Characteristics and controlling factors of short-period seismic ambient noise at the 85°E volcanic area of the Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean has become a new focus in global climate research and natural resource exploration, with acoustic detection serving as a key technique for acquiring sub-ice seafloor information. The short-period seismic ambient noise carries abundant sound-source information. Analyzing its characteristics not only aids in understanding the seafloor acoustic environment but also provides valuable insights for artificial seismic surveys. This study, utilizes seismic records collected by Chinese Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBSs) during the 2021 Joint Arctic Scientific Middle-ocean ridge Insight Expedition at the 85°E volcanic area of the Gakkel Ridge, first analyzes the characteristics and controlling factors of short-period seismic ambient noise (>0.5 Hz) in this region. Spectral analysis reveals that seismic records from the Gakkel Ridge exhibit higher noise levels than typical terrestrial noise models. Our results indicate that the seafloor topographic slope exerts a decisive effect on OBS records, and different OBS models lead to variations in recorded noise energy. Furthermore, frequent microearthquakes at the Gakkel Ridge considerably elevate local seismic ambient noise levels, while the thick sediment layers along the ridge axis likely contribute to the amplification of ambient noise energy.