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Electron temperature and ion density perturbations prior to the M6.8 Eastern Honshu, Japan earthquake of July 23, 2008

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Abstract

The Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) microsatellite-monitored data (IAP and ISL) were employed in investigating pre- (30 days) and post- (10 days) perturbations in ionospheric parameters associated with the M6.8 Eastern Honshu (Japan) earthquake (EQ) of July 23, 2008. The results constrained by synchronously monitoring geomagnetic indices data: Kernnifzer digit and disturbance storm time (Dst), revealed strong seismic event-induced disturbances three weeks to 5 days before the seismic event. The geomagnetic indices data were used in filtering normal geomagnetic disturbances from the seismic counterparts, thereby constraining the interpretations. The total ion density measured in per cubic centimeter (cm−3) recorded variations of 7.90, 4.51, and 5.92 on days-20, -19, and -16, respectively, from the earthquake day during the night time half orbit observations. Contemporaneously, perturbations of 8.81 were observed for electron temperature measured in Kelvin (K) five days afore the earthquake. The geomagnetically quiet state of the ionosphere during the pre-seismic days suggests that the observed disturbances are seismogenic. More researches should be encouraged in this area to deepen their applications in earthquake monitoring and prediction.

Research Highlights

  • Use of DEMETER data for earthquake prediction.

  • Ionospheric plasma parameters used in detecting seismo-genic induced perturbations.

  • Quiet atmospheric geomagnetic perturbations before the earthquake is seismogenically induced.

  • Seismo-genic anomalies are promising for short-term earthquake prediction.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the NOAA for the geomagnetic index and CNRS/LPC2E for the DEMETER data. We are also grateful to the editor and reviewers for their constructive criticisms that helped in improving the quality of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Geophysics Research Group, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Nigeria

    J E Thomas, A M Ekanem & N J George

  2. Department of Applied Geophysics Programme, Department of Physics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

    A E Akpan

Authors
  1. J E Thomas
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  2. A M Ekanem
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  3. N J George
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  4. A E Akpan
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Contributions

AEA and JET conceived the study, designed the framework and searched for DEMETER data. AME used appropriate software programs to interpret the data, while NJG puts together the write-up using the processed data and performed grammar checks as well as work on the references.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N J George.

Additional information

Communicated by Anand Joshi

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Thomas, J.E., Ekanem, A.M., George, N.J. et al. Electron temperature and ion density perturbations prior to the M6.8 Eastern Honshu, Japan earthquake of July 23, 2008. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 134 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01645-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01645-8

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