The acoustic heartbeat of Hurricane Juan

Abstract

When Hurricane Juan made landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada in September 2003, meteorological and acoustical measurements were made independently. The meteorological data yielded surface wind speeds and directions while wind gust frequencies and noise from damage events were extracted from the acoustical data. By establishing a timeline for damage-related noise using acoustics, greater insight into when and how damage occurred near the audio recording site became possible. Examples of wind-induced damage to local maple and spruce trees are used to illustrate the value of acoustics in high-wind storm events like hurricanes.