Collectively, these ocean microseisms have an annual cumulative seismic energy comparable to that generated from earthquakes, said Kedar.

Winter storms and steep coastlines produce the right conditions to generate pressure waves, which create these ocean microseisms, he said.

The constant stream of data from ocean microseisms may allow seismologists to detect small vibrations deep within the Earth itself.

And while all storm systems generate microseisms of various types, some are more useful to those studying the Earth's interior than others.