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).

Example source code
"""
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
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 |
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
|
|
Source code in src/pysmo/tools/noise.py
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).
-
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. |