New Publication in Computers, Environment and Urban Systems

A new article led by Ph.D. student Hao Tian titled “From seismic signals to urban sensing: Leveraging ambient seismic noise to sense human activity disruptions in extreme weather events,” was recently published in Computers, Environment and Urban Systems (CEUS). Congratulations!

This study explores whether existing seismic networks, originally designed for Earth monitoring, can be repurposed as a continuous, passive, and resilient urban sensing system. Using the Dallas-Fort Worth region as a case study, the research explores how high-frequency ambient seismic noise can be used to sense human activity disruptions during extreme weather events.

This is CAI Lab’s first attempt to extend seismic sensing into human dynamics research, opening new opportunities to leverage existing infrastructure for urban monitoring, disaster resilience, and multimodal geospatial sensing.

Key Findings:

• High-frequency ambient seismic noise captures daily human activity rhythms as well as disruption and recovery during extreme weather events.

• Seismic-derived signals show strong agreement with independent mobility, air traffic, and meteorological data.

• Ambient seismic noise is a valuable and underutilized data source for understanding urban human dynamics.

For more:

Tian, H., Cai, H., Chen, X., Mohammadi Ghanatghestani, A., & Arthur, L. (2026). From seismic signals to urban sensing: Leveraging ambient seismic noise to sense human activity disruptions in extreme weather events. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 127, 102441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2026.102441

Research Framework