This discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS). The revised manuscript was not accepted.
Atmospheric and ionospheric coupling phenomena related to large earthquakes
M. Parrot1,V. Tramutoli2,Tiger J. Y. Liu3,S. Pulinets4,D. Ouzounov5,N. Genzano2,M. Lisi2,K. Hattori6,and A. Namgaladze7M. Parrot et al. M. Parrot1,V. Tramutoli2,Tiger J. Y. Liu3,S. Pulinets4,D. Ouzounov5,N. Genzano2,M. Lisi2,K. Hattori6,and A. Namgaladze7
1LPC2E/CNRS, France
2University of Basilicata, Italy
3National Central University, Taiwan
4Space Research Institute, Russia
5Chapman University, USA
6Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Japan
7Murmansk State Technical University, Russia
1LPC2E/CNRS, France
2University of Basilicata, Italy
3National Central University, Taiwan
4Space Research Institute, Russia
5Chapman University, USA
6Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Japan
Received: 14 May 2016 – Accepted for review: 15 Jun 2016 – Discussion started: 23 Jun 2016
Abstract. This paper explores multi-instrument space-borne observations in order to validate physical concepts of Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) in relation to major seismic events. In this study we apply already validated observation to identify atmospheric and ionospheric precursors associated with some of recent most destructive earthquakes: M8.6 of March 25, 2005 and M8.5 September 15, 2007 in Sumatra, and M7.9 May 12, 2008 in Wenchuan, China. New investigations are also presented concerning these three earthquakes and for the M7.3 March 2008 in the Xinjiang-Xizang border region, China (the Yutian earthquake). It concerns the ionospheric density, the Global Ionospheric Maps (GIM) of the Total Electron Content (TEC), the Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) anomalies, and the Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) data. It is shown that all these anomalies are identified as short-term precursors, which can be explained by the LAIC concept proposed by Pulinets and Ouzounov (2011).
Since tens of years perturbations have been observed in the ionosphere prior to earthquakes (between a few hours and a few days before). But the mechanism to understand how the earthquake preparation in a seismic area can induce a change in the ionosphere is the subject of intense debate. In this paper we present various atmospheric and ionospheric perturbations observed prior to large earthquakes in order to support a model of coupling between the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere.
Since tens of years perturbations have been observed in the ionosphere prior to earthquakes...