Observation of surface and atmospheric parameters using “NOAA 18” satellite: a study on earthquakes of Sumatra and Nicobar Is regions for the year 2014 (M ≥ 6.0)

Analysing pre-earthquake signals using satellite technology are getting importance among the scientific community, since round-the-clock survey for the wider region is possible compared to ground-based monitoring techniques. Several scientists are involved in various satellites and ground-based technologies to decode the complex physical mechanism of the earthquake process since 1980. They involved in measuring anomalous variations using space-based methodologies like EM signals, SAR interferometry, GPS for ionospheric sounding, satellite gravimetry, atmospheric sounding, Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), radon gas and seismo-tectonic clouds. In this paper, the authors have considered surface latent heat flux (SLHF) and OLR satellite data for detailed analysis of earthquakes took place during the year 2014 in Sumatra and Nicobar Is regions. At the surface and atmospheric interface, the anomalous variations in SLHF were observed prior to the occurrence of the earthquake. Similarly, anomalous variations in OLR have been observed 3–30 days prior to the big earthquakes and it is measured above the cloud level. From the analysis, the author has found that variations in the SLHF and OLR flux can be utilized as efficient tools to identify the impending big earthquakes. SLHF and OLR variation level can give us a clue about the probable magnitude of earthquakes and also about earthquake preparation zones. Hence, by correlating the above-mentioned parameters, it is potential to key out the impending earthquakes with reasonable accuracy.

     

Satellite detection of carbon monoxide emission prior to the Gujarat earthquake of 26 January 2001

NOAA AVHRR images have clearly shown anomalous changes in land surface temperature associated with earthquakes in the past two decades. Soon after the Gujarat earthquake of January 26, 2001, an anomalous increase in land surface temperature was inferred from MODIS satellite data a few days prior to the main earthquake event. The cause of such an anomalous change in surface temperature prior to the earthquake is attributed to many probable phenomena, but no definite cause has been identified. In the present study, changes of a complementary nature were found of land surface temperature associated with the emission of CO from the epicentral region. The observed changes on land and atmosphere associated with the Gujarat earthquake of 26 January, 2001, show the existence of strong coupling between land, atmosphere and ionosphere.     

Anomalous change in atmospheric radon concentration sourced from broad crustal deformation: A case study of the 1995 Kobe earthquake

Before the Kobe earthquake, an anomalous increase in atmospheric Rn concentration was observed. By separating the measured concentration of atmospheric Rn into three components according to the distance from the monitoring station, the variation of Rn exhalation rate can be estimated for the respective area using the daily minimum and maximum concentrations. The mean rate of Rn exhalation gradually increased in an area of 20 km around the monitoring station, becoming five times higher than normal in the period between October 1994 and the date of the earthquake. This area had a large co-seismic displacement of up to 30 cm, which roughly corresponds to the crustal strain of 10⁻⁶-order, and it is considered the main source for the atmospheric Rn prior to the Kobe earthquake. Analyses revealed that the pre-seismic change in the atmospheric Rn concentration exhibited an anomalous pattern which would yield information on the spatial distribution of the mechanical response of the ground.     

The Gornozavodsk earthquake of August 17(18), 2006, in the south of Sakhalin Island

The August 17 (18), 2006, Gornozavodsk earthquake (M_w = 5.6) in the southwestern part of Sakhalin was preceded by a number of anomalous seismological and geophysical phenomena. The extensive data recorded by a network of digital seismic stations make it possible to track the aftershock dynamics of the process within 24 hours after the main event. The paper describes various manifestations of the earthquake.     

ENSO-7赤道西太平洋异常纬向风所驱动的热带太平洋次表层海温距平的循环

近几年的一系列分析研究表明，ENSO与异常东亚冬季风之间有相互影响，持续的强（弱）东亚冬季风通过引起赤道西太平洋地区的西（东）风异常对El Niño/La Niña的发生起着重要作用；赤道太平洋次表层海温异常（SOTA）的年际变化（循环）与ENSO发生有密切关系；ENSO的真正源在西太平洋暖池，暖池正（负）SOTA沿赤道温跃层东传到东太平洋，便导致El Niño/La Niña的爆发；在暖池正（负）SOTA沿赤道东传的同时，有负（正）SOTA沿10°N和10°S纬度带向西传播，从而构成SOTA的循环；热带太平洋SOTA循环的驱动者是赤道西太平洋的异常纬向风。进而可以认为：ENSO实质上是主要由异常东亚季风引起的赤道西太平洋异常纬向风所驱动的热带太平洋次表层海温距平的年际循环。     

Anomalous Alpine fans: from the genesis to the present hazard

The present paper aims at characterising Alpine anomalous basin-fan systems, in order to develop a method for hazard assessment for such fans. The review of previous studies revealed that anomalous basin-fan systems are often associated with deep-seated slope failure and present-day hazard is associated to debris flow occurrence. Taking into account these peculiarities, a modelling approach to assess the present day hazard in anomalous fans has been developed and applied to the Sernio fan (Valtellina, northern Italy). Debris flow inundation areas have been simulated by means of a numerical model (RApid Mass MovementS (RAMMS) debris flow), which includes a routine for the sediment entrainment. The range of the model parameters was defined based on previous studies, enabling a sensitivity analysis on the debris flow runout, as well as the flow height and velocity. Numerical results point out the paramount importance of entrainment phenomena on debris flow dynamic in anomalous systems, especially with reference to the bulking factor and debris yield rate that reach very high values, typical of basins with unlimited solid supply.     

Projection of lightning over South/South East Asia using CMIP5 models

Physical phenomena observed before strong earthquakes have been reported for centuries. Precursor signals, which include radon anomalies, electrical signals, water level changes and ground lights near the epicenter, can all be used for earthquake prediction. Anomalous negative signals observed by ground-based atmospheric electric field instruments under fair weather conditions constitute a novel earthquake prediction approach. In theory, the abnormal radiation of heat before an earthquake produces fair weather around the epicenter. To determine the near-epicenter weather conditions prior to an earthquake, 81 global earthquake events with magnitudes of 6 or above from 2008 to 2021 were collected. According to Harrison's fair weather criteria, in 81.48% of all statistical cases, the weather was fair 6 h before the earthquake; in 62.96% of all cases, the weather was fair 24 h before the event. Moreover, most of these cases without fair weather several hours before the earthquake were near the sea. Among the 37 inland earthquakes, 86.49% were preceded by 6 h of fair weather, and 70.27% were preceded by fair weather for 24 h. We conclude that the weather near the epicenter might be fair for several hours before a strong earthquake, especially for inland events.

     

Spatial distribution of landslides triggered by the 2008 Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake,China

The Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008 is one of the most disastrous earthquakes in China. The earthquake triggered tens of thousands of landslides over a broad area, including shallow, disrupted landslides, rock falls, deep-seated landslides, and rock avalanches, some of which buried large sections of some towns and dammed the rivers. The purpose of this study is to investigate correlations between the occurrence of landslides with geologic and geomorphologic conditions, and seismic parameters. Over 56,000 earthquake-triggered landslides, with a total area of 811 km², are interpreted using aerial photographs and remote sensing images taken following the earthquake. The spatial distribution of these landslides is analyzed statistically using both landslide-point density (LPD), defined as the number of landslides per square kilometer, and landslide-area density (LAD), the percentage of the area affected by landslides, to determine how the occurrence of landslides correlates with distance from the epicenter, distance from the major surface rupture, seismic intensity and peak ground acceleration (PGA), slope angle, slope aspect, elevation, and lithology. It is found that both LAD and LPD have strong positive correlations with slope steepness, distance from the major surface rupture and seismic intensity, and that Pre-Sinian schist, and Cambrian sandstone and siltstone intercalated with slate have the most concentrated landslide activities, followed by the Permian limestone intercalated with shale, and Devonian limestone. Statistical analyses also indicate that the major surface rupture has influence on the spatial distribution of landslides, because LAD and LPD are relatively higher on the hanging wall than on the footwall. However, the correlation between the occurrence of landslides with distance from the epicenter of the earthquake is complicated, rather than a relatively simple negative correlation as found from other reported cases of earthquakes. This is possibly due to complicated rupture processes of the earthquake.     

基于实验结果讨论断层破裂与强震物理过程的若干问题

基于断层摩擦滑动实验、含凹凸体断层的变形破坏实验、断层撕裂扩展的实验、交叉断层的变形实验等多种实验结果并结合前人的工作 ,讨论了与断层破裂与强震物理过程相关的若干问题。研究表明 ,断层的整体滑动引起其两侧块体弹性应变的释放 ,是强震发生的原因 ,因此构造活动区具有较大尺度、结构连续且简单、介质均匀的断层 (或断层段 )是产生强震必备的构造条件 ,深部新生断层(盲断层 )向上撕裂扩展产生强震 ,尚需“弱层”提供“解耦”条件以便断层发生整体滑动。强震孕育过程中包含着凹凸体的破裂 ,断层面上凹凸体的尺度、强度及数量决定着前震活动的特征、强震动态破裂过程以及前兆现象。由断层分割的块体通过边界断层的交替滑动、以“框动”的方式运动 ,因此块体周边的断层上强震活动具有交替性。     

变化环境下降雨集中度的变异与驱动力探究

降雨的时空分布过于集中会诱发洪旱灾害。研究降雨集中度的变异及其驱动力有助于全面掌握降雨对变化环境的响应特征,为区域水资源的综合利用与灾害预警提供依据。以汉江流域为研究对象,选取月降雨集中度指数(CIM)和日降雨集中度指数(CID)表征降雨集中度,并采用Mann-Kendall趋势检验法与启发式分割算法对降雨集中度进行变异分析,利用交叉小波变换探究太阳黑子与大气环流异常因子对降雨集中度变化的影响。结果表明:①汉江流域CIM北大南小,呈不显著的下降趋势;CID东大西小,在6个站呈显著上升趋势;②流域部分站点CID发生突变,而CIM序列较为平稳,表明CID相比CIM对变化环境的响应更为敏感;③太阳黑子和大气环流异常因子对降雨集中度的变化有较强的影响,其中太阳黑子的影响最大,它通过影响大气环流异常因子间接影响汉江流域的降雨集中度。     

Precursory activity in seismic belts containing the focal region of forthcoming large intraplate earthquake

Seismic activity in the region surrounding the foci is investigated for three severe earthquakes (two with a magnitude of 6.1 and one with a magnitude of 5.3) which have occurred in Japan in recent years. The most conspicuous feature commonly noticed is precursory activation of seismic belts which include the focal regions of main shocks. The repetition of the same pattern in the space-time distribution of earthquake occurrence along the seismic belt is also observed for each case. The precursory activity of seismic belts terminates in rather a short period and, after that, the area around the focus of the forthcoming large earthquake becomes quiescent, which demonstrates the appearance of the seismic gap of the second kind (Mogi, 1979). The periods of seismic quiescence for the cases investigated in this paper are longer than those which are given by the regression relationship between earthquake magnitude and precursor time proposed for example, by Sekiya (1977). However, our definition of anomalous seismic activity is clear, and it is possible to give a physical meaning to it as an increase in the local stress field in the seismic belt. We propose that a kind of coupling between intraplate tectonic blocks, analogous to interplate coupling in the subduction region, is responsible for the formation of the stress field relevant to these earthquakes. Although this is at present only one of the possible viewpoints on the formation of the focal region of large intraplate earthquakes, it may be worthwhile to study various precursory phenomena in-connection with this hypothesis.     

Coupling effect of ozone column and atmospheric infrared sounder data reveal evidence of earthquake precursor phenomena of Bam earthquake,Iran

Understanding the source mechanism of earthquakes may be the key to predict earthquakes. The testing of radioactive radiations and reactionary hypothesis of gases before and after quake events can help predict and monitor earthquake occurrence. In this study, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and the column ozone (O₃) were applied to evaluate the December 26, 2003 earthquake of Bam city in western Iran. The results show that ozone concentration (column density) decreased about 30 DU and or 807?×?10E15/cm² molecules. Using high-resolution AIRS data for the study area, we were able to discriminate gases that formed and changed before the main shock at least a day before the occurrence of the quake in Bam.     

甘东南及邻区7级以上强震数值模拟

对强震发生后周围断层及未来强震形势的影响研究具有非常重要的意义.青藏高原东北缘强震频发,对该区的历史强震进行研究很有必要.以青藏高原东北缘及邻区为目标建立3D黏弹性有限元模型,依据中国大陆Ⅰ级块体和青藏高原Ⅱ级块体划分及活动断裂分布确定模型块体边界及断裂位置,使用GPS观测资料作为模型边界条件,数值模拟1900年以来7级以上强震发生的动力学过程.计算结果表明:① 青藏高原东北缘及邻区区域水平构造应力场特征大致呈从西向东,从南向北减小分布.② 模拟结果说明强震主要发生在背景场应力和强震引起的等效应力加载的断层上.③ 历史强震序列对1970年以来地震的影响:康定地震加速触发了炉霍地震的发生;康定、炉霍地震对松潘地震无加速触发作用;康定、炉霍、松潘地震对共和地震无加速触发作用;炉霍、松潘、共和地震对汶川地震的影响较小;汶川地震延缓了芦山地震的发生.      

Water level fluctuations due to earthquakes in Koyna-Warna region,India

Earthquakes cause a variety of hydrological phenomena, including changes in the ground water levels in bore wells. The Koyna region in the peninsular shield of India, hitherto considered stable in terms of seismic activity, has been active since 1967. More recently, the earthquakes have been localized to the newly impounded Warna reservoir, which is located south of Koyna, where a burst of seismicity occurred in 1993. The region continues to remain seismically active even after four decades. Twenty-one bore wells were drilled around the seismic source volume in the region to observe water level changes resulting from earthquake phenomena. Our studies have shown coseismic anomalous water level changes to be associated with the moderate earthquakes of April 25, 1997 and February 11, 1998. Our results show that changes in the ground water level in bore wells are correlated with micro-earthquake activity, both preceding and following moderately sized earthquakes. The results have implications in enhancing our understanding of earthquake mechanisms.     

基于集集强震群序列地震特征的地震追踪预测

分析集集强震群前余震序列的 7年 (1993/ 0 9/ 2 1— 2 0 0 0 / 0 9/ 2 0 )中震级规模在M =3 0以上的地震目录 ,可以找到前震类型、孕震空区特征、孕震条带特征、前震丛集性活动与信号震特征、主震前平静以及余震序列的二次余震等至少 6项清楚的地震序列特征。利用已发展出的年度强震趋势分析步骤的经验 ,佐以依据地震序列特征进一步加以追踪的观念 ,以集集地震序列分析为例 ,试图将地震趋势分析由年的时间尺度 ,追踪到更短的月的时间范围 ;并尝试建立台湾地区西部地震带浅源强震的追踪分析步骤 ,并为以测震学为基础的地震预测提供逼近短临时间尺度的分析方法。     

迎接大气科学发展即将到来的新飞跃

一门学科中新的事实的发现、新的观测手段和新技术的应用都会引发新理论,从而促进这门学科一个大发展。大气科学发展的历史,就是沿上述道路前进的。近10多年来,对大气、海洋、陆面、生物和冰雪圈进行了大规模、四维的观测,获得了海量的资料。同时,组织了丰富多彩的多项国际和地区的研究计划。通过对观测资料的深入分析和研究,必将发现许多新事实和新现象。这是大气科学即将到来的一个飞跃时期的事实基础。 展望未来10~20年大气科学重大发展,预估将会有多方面的重大突破。新事实和新现象将催生大气科学新理论出现;对气候系统中各种过程的深入了解,巨型计算机的发展,使得新气候环境模式将会出现;这将是一个集地球系统中物理、化学和生物学等自然过程和人类社会经济活动的综合的模拟系统;对于人类生活环境有重大影响的气候突变现象的发生发展机理的了解将会比现在前进一大步;能够发现一些气候突变的阈值和一些气候突变的前期信号;对于未来气候的稳定性、极端气候的发生、海平面升高的程度都将会有比较确切的回答;气候预测的精度也将大大提高。     

地震的多重分形统计特征研究

讨论了地震分布的多重分形统计特征。研究地震多重分形性质的计算方法及其应用于地震预报的可能性。采用推广Ｇｒａｓｓｂｅｒｇｅｒ－Ｐｒｏｃａｃｃｉａ算法从典型震区的地震数据计算地震多重分形分布的广义维数谱以确立较敏感的强震前兆，讨论了该算法的精度，数据量要求及适用范围。     

Evidence of precursor phenomena in the Kobe earthquake obtained from atmospheric radon concentration

Atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations were determined over a 10a period, which included the date of the Kobe, Japan earthquake, on January 17th 1995. It was found that the seismically related ²²²Rn anomaly was higher than the 99% confidence limits for the residual value of atmospheric ²²²Rn which had been observed 2 months before. The residual ²²²Rn concentration, in which residual values of the daily minimum are the difference between each normal ²²²Rn concentration (calculated from January 1984 to December 1993) and the daily minimum ²²²Rn concentration (January 1994 to January 1995), was calculated by applying the exponential smoothing method to the residual values for each day. It was found that the fluctuations of the residual values can be fitted very well to a log-periodic oscillation model. The real residual values stopped increasing at 1994.999 (December 31st 1994), which corresponds with the critical point (t_c) of best fit model. This anomalous ²²²Rn variation can be seen as the result of local stresses, not primary stresses which directly lead to the Kobe earthquake. On the other hand, when the critical exponent (z) and the radial frequency (ω) of the model were simultaneously fixed 0.2 ⩽ z ⩽ 0.6 and 6 ⩽ ω ⩽ 12, t_c (critical point) was between January 13th 1995 and January 27th 1995. The Kobe earthquake occurrence date (January 17th 1995) is within this range. Therefore this anomalous ²²²Rn variation can also be seen as the result of primary stresses which possibly led to the Kobe earthquake. There is a distinct possibility that similar statistical oscillations will be detected in other measurements such as microseismicity, tectonic strain, fluctuation in the ground level, or changes in groundwater elevations and composition.     

Seismicity, seismotectonics and seismic hazard of Italy

A first generation of probabilistic seismic hazard maps of the Italian country are presented. They are based on seismogenic zoning deriving from a kinematic model of the structural tectonic units and on an earthquake catalogue with the foreshock and aftershock events filtered out. The following ground motion parameters have been investigated and mapped using attenuation equations based on strong-motion recordings of Italian earthquakes: peak ground acceleration and velocity; Arias intensity; strong motion duration; and the pseudovelocity and pseudoacceleration spectral values at 14 fixed frequencies both for the vertical and the largest horizontal component. A Poissonian model of earthquake occurrence is assumed as a default and the hazard maps are presented in terms of ground motion values expected to be exceeded at a 10% probability level in 50 years (return period 475 years) according to the requirement of Eurocode 8 for the seismic classification of national territories, as well as in terms of exceedance probabilities of selected ground motion values. Finally, as a tentative study, the use of hybrid methods (implementing both seismogenic zones and structures), renewal processes (including earthquake forecasting) and the influence of site effects (as the basis for the planning of earthquake scenarios) were explored.