HR: 15:10h
AN: T43E-07    [Abstracts]
TI: Analysis of Near-Surface Atmospheric Ionospheric Processes by Joint Satellite and Ground Measurements Associated with Major Earthquakes (2003-2004)
AU: * Ouzounov, D
EM: ouzounov@core2.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA GSFC/SSAI/GMU, Planetary Geodynamics, MS 698, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Pilinets, S
EM: pulse@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Institute of Geophysics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, 04510 Mexico
AU: Cervone, G
EM: gcervone@gmu.edu
AF: CEOSR, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Kafatos, M
EM: mkafatos@gmu.edu
AF: CEOSR, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Ciraolo, L
EM: L.Ciraolo@ifac.cnr.it
AF: LPCE/CNRS, 3A Avenue de la Recherche, Orleans, 45071 France
AU: Parrot, M
EM: mparrot@cnrs-orleans.fr
AF: Institute for Applied Physics, Via Panciatichi, 64, Florence, 50127 Italy
AU: Taylor, P
EM: Patrick.Taylor@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/GSFC, Planetary Geodynamics, MS 698, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AB: We have analyzed satellite thermal infra-red TIR (NOAA/AVHRR, MODIS), surface latent heat flux (SHLF), emitted long-wavelength radiation (OLR), Very Low Frequency (VLF) electrical and magnetic field (DEMETER) and Total Electron Content (TEC) GPS (ground based) data. These measurements indicate atmospheric and ionospheric anomalies one week prior to major earthquakes. We made a background field from multi-year data base (TIR, OLR and VLF) by systematically registering polar-orbits/ geosynchronous weather satellites and comparing them with recent satellite observations to determine if there was a statistically significant signal prior to an earthquake. SHLF anomaly data indices a five years period were defined as wavelet maxima curves and used to identify singularities in the data after normalization by the standard deviation. For every station a time series analysis of the vertical TEC (VTEC) was computed together with a map of the Dst magnetic index. Ionospheric variations (GPS/TEC) associated with the pre-earthquake ionospheric effects were compiled and analyzed for day-to-day ionospheric variability. We found that TIR, GPS/TEC and heat flux data show a significant anomaly prior the large earthquakes [Sumatra-Andaman Islands M9.0-(Dec 26,2004), South Islands, NZ M7.2-(Nov 22 2004), Colima, Mexico- M5.7, (Jan 23, 2003), San Simeon CA, M6.5, (Dec 22,2003) and Parkfield CA M6.0 (Sept 28, 2004)] and that these signals have a common morphology, temporal and spatial distribution, which may vary with the seismo-tectonic background. These results could be explained within the framework of a model of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling. Our latest results support the hypothesis of a relationship between a thermodynamic processes produced by increasing tectonic stresses in the Earth's crust and a related electro-chemical interactions between the crust and atmosphere/ionosphere.
DE: 1640 Remote sensing (1855)
DE: 3902 Creep and deformation
DE: 7209 Earthquake dynamics (1242)
DE: 8164 Stresses: crust and lithosphere
SC: Tectonophysics [T]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005