The first observation of naturally occurring infrasound that was ever recorded using instruments was in the aftermath of the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia. Infrasonic waves that circled the globe at least seven times shattered windows hundreds of miles away, and were recorded worldwide.Infrasonic waves cause minute changes in the atmospheric pressure which are measured by microbarometers. Infrasound has the ability to cover long distances with little dissipation, which is why infrasound monitoring is a useful technique for detecting atmospheric nuclear explosions.

The adoption of the CTBT had a revitalizing effect on infrasound research. The ban on atmospheric nuclear tests brought about by the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) in 1963 somewhat diminished the interest in infrasound science and technology. The construction of infrasound monitoring stations as part of the CTBTO’s global alarm system to monitor the earth for nuclear explosions has contributed to a revival of scientific interest in this technology.