Air ionization at rock surfaces and pre-earthquake signals |
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| Authors: | Friedemann T. Freund Ipek G. Kulahci Gary Cyr Julia Ling Matthew Winnick Jeremy Tregloan-Reed Minoru M. Freund |
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| Affiliation: | 1. NASA Ames Research Center, Code SGE, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, USA;2. Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA;3. San Jose State University Foundation, San Jose, CA 95192-5569, USA;4. NASA Academy 2007, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94025-1000, USA;5. Department of Physics, REU Summer 2008, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192-0106, USA;6. Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA;7. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0745, USA;8. Department of Physics, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK;1. Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute, Moscow 117927, Russia;2. Institute for Problems in Mechanics, Moscow 117526, Russia;3. Moscow Institute of Physics & Technology, Institutskii per. 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700, Russia;1. School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China;2. IoT Perception Mine Research Center, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China;3. Academy of Disaster Reduction & Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;1. School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China;2. Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;3. Institute of Earthquake Science, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100036, China;1. Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia;2. S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation «ENERGIA», Korolev, Russia |
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| Abstract: | Pre-earthquake signals have been widely reported, including perturbations in the ionosphere. These precursory signals, though highly diverse, may be caused by just one underlying physical process: activation of highly mobile electronic charge carriers in rocks that are subjected to ever increasing levels of stress. The charge carriers are defect electrons associated with O? in a matrix of O2?. Known as positive holes or pholes h , they flow out of the stressed rock into the unstressed rock volume, traveling meters in the laboratory, probably kilometers in the field. At the rock–air interface they cause: (i) positive surface potential, (ii) field-ionization of air molecules, (iii) corona discharges. The rate of formation of airborne ions can exceed 109 cm?2 s?1. Massive air ionization prior to major earthquakes increases the electrical conductivity in the air column and may cause ionospheric perturbations, earthquake lights, and unusual animal behavior as well as infrared emission. |
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