Skip to content

pysmo.tools.noise

Generate realistic synthetic noise that matches the naturally observed amplitude spectrum.

Examples:

Given the spectral amplitude in observed seismic noise on Earth is not flat (i.e. not consisting of white noise), it makes sense to calculate more realistic noise for things like resolution tests with synthetic data.

In this example, random noise seismograms are generated from three different noise models. These are Peterson's NHNM (red), NLNM (blue), and an interpolated model that lies between the two (green).

peterson example peterson example

Example source code
peterson.py
"""
Example script for pysmo.tools.noise
"""

#!/usr/bin/env python

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from pysmo.tools.noise import generate_noise, peterson
from pysmo.tools.signal import psd


def main() -> None:
    # Set parameters
    npts: int = 200000  # multiple of 4
    delta = pd.Timedelta(seconds=0.1)
    nperseg = int(npts / 4)
    nfft = int(npts / 2)
    time_in_seconds = np.linspace(0, npts * delta.total_seconds(), npts)

    # Calculate noise models
    low_noise_model = peterson(noise_level=0)
    mid_noise_model = peterson(noise_level=0.5)
    high_noise_model = peterson(noise_level=1)

    # Generate random noise seismograms
    low_noise_seismogram = generate_noise(npts=npts, model=low_noise_model, delta=delta)
    mid_noise_seismogram = generate_noise(npts=npts, model=mid_noise_model, delta=delta)
    high_noise_seismogram = generate_noise(
        npts=npts, model=high_noise_model, delta=delta
    )

    # Calculate power spectral density
    f_low, Pxx_dens_low = psd(low_noise_seismogram, nperseg=nperseg, nfft=nfft)
    f_mid, Pxx_dens_mid = psd(mid_noise_seismogram, nperseg=nperseg, nfft=nfft)
    f_high, Pxx_dens_high = psd(high_noise_seismogram, nperseg=nperseg, nfft=nfft)

    _ = plt.figure(figsize=(13, 9), layout="tight")

    # Plot random high and low noise seismograms
    ax1 = plt.subplot2grid((4, 3), (0, 0))
    plt.plot(time_in_seconds, high_noise_seismogram.data, "r", linewidth=0.2)
    plt.ylabel("Ground Accelaration")
    plt.xlabel("Time [s]")
    plt.xlim(time_in_seconds[0], time_in_seconds[-1])
    xticks = np.arange(
        tmin := time_in_seconds[0], (tmax := time_in_seconds[-1]) + 1, (tmax - tmin) / 5
    )
    ax1.set_xticks(xticks)

    ax2 = plt.subplot2grid((4, 3), (0, 1))
    ax2.set_xticks(xticks)
    plt.plot(time_in_seconds, mid_noise_seismogram.data, "g", linewidth=0.2)
    plt.xlabel("Time [s]")
    plt.xlim(time_in_seconds[0], time_in_seconds[-1])

    ax3 = plt.subplot2grid((4, 3), (0, 2))
    ax3.set_xticks(xticks)
    plt.plot(time_in_seconds, low_noise_seismogram.data, "b", linewidth=0.2)
    plt.xlabel("Time [s]")
    plt.xlim(time_in_seconds[0], time_in_seconds[-1])

    # Plot PSD of noise
    _ = plt.subplot2grid((4, 3), (1, 0), rowspan=3, colspan=3)
    plt.plot(
        1 / f_high,
        10 * np.log10(Pxx_dens_high),
        "r",
        linewidth=0.5,
        label="generated high noise",
    )
    plt.plot(
        1 / f_mid,
        10 * np.log10(Pxx_dens_mid),
        "g",
        linewidth=0.5,
        label="generated medium noise",
    )
    plt.plot(
        1 / f_low,
        10 * np.log10(Pxx_dens_low),
        "b",
        linewidth=0.5,
        label="generated low noise",
    )
    plt.plot(
        high_noise_model.T.total_seconds(),
        high_noise_model.psd,
        "k",
        linewidth=1,
        linestyle="dotted",
        label="NHNM",
    )
    plt.plot(
        mid_noise_model.T.total_seconds(),
        mid_noise_model.psd,
        "k",
        linewidth=1,
        linestyle="dashdot",
        label="Interpolated noise model",
    )
    plt.plot(
        low_noise_model.T.total_seconds(),
        low_noise_model.psd,
        "k",
        linewidth=1,
        linestyle="dashed",
        label="NLNM",
    )
    plt.gca().set_xscale("log")
    plt.xlim(
        low_noise_model.T.total_seconds()[0], low_noise_model.T.total_seconds()[-1]
    )
    plt.xlabel("Period [s]")
    plt.ylabel("Power Spectral Density (dB/Hz)")
    plt.legend()
    plt.savefig("peterson.png", transparent=True)
    plt.show()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Classes:

Name Description
NoiseModel

Class to store seismic noise models.

Functions:

Name Description
generate_noise

Generate a random seismogram from a noise model.

peterson

Generate a noise model by interpolating between Peterson's[^1]

NoiseModel dataclass

Class to store seismic noise models.

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
psd ndarray

Power spectral density of ground acceleration [dB].

(lambda: array([]))()
T TimedeltaIndex

Period.

(lambda: TimedeltaIndex([]))()
Source code in src/pysmo/tools/noise.py
@dataclass(frozen=True)
class NoiseModel:
    """Class to store seismic noise models.

    Parameters:
        psd: Power spectral density of ground acceleration [dB].
        T: Period.
    """

    psd: np.ndarray = field(
        default_factory=lambda: np.array([]),
        metadata={"description": "Power spectral density of ground acceleration [dB]."},
    )
    T: pd.TimedeltaIndex = field(
        default_factory=lambda: pd.TimedeltaIndex([]),
        metadata={"description": "Period."},
    )

    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
        if np.size(self.psd) != np.size(self.T):
            raise ValueError(
                f"psd ({np.size(self.psd)}) and T ({np.size(self.T)}) arrays are not of same size"
            )
        self.psd.flags.writeable = False

generate_noise

generate_noise(
    model: NoiseModel,
    npts: int,
    delta: Timedelta = delta,
    begin_time: Timestamp = begin_time,
    return_velocity: bool = False,
    seed: int | None = None,
) -> MiniSeismogram

Generate a random seismogram from a noise model.

The amplitude spectrum is prescribed by the noise model and random phases are drawn uniformly from [-π, π]. The combined spectrum is transformed back to the time domain via an inverse FFT. Internally the computation is performed on the next power-of-two length greater than or equal to npts to ensure an efficient FFT; the central npts samples are then extracted from the result.

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
model NoiseModel

Noise model used to compute seismic noise.

required
npts int

Number of samples in the output seismogram.

required
delta Timedelta

Sampling interval of the generated noise.

delta
begin_time Timestamp

Begin time of the output seismogram.

begin_time
return_velocity bool

If True, integrate the acceleration via the trapezoidal rule to return ground velocity instead.

False
seed int | None

Random seed for reproducibility (e.g. in tests).

None

Returns:

Type Description
MiniSeismogram

Seismogram containing the generated noise. Data represent ground

MiniSeismogram

acceleration (arbitrary units matching the noise model's PSD) unless

MiniSeismogram

return_velocity=True, in which case they represent ground velocity.

Source code in src/pysmo/tools/noise.py
def generate_noise(
    model: NoiseModel,
    npts: int,
    delta: pd.Timedelta = SeismogramDefaults.delta,
    begin_time: pd.Timestamp = SeismogramDefaults.begin_time,
    return_velocity: bool = False,
    seed: int | None = None,
) -> MiniSeismogram:
    """Generate a random seismogram from a noise model.

    The amplitude spectrum is prescribed by the noise model and random phases
    are drawn uniformly from `[-π, π]`. The combined spectrum is transformed
    back to the time domain via an inverse FFT. Internally the computation is
    performed on the next power-of-two length greater than or equal to `npts`
    to ensure an efficient FFT; the central `npts` samples are then extracted
    from the result.

    Args:
        model: Noise model used to compute seismic noise.
        npts: Number of samples in the output seismogram.
        delta: Sampling interval of the generated noise.
        begin_time: Begin time of the output seismogram.
        return_velocity: If `True`, integrate the acceleration via the
            trapezoidal rule to return ground velocity instead.
        seed: Random seed for reproducibility (e.g. in tests).

    Returns:
        Seismogram containing the generated noise. Data represent ground
        acceleration (arbitrary units matching the noise model's PSD) unless
        `return_velocity=True`, in which case they represent ground velocity.
    """
    # Sampling frequency
    Fs = 1 / delta.total_seconds()

    # Nyquist frequency
    Fnyq = 0.5 / delta.total_seconds()

    # get next power of 2 of the nunmber of points and calculate frequencies from
    # Fs/NPTS to Fnyq (we skip a frequency of 0 for now to avoid dividing by 0)
    NPTS = int(2 ** np.ceil(np.log2(npts)))
    freqs = np.linspace(Fs / NPTS, Fnyq, NPTS - 1)

    # interpolate psd and recreate amplitude spectrum with the first
    # term=0 (i.e. mean=0).
    Pxx = np.interp(1 / freqs, model.T.total_seconds(), model.psd)
    spectrum = np.append(
        np.array([0]), np.sqrt(10 ** (Pxx / 10) * NPTS / delta.total_seconds() * 2)
    )

    # phase is randomly generated
    rng = np.random.default_rng(seed)
    phase = (rng.random(NPTS) - 0.5) * np.pi * 2

    # combine amplitude with phase and perform ifft
    NewX = spectrum * (np.cos(phase) + 1j * np.sin(phase))
    acceleration = np.fft.irfft(NewX)

    start = int((NPTS - npts) / 2)
    end = start + npts
    if return_velocity:
        velocity = cumulative_trapezoid(acceleration, dx=delta.total_seconds())
        velocity = velocity[start:end]
        return MiniSeismogram(begin_time=begin_time, delta=delta, data=velocity)
    acceleration = acceleration[start:end]
    return MiniSeismogram(begin_time=begin_time, delta=delta, data=acceleration)

peterson

peterson(noise_level: float) -> NoiseModel

Generate a noise model by interpolating between Peterson's1 New Low Noise Model (NLNM) and New High Noise Model (NHNM).


  1. Peterson, Jon R. Observations and Modeling of Seismic Background Noise. Report, 93–322, 1993, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr93322. USGS Publications Warehouse. 

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
noise_level float

Determines the noise level of the generated noise model. A noise level of 0 returns the NLNM, 1 returns the NHNM, and anything > 0 and < 1 returns an interpolated model that lies between the NLNM and NHNM.

required

Returns:

Type Description
NoiseModel

Noise model.

Source code in src/pysmo/tools/noise.py
def peterson(noise_level: float) -> NoiseModel:
    """Generate a noise model by interpolating between Peterson's[^1]
    New Low Noise Model (NLNM) and New High Noise Model (NHNM).

    [^1]: Peterson, Jon R. Observations and Modeling of Seismic Background
        Noise. Report, 93–322, 1993, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr93322. USGS
        Publications Warehouse.

    Args:
        noise_level: Determines the noise level of the generated noise model.
                     A noise level of 0 returns the NLNM, 1 returns the NHNM,
                     and anything > 0 and < 1 returns an interpolated model
                     that lies between the NLNM and NHNM.

    Returns:
        Noise model.
    """
    # check for valid input
    if not 0 <= noise_level <= 1:
        raise ValueError(
            f"Parameter noise_level={noise_level} is not within 0-1 range."
        )

    # calculate noise model
    if noise_level == 0:
        return NLNM
    elif noise_level == 1:
        return NHNM
    else:
        T_common = np.unique(
            np.concatenate((NLNM.T.total_seconds(), NHNM.T.total_seconds()))
        )
        NLNM_interp = np.interp(T_common, NLNM.T.total_seconds(), NLNM.psd)
        NHNM_interp = np.interp(T_common, NHNM.T.total_seconds(), NHNM.psd)
        dB = NLNM_interp + (NHNM_interp - NLNM_interp) * noise_level
        return NoiseModel(psd=dB, T=pd.to_timedelta(T_common, unit="s"))