Spatial Correlation Anomalies of the Diurnal Variation of the Geomagnetic Vertical Component before the Yingjiang MS6.1 and Ludian MS6.5 Earthquakes

Significant anomalies were observed at the geomagnetic stations in the southwest region of China before the Yingjiang M_S6.1 earthquake and the Ludian M_S6.5 earthquake in 2014. We processed the geomagnetic vertical component diurnal variation data by the spatial correlation method. The results show that during the period from April 1 to May 20, 2014,there existed quasi-synchronous decrease changes in the coefficient curves between the five geomagnetic stations of Guiyang,Hechi,Nanshan,Muli,Yongning and Xinyi and Hongshan stations.Furthermore,there was a high gradient zone in the normalized correlation coefficient contour map with background values removed. The epicenters of the Yingjiang M_S6.1 earthquake and the Ludian M_S6.5 earthquake are located in the gradient zone or near the gradient zone.