Possible Ionospheric Electromagnetic Perturbations Induced by the Ms7.1 Yushu Earthquake

Abstract

The power spectrum density (PSD) of magnetic field in the ELF/VLF band recorded by the experiment IMSC onboard the DEMETER satellite were used to study the Ms7.1 Yushu earthquake taking place on April 13, 2010 in China. The results indicate that possible ionospheric electromagnetic perturbations occurring 4 days before the earthquake in the frequency range [370–897 Hz]. Along the orbit 30880_up, which passed over the epicenter area on 9 April, enhanced PSD value of magnetic field at 410 Hz was detected both over the epicentral area and its conjugate point in the southern hemisphere. While on revisited orbits during other days (before and after the earthquake) the magnetic field spectra remained at a relatively low level. In order to be sure that the electromagnetic disturbances were induced by this Yushu earthquake, relative variations of the magnetic field in the ELF/VLF range [370–897 Hz] were calculated and compared with the normal background during 3 years (2007, 2008 and 2009) in the time interval from Jan. 1st to Apr. 30 and in the area [23°N–43°N, 86°E–106°E]. The results show that the normal level of magnetic field in this area is relatively low (~10−7 nT2/Hz), but a large increase occurred from Apr. 1st to Apr. 14 which exceeds 5σb. After the earthquake, the magnetic field in the ELF/VLF range gradually decreased. In order to exclude the influence of geomagnetic field activity, we selected only the data recorded during magnetically quiet local night-times. In addition, artificial noises were also removed from the dataset used in the present paper. Therefore the observed perturbations were independent of geomagnetic field disturbances, and might be attributed to seismic activity.