'It's oh so quiet' say seismologists

The level of man-made noise in Ireland today is up to three times lower than normal as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The findings were made by seismologists working at the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN).
Instruments used by the INSN track ‘seismic noise’ – human-made ground vibrations – as well as ground motions from natural phenomena, such as earthquakes and volcanoes. 
According to the data released by Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) today, levels of seismic noise has been significantly reduced due to the lockdown.
“Our day-to-day lives result in small ground movements – for example, by cars, trains, building sites and other industries. These human-induced vibrations, called seismic noise by seismologists, vary with the human activity," said Dr. Martin Möllhoff, Director of Seismic Networks at DIAS. 
“Worldwide social restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic affect not only levels of air pollution, but also how much the ground beneath our feet vibrates.
“With the current Covid-19 restrictions on human movement, INSN seismic noise levels have been markedly reduced.  In Ireland, seismic noise levels are now up to three times lower than they were before the restrictions were introduced.”
Professor Chris Bean, Head of the Geophysics Section and Director of the School of Cosmic Physics at DIAS, said: “Such lowered seismic noise levels can enhance the capability of a seismic network to detect small earthquakes and are testament to the high levels of compliance with Covid-19 movement restrictions.”
The findings released by DIAS today mirror findings from seismologists across the world, who have been tracking how Covid-19 restrictions have impacted on levels of seismic noise.