地震电离层探测技术及其应用研究进展

2017年即将发射的中国电磁监测试验卫星将填补地震电离层立体监测体系中不可或缺的空白区域,也将为天地一体化地震电磁对比校验及圈层耦合机理认识提供重要的科学支撑.针对近期地震电离层立体监测体系发展的需求,本文主要介绍了目前国内用于地震研究的地基及空基电离层探测技术,包括电离层垂测/斜测、甚低频(VLF)电波观测、舒曼谐振观测、GPS及空间卫星电磁等,并总结了各种探测技术在国内外地震应用研究中的进展; 最后结合不同探测手段的优势,探讨了地震电磁立体探测系统的构建,并就未来的多手段综合应用发展提出了建议.      

SLF/ELF电磁接收机研究及观测试验

大功率、人工源的超低频/极低频电磁波技术已经成为当今国际地球物理学界瞩目的一个新兴研究领域,采用此方法计算获得的地下介质电性结构具有很高的精度和稳定性,特别适用于地震预测等需要精确观测数据的研究。在中国,从20世纪90年代末开始,开展了基于大功率人工源超低频/极低频技术的方法研究,也开展了该方法在地震监测领域的应用研究,然而对于适用于地震监测应用的观测系统的研究进展比较缓慢。文中介绍了专门用于地震监测应用的超低频/极低频电磁接收机的研发,详细说明了仪器的硬件系统组成、主要技术指标及其关键技术。试验观测结果表明该仪器能满足目前0.1～300Hz频段人工源电磁信号观测的需求。     

基于人工电离层扰动对地-电离层波导传播的VLF波的影响

基于低电离层加热理论和甚低频电波在地-电离层波导中传播理论,建立低电离层扰动对甚低频电波传播影响的分析模型,并利用实验数据验证了该模型的正确性.据此模型,研究了加热功率、加热波极化以及背景参数所导致的低电离层扰动对不同频率甚低频电波传播的影响.结果表明,低电离层扰动越强,则通过该区域内甚低频波幅度和相位的相对变化越强,通过研究地-电离层波导甚低频信号通过人工扰动区域后幅度和相位的变化,可望用于诊断人工电离层扰动强度.     

与地震有关的电离层扰动的甚低频/低频无线电探测

近期人们认识到,电离层对地震影响非常敏感,探测与地震有关的电离层扰动看来对地震短临预测是非常有前途的。我们提出可利用甚低频／低频（3～30kHz／30-300kHz）无线电探测进行地震-电离层扰动的探测。1995年神户地震明显发现电离层扰动现象之后,开始了利用低电离层甚低频／低频传播信号进行地震短临预测的简短历史。在说明先前的甚低频／低频结果之后,我们给出了最新的甚低频／低频发现：一个是电离层扰动与地震在统计上相关,第二个是2004年12月苏门答腊地震的实例研究,说明了这次地震电离层扰动的空间尺度和动力学原理。     

地热井的天然源超低频电磁探测影响因素分析

本文使用天然源超低频电磁探测仪对北京大学校园内两口地热井进行了超低频电磁探测试验,获得了1号地热井（京热119号井）连续五天、每天四个时刻的天然源超低频电磁探测数据以及2号地热井（京热168号井）单天的天然源超低频探测的数据.基于所获得的数据,开展了地热井的天然源超低频探测影响因素的研究,这些因素主要包括：天然源超低频电磁场和观测时间的关系、探头摆放方向与接收工频谐波干扰关系以及天气状况对观测数据质量的影响等.研究表明：(1)天然源超低频电磁探测信号存在明显的日夜交替变化,其中相对振幅-频率曲线在不同日期、同一邻近时刻总体的包络线具有较好的重复性和一定的稳定性;(2)工频谐波干扰场方向是影响因素之一,当仪器探头长轴方向与工频谐波干扰场的等效主轴方向平行时噪声影响最小;(3)雨天环境会对天然场源超低频信号中的高频部分造成较大影响.     

水平电偶极子在三层媒质中激发的电磁场特征的数值研究

将空气及地面以下两层视为三层有耗散的线性媒质，求出第三层中的水平偶极子激发的电磁场在地表处的积分形式解，进行数值计算，分析其频谱特征。结果表明电磁辐射异常的优势频率为0～2Hz，与实际观测资料相吻合，在超低频或甚低频，有比较明显的电磁场异常。并讨论其对地震电磁辐射监测的指导意义。     

用电磁波模拟实验解释地震电磁信号

根据电磁波在地壳及大气波导层中传播的模拟实验,讨论了地震电磁信号在超低频及甚低频频段内的传播特征。用一块花岗岩板和两块铝板分别模拟地壳、电脑层和地下导电层,用海洋被铝薄膜覆盖的地图来模拟希腊群岛及其周围的海。为了弄清海洋对电磁波传播的影响,将从模拟震源发出的电磁波的传播强度标在地图上。我们得到了甚低频电磁波的长距离传播,而超低频电磁波传播从震中开始呈指数衰减。考虑波导的这一实验也许能够解释海洋对地     

大地电阻率在超低频/极低频电波传播技术中的作用

介绍了大地电阻率在超低频 /极低频电波传播技术中所起的作用 ,指出发射天线场区具有高电阻率 ,是辐射有效超低频 /极低频电磁波的必要条件。在介绍了大地电阻率分布特点的基础上 ,提出了天线场区大地电阻率测量的思路和方法     

低频事件全球分布特征分析

分析大量文献记录的全球低频事件,包括:间歇性脉动与滑移事件(ETS)、低频地震(LFT)、SSE(慢滑移现象)、VLF(超低频地震)等.这些低频震动事件,需要从全球分布情况综合分析导致更加复杂的断层滑移和结构应力释放特征,探索大震孕育的规律.目前全球已观测到低频事件的国家和地区包括:日本、新西兰岛、墨西哥、哥斯达黎加、卡斯卡地亚、阿拉斯加、中国及中国台湾等地区,全球主要地震带沿线都有慢滑移发生.SSE(慢滑移事件)记录地区非常广泛,在各板块沿线几乎均都能记录到.低频滑移事件分布在板块断层沿线的特定部位,原因还有待分析.从全球记录到的各类低频地震及主要记录地区分布情况分析认为,低频事件很可能并不是仅限于俯冲板块,是发生在各大板块边界的普遍行为.甚低频事件(VLF)来源于多个单一地震辐射的缓慢滑动事件,可持续几千到上万秒.可传播数千米,震源可能不唯一,成为低频地震研究的最新热点.综合研究后认为慢滑移以及ETS、LFT、VLF等低频事件是全球发生的普遍行为,与天然地震有必然的联系,应具有统一的应力构造背景,低频地震和慢滑移与大震触发的关联机制还需要进一步探索.     

中国地震交变电磁场观测数据处理技术新进展

交变电磁场是对地震事件反应最灵敏的物理场之一,已观测到与地震有关大量的电磁场异常现象.随着人工源极低频电磁技术和卫星电磁观测技术在地震观测中被逐步应用研究,交变电磁场法用于地震观测的数据量呈数量级的增加,急需发展适于海量数据或大数据的信息处理和挖掘技术.本文介绍了自适应滤波技术及其在地面电磁场观测数据处理中的应用研究,以及小波分析技术在地面和卫星观测数据分析中的应用研究,表明在对实际测量数据处理中,自适应滤波技术可以有效识别天然源信号和人工源信号,并且提高了电磁场频谱和视电阻率计算的信噪比,小波分析等技术可以发现电磁异常现象与地震事件可能存在的相关性.这些技术可能成为对海量观测数据处理分析的有效方法.     

汶川震前几种低频事件波形分析

列举分析了国外文献所记载的几类低频事件.选择汶川MS8.0地震主断层附近四川省部分台网宽频带数据,采用相应频段,进行带通滤波处理,检测到4种类似的低频事件波形．分别为低频震颤与滑移事件（ETS事件）,深低频地震事件(LFE事件),深低频震动事件（DLF事件）,以及超低频震动事件（VLF事件）．定位分析实例证实,汶川震前的ETS和DLF等低频事件发生在主断层附近,表明大震发生之前龙门山断裂带附近有低频事件发生,主要为ETS和VLF两类事件及少量DLF事件．因有远震记录与LFE事件时间相近,无法确认此类事件是否存在．低频事件作为天然地震目录的补充,可为大震前兆和触发机理研究提供新的探索方向．      

An earthquake precursor mobile network

It is widely known that very low frequency/low frequency (VLF/LF) radiation has been recorded prior to large earthquakes in several seismically active countries of the world. The networks employed to detect this radiation consist of stationary transmitters and receivers. However, there are reported cases of existing networks being unable to detect any electromagnetic radiation prior to large earthquakes. In this study, we determined the optimal arrangement of a mobile VLF/LF electromagnetic radiation network to ensure the detection of an upcoming earthquake precursor. We consi-dered the possible arrangements of the VLF/LF mobile network based on certain physical considerations, and deve-loped a relatively simple arrangement that is completely different from the existing stationary networks. The suggested design will significantly increase the number of detected/predicted earthquakes by using the relevant electromagnetic radiation receivers strategically placed in regions of increased tectonic and seismic activity.     

Electromagnetic anomalies associated with 1995 Kobe earthquake

Occurrences of anomalous electro-magnetic phenomena at varied frequency ranges, covering ELF to VHF, have been reported in relation to the 17 January 1995 Kobe earthquake (M7.2), by several independent research groups. Prominent pre-seismic peaks, which could have been emitted from the focal area, were observed on 9-10 January in ELF, VLF, LF and HF ranges. Whether these changes were truly related to the earthquake is not certain, because atmospheric (thunderbolt discharge) activities also peaked on 9-10 January. The nomalous changes were markedly enhanced toward the catastrophe in agreement with many reports on unusual radio/TV noise. Anomalous transmission of man-made electromagnetic waves in VLF and VHF ranges was also detected from a few days before the earthquake, indicating the possibility that the ionosphere above the focal zone was disturbed at the final stage of the earthquake preparation process.     

A model of the generation of electromagnetic emissions detected prior to earthquakes

Recent satellite and ground-based observations prove that during the formative period of earthquakes VLF/LF and ULF electromagnetic emissions are observed in seismogenic areas. This work offers an original model of self-generated electromagnetic oscillations of local segments of the lithospheric origins of the emissions. In the paper, the seismogenic area is considered to be an oscillatory-distributed system. This model simplifies physical analyses of the nonlinear effects and qualitatively explains the mechanisms that generate very low frequency electromagnetic waves in the period prior to an earthquake.     

Probing the lower ionospheric perturbations associated with earthquakes by means of subionospheric VLF/LF propagation

There have been reports for many years that the ionosphere is very sensitive to seismic effects, and the detection of ionospheric perturbations associated with earthquakes (EQs) attracts a lot of attention as a very promising candidate for short-term EQ prediction. In this review we present a possible use of VLF/LF (very low frequency (3–30 kHz)/low frequency (30–300 kHz)) radio sounding of seismo-ionospheric perturbations. In order to avoid the overlapping with my own previous reviews, we first show some pioneering results for the Kobe EQ and we try to present the latest results including the statistical evidence on the correlation between the VLF/LF propagation anomalies (ionospheric perturbations) and EQs (especially with large magnitude and with shallow depth), medium-distance (6-8 Mm) propagation anomalies, the fluctuation spectra of subionospheric VLF/LF data (the effect of atmospheric gravity waves, the effect of Earth's tides, etc.), and the mechanism of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling. Finally, we indicate the present situation of this kind of VLF/LF activities going on in different parts of the globe and we suggest the importance of international collaboration in this seismo-electromagnetic study.     

基于LWPC和IRI模型的NWC台站信号传播幅度建模分析

频率为3~30 kHz的甚低频（VLF,Very Low Frequency）电磁波具有波长长、传播距离远的特点,能够沿地面-低电离层波导进行传播,在通信、导航等许多领域都被广泛应用.基于波导模理论的长波传播模型（LWPC,Long-Wavelength Propagation Capability）能够用于计算甚低频波的传播路径及幅度,进而研究耀斑、磁暴、地震等事件对电离层的扰动.本文利用国际电离层参考模型（IRI,International Reference Ionosphere）对LWPC中电子密度和碰撞频率进行改进,并将模拟结果与武汉大学VLF接收机实际观测到的NWC （North West Cape）台站信号幅度进行比较分析,结果表明改进后LWPC模型得到的幅度及变化趋势与实际值更加接近.LWPC模型给出的电子密度与IRI模型得到的电子密度在日间基本一致,但是在夜间存在差异,造成夜间部分区域NWC台站信号幅度的差异性,验证了电离层电子密度对于VLF信号传播具有的重要影响.传播路径上的晨昏变化也可以引起VLF信号幅度分布的突变,在日出和日落时间段内存在明显的过渡区域.基于IRI模型的LWPC,改善了VLF电波传播过程的预测分析效果,提供了一种长波导航通信质量的评估方法.     

电离层人工调制在水平分层电离层中所激发的ELF波辐射

通过大功率ELF/VLF调幅高频波能有效地扰动低电离层,形成等效的ELF/VLF电离层虚拟天线,用来辐射ELF/VLF波,所辐射出的低频信号可以进入中性大气层形成地球-电离层波导.本文基于调制加热模型,采用全波有限元算法计算由人工调制电离层所形成的电偶极矩所辐射出的ELF波在水平分层电离层中的波场,计算结果将与地面观测结果进行比较.模拟结果表明,所辐射出的ELF波在电离层中形成一个窄的准直波束,海面所能接收到的ELF信号强度为pT量级,并且频率越低,海面所接收到的场强就越小,与HAARP实验数据一致.结果还表明,低纬电离层对低频信号的传播衰减较大,并且所能透射出电离层的角度小,因此高纬地区更适合地球-电离层波导的激发.     

Aspects regarding the use of the INFREP network for identifying possible seismic precursors

In the last decades, one of the main research directions in identifying seismic precursors involved monitoring VLF (Very Low Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency) radio waves and analysing their propagation characteristics. Essentially this method consists of monitoring different available VLF and LF transmitters from long distance reception points. The received signal has two major components: the ground wave and the sky wave, where the sky wave propagates by reflection on the lower layers of the ionosphere. It is assumed that before and during major earthquakes, unusual changes may occur in the lower layers of the ionosphere, such as the modification of the charged particles number density and the altitude of the reflection zone. Therefore, these unusual changes in the ionosphere may generate unusual variations in the received signal level.The International Network for Frontier Research on Earthquake Precursors (INFREP) was developed starting with 2009 and consists of several dedicated VLF and LF radio receivers used for monitoring various radio transmitters located throughout Europe. The receivers’ locations were chosen so that the propagation path from these VLF/LF stations would pass over high seismicity regions while others were chosen to obtain different control paths.The monitoring receivers are capable of continuously measuring the received signal amplitude from the VLF/LF stations of interest. The recorded data is then stored and sent to an INFREP database, which is available on the Internet for scientific researchers. By processing and analysing VLF and LF data samples, collected at different reception points and at different periods of the year, one may be able to identify some distinct patterns in the envelope of the received signal level over time. Significant deviations from these patterns may have local causes such as the electromagnetic pollution at the monitoring point, regional causes like existing electrical storms over the propagation path or even global causes generated by high-intensity solar flares. As a consequence, classifying these perturbations and minimizing them (when possible) would represent an important step towards identifying significant pattern deviations caused by seismic activities.Taken into consideration some of the issues mentioned above, this paper intends to present some aspects meant to improve the overall performance of the existing INFREP network. The signal-to-noise ratio improvement of the monitoring receiver may be achieved by relocating the antenna (or even the entire monitoring system if possible) in areas with less electromagnetic pollution within the VLF and LF bands. Other solution may involve replacing the existing electric “whip” antennas with magnetic loop antennas.Regarding the measuring method, long-term averaging of the received signal to reduce the electromagnetic noise should be carefully applied. If the averaging time is too long, there is a risk that, during a seismic event, the details of the received signal envelope would be lost. Moreover, this may reduce the possibility of making correlations between the monitored stations and INFREP receivers in case of sudden ERP (Effective Radiated Power) variations of the VLF/LF stations. For the same reason, the time synchronization of the recorded data using (for instance) GPS technology is highly recommended.Other aspects related to the overall performance improvement of the INFREP network consist of monitoring other VLF/LF stations such as the Krasnodar station (south of Russia), part of the ALPHA/RSDN-20 VLF navigation system, or the 77.5 kHz DCF77 time signal transmitter (near Frankfurt am Main, Germany). Moreover, the installation of a new reception point in Romania (near Cluj-Napoca) for monitoring the Vrancea area (within the Carpathians Mountains) and the Adriatic region will provide complementary scientific data within the network.