Ionospheric anomalies probably related to the Mw 7.1 northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge earthquake

Abstract

Discussions related to ionospheric anomalies ought to be carefully governed because of their dynamics. The anomalies in the ionosphere that happen before-after an earthquake play a crucial rule in estimations of earthquakes. The anomalies can be detected and discussed with the help of total electron content (TEC). This essay examines anomalies before and after the Mw 7.1 northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (52.649° N-31.902° W) earthquake that occurred on February 13, 2015. This examination is performed with the help of the TEC (TECU) map. The paper employs the Global Navigation Satellite System-based TEC map. The TEC map obtained from the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) is interpolated with the northern Mid-Atlantic at locations 52.250° N-52.500° N and 30.000° W-35.000° W. In the paper, the TEC map frequency-domain amplitudes are resolved by short-term Fourier transformation spectral analysis. To distinguish the anomaly reason from each other, the effect of solar activity with the F10.7 (sfu) index and the effect of geomagnetic storm with Bz (nT), v (km/s), P (nPa), E (mV/m), Kp (nT), and Dst (nT) parameters (index) is analyzed. The lower boundary and the upper boundary of interpolated CODE TEC map are specified with the help of median and standard deviation. The TEC data that does not locate within the specified limits are marked as an anomaly. According to the work, 9-day TEC anomalies (5-day of them belong to pre-earthquake) are detected. The anomalies observed on February 2, 3, 5, and 7 may relate to the Mid-Atlantic earthquake.