HR: 0800h
AN: T51B-0445 [Abstracts]
TI: Controlled Analogue Experiments of the Propagation of Seismic Electromagnetic Signals
AU: * Huang, Q
EM: huangq@pku.edu.cn
AF: Department of Geophysics, Peking University, Hai Dian District, Beijing, 100871
China
AB:
Numerous electromagnetic signals at a broad range of frequencies associated with earthquakes have been reported. Some of
these signals have been used in the studies of earthquake prediction. However, the correlation between these signals and
earthquakes is still controversial. One controversy is the lack of physical nature of the generation and propagation
mechanisms.
Although one hypothesis considering a certain underground conductive channel was developed to explain øselectivityñ and
long distance propagation of seismic electromagnetic signals (SEMS), this explanation highly depends on the existence of the
expected underground conductive channel. Thus, it would be necessary to investigate experimentally the propagation of SEMS,
till a scientifically credible theory has been made to explain those reported øselectivityñ and long distance propagation.
Motivated by the waveguide concept, a scaled geographical model experiment on the propagation of electromagnetic waves in
several waveguides was developed. Application of the above analogue experiment to the earthquakes in Greece indicated some
aspect of øselectivityñ and long distance propagation may be related to the distribution of surface conductivity.
In the current study, several controlled experiments have been done to investigate the following possible influences to the
propagation of SEMS: background electromagnetic field, geography, border condition, source (position, intensity, frequency),
and conductivity of media. The 1995 M=7.2 Kobe earthquake was chosen as an example in the current study. The results of these
controlled experiments indicated that the influence from background field may be neglectable at the current S/N of the
analogue experiment. The influence from border condition and source (position and intensity) may be also neglectable as long
as the signals can be detected at the current sensitivity in the experiment. However, the propagation pattern of SEMS depends
on geographical condition (inhomegeneity of surface conductivity) and source (frequency). The results of the above
controlled experiments strengthened the reliability of the previous studies and provided some potential improvements in
future analogue experiment.
DE: 2487 Wave propagation (6934)
DE: 0624 Guided waves
SC: Tectonophysics [T]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting