 Koper. But when Sandy turned, there was a sudden increase in waves hitting waves to create "standing waves" like those created when you throw two pebbles in a pond and the ripples intersect.
Seismologists can track Sandy and other big storms because seismometers detect three components of motion: one vertical and two horizontal. If most of the energy on a seismometer is detected with a north-south motion, it means the source of the energy is north or south of the device.
"If you have enough seismometers, you can get enough data to get arrows to point at the source," Koper says.
He says the seismologists didn’t track Sandy in real time, but the seismographic data of the storm suggests it might be possible to help track storms in the future using their seismicity.
For further information see Sandy Seismic Waves.
Seismic Map image by Keith Koper, University of Utah Seismograph Stations