Sound is produced by many geomorphic and hydrological processes, such as rockfalls and landslides, ocean waves, fluvial flood flows and collisions among moving bedload clasts. In these and other areas of study, acoustic methods have found useful application to detect and quantify the operation of important landscape processes. In some, such as the recording of river discharge, the occurrence of rare events such as exfoliation or the presence and movement of dust devils (willy-willies), the use of acoustic methods is still in a relatively early stage of development and testing. The use of acoustic methods in the recording of rainfall occurrence and intensity is also developing and has the capacity to yield data with higher temporal resolution than can be achieved using conventional rain gauges. Novel acoustic methods include the analysis of the sound recorded by security cameras, which potentially form a vast network of observing stations. The frequencies of sound generated by land-surface processes include audible sound, ultrasound and infrasound at frequencies below the human hearing range. All appear to provide opportunities for further development of useful research tools and methodologies.

声音是由许多地貌和水文过程产生的，例如落石和滑坡、海浪、河流洪水以及移动床载碎屑之间的碰撞。在这些和其他研究领域中，声学方法已发现可用于检测和量化重要景观过程的操作。在某些情况下，例如记录河流流量、发生剥落或沙尘暴 (willy-willies) 的存在和移动等罕见事件，声学方法的使用仍处于相对早期的开发和测试阶段。在记录降雨发生和强度方面使用声学方法也在发展，并且能够产生比使用传统雨量计更高的时间分辨率的数据。新的声学方法包括分析安全摄像机记录的声音，这些摄像机可能形成一个庞大的观测站网络。地表过程产生的声音频率包括低于人类听觉范围的可听声音、超声波和次声。所有这些似乎都为进一步开发有用的研究工具和方法提供了机会。