TITLE:
Environmental Infrasound and Its Impact on Public Health in the Kashmir Region
AUTHORS:
Raghavan Gopalaswami, Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Rakesh Chandra, Thennaarassan Natarajan
KEYWORDS:
Environmental Infrasound, Public Health Hazards, Social Violence, Regional Field Study, Active and Passive Sound Cancellation
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Earthquake Research,
Vol.8 No.3,
June
6,
2019
ABSTRACT: In earlier published studies it was shown that an anomalous degree of human physiological ailments and a psychology of sustained anger and violence exist in highly populated countries located on boundaries of colliding Tectonic Plates in three continents at Latitude 34° north. The Valley of Kashmir in Northern India is also located exactly on this latitude, hence chosen for detailed experimental verification of this phenomenon. This region also suffers from chronic public health hazards. Infrasound is very low frequency acoustic wave with frequencies ranging from 0.01 Hz to 20 Hz. It emanates from earthquakes, geological Faults, colliding tectonic plates and atmospheric wind turbulence. Hearing protections like ear muffs and ear plugs offer little protection. One single earthquake can cause multiple infrasound sources in a region. It is shown how regional geomorphology in the Kashmir Valley enhances and sustains this phenomenon. Both the percentage of population with hearing disabilities; and casualties due to social violence increase or decrease in proportion to frequency of earthquakes. Infrasound is shown to be the causal linkage. Public health hazards due to environmental infrasound closely resemble public health hazards actually being suffered by the population in Kashmir as established by formal and extensive medical investigations. Hence a Field Study was carried out to locate and record infrasound emissions in ten locations near 34°N latitude in Kashmir Valley. An analytical technique was developed to integrate infrasound spectrum in specific locations with public health hazards. It was discovered that infrasound recorded in South Kashmir around 34°N latitude at the locations of highest amplitude lies in proximity of Active Faults from earthquake ruptures; and in proximity to a large field of past earthquakes that took place in 2006-2012. A comprehensive public health security system needs to be set up very urgently. Technological measures are identified and appropriate technologies suggested cordoning off and mitigating this natural environmental hazard in the Kashmir Valley.