Nature and Origin of Earthquake-Sounds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Extract

The sound-phenomena accompanying earthquakes have not often been made the subject of special investigation; and, consequently, their value and significance may have been somewhat underrated. I believe that much remains to be done, that many observations must yet be made, before the problem of their origin can be regarded as completely solved; but the facts already known, seem to me sufficient to show that the inquiry is one full of interest and worthy of development beyond that here attempted.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1892

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References

page 208 note 1 This list, by no means an exhaustive one, is compiled from 389 accounts, obtained from the third part of Mallet's Catalogue of Recorded Earthquakes (Brit. Assoc. Eep. 1854), Meldola and White's East Anglian Earthquake of 1884, and the notes communicated to me by correspondents during my study of the British earthquakes of the last three years. Out of the above number, comparisons are made to thunder in 97 cases, to the passing of carriages, etc., in 130, the tiring of cannon in 53, explosions in 45, the fall of heavy bodies in 33, wind in 27, and to various sounds under the last heading in 14 cases.

page 209 note 1 Mallet, , Catalogue of Recorded Earthquakes, Brit. Assoc. Eep. 1850, p. 30.Google Scholar

page 209 note 2 Meldola, and White, , East Anglian tarthquake of 1884, pp. 55, 57, 58.Google Scholar

page 209 note 3 Seismol, Japan. Soc. Trans, vol. xii. pp. 5362.Google Scholar

page 209 note 4 There can be no doubt that this is frequently the case. See, for instance, Boussingault's, M. paper, “Sur les detonations constatees pendant les tremblements de terre,” Comptes Eendus (0718, 1881), vol. 93, pp. 105–6Google Scholar; also Humboldt's, Cosmos (Bonn's edition), vol. i. pp. 203–4.Google Scholar

page 210 note 1 Journ, Quart.. Geol, Soc. 1891, p. 623.Google Scholar

page 211 note 1 Edinburgh New Phil. Journ. (1841), vol. xxxi. p. 261.

page 211 note 2 Geol, . Mag. (1891), Vol. VIII. pp. 453–4.Google Scholar

page 211 note 3 The Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857,’ vol. ii. p. 288.Google Scholar

page 212 note 1 Vol. i. p. 203.

page 213 note 1 Vol. i. p. 205–6.

page 213 note 2 Mallets Catalogue of Recorded Earthquakes, Brit. Assoc. Rep. 1854, pp. 28, 31, 68–84, 138, 152, 162, 166, 288, 290; Humboldt's Cosmos, vol. i. p. 205, footnote. Possibly also of seismic origin are the phenomena known as the Guns, Barisúl, “sounds resembling the fire of heavy cannon at a distance, which are heard at various points in the Delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, and in the hills to the north of it” (Brit. Assoc. Rep. 1891).Google Scholar

page 214 note 1 Cosmos, vol. i. p. 203, and vol. v. p. 172. Mallet, in his Catalogue, occasionally indicates an earthquake as having- been unaccompanied by sound, but it is not certain that Ms observations were drawn from a large part of the disturbed area. Prof. Milne states that sounds are not often heard during the Japanese earthquakes, but many of these earthquakes originate under the sea, and the places where they are observed in Japan may possibly be outside the sound-areas.

page 214 note 2 GEOL. MAG. (1891), Decade I I I. Vol. VIH. pp. 57, 306, 364, and, 450.

page 215 note 1 Seismal, JapanSoc. Trans, vol. xii. pp. 107 and 60.Google Scholar

page 216 note 1 The rumbling or rolling character of the sound, though arising partly no doubt from interference, may also in part be due to the existence of several regions of maximum slip.