Neutron generation and geomagnetic disturbances in connection with the Chilean earthquake of February 27, 2010 and a volcanic eruption in Iceland in March–April 2010

Abstract

The relationship between solar and geomagnetic activities in connection with seismicity and vol� canic eruptions on the globe during the period 1680-2010 is studied. The centennial cycles of terrestrial endogenous activity, related to solar and geomagnetic activity, are revealed; at the beginning of these cycles, solar cycles with small Wolf numbers were detected, while intensive seismic and volcanic activity was observed for several decades. A stable negative correlation between seismicity and volcanism, on the one hand, and solar and geomagnetic activity, on the other hand, were found. Experiments, which were simultaneously car� ried out at the Pushkov Institute of Geomagnetism, Ionosphere, and Radiowave Propagation, Russian Acad� emy of Sciences (IZMIRAN), Troitsk, Moscow oblast, and the Karymshina Complex Geophysical Observa� tory, Kamchatka Branch, Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences, have verified the suggestion that disturbances in the geomagnetic field and neutron generation occur during the early stages of strong earthquakes. It is supposed that the mechanism of primary generation of terrestrial neutrons is related to nuclear reactions in the Earth's interior.