- The paper identifies a notable correlation between geomagnetic storms forming new radiation belts and increased seismic activity approximately 64 days later.
- The potential mechanism involves geomagnetic storms increasing atmospheric conductivity, enhancing the global electric circuit which might influence seismic processes.
- These findings suggest that incorporating space weather data into seismic risk assessments and prediction models could improve earthquake forecasting and preparedness.
Impact of the Geospace Environment on Solar-Lithosphere Coupling and Earthquakes
This paper explores the intricate relationship between geospace phenomena, such as geomagnetic storms and radiation belts, and terrestrial seismic activities. The authors propose a hypothesis involving solar-lithosphere coupling, suggesting that changes in geospace can influence earthquake occurrences on Earth.
The paper presents data correlating strong seismic events with the formation of new radiation belts following geomagnetic storms. For instance, after a geomagnetic storm induces a new radiation belt, an increase in earthquakes is observed at the magnetic field line's footprint. These relationships are supported by historical data from 1973 to 2017, examining geomagnetic anomalies and their aftermath.
Key Findings
- Correlation Between Geomagnetic Storms and Earthquakes: The paper identifies a notable correlation between geomagnetic storms, characterized by negative deviations in Dst-index, and increased seismic activity. Specifically, earthquakes often occur approximately 64 days after the onset of geomagnetic storms when new, long-living radiation belts are formed.
- Evidence from Specific Events: Several case studies illustrate this correlation:
- A geomagnetic storm in March 1991 was followed by an increase in seismic activity near L~2.69, culminating in an M7.0 earthquake in Alaska.
- Similarly, geomagnetic storms in September 2012 and June 2015 showed increased seismicity near their respective radiation belt footprints.
- Potential Mechanism: The potential mechanism underlying these observations is the increase in atmospheric conductivity due to ionization from precipitated high-energy electrons during geomagnetic storms. This conductivity increase likely enhances the global electric circuit (GEC), acting as a mediator for energy transfer that influences seismic activities.
- Spatial and Temporal Patterns: Analysis of earthquake epicenters showed alignment with geomagnetic field geometry. Specifically, seismic activity appeared more frequently in regions with specific geomagnetic declination angles, suggesting an electrical nature to seismic processes.
Implications and Future Directions
This paper presents intriguing evidence linking solar and geomagnetic activity with terrestrial seismicity, challenging the traditional understanding of earthquake precursors. These findings imply that space weather should be considered in seismic risk assessments and could inform future prediction models integrating both terrestrial and extraterrestrial factors.
Future research may focus on:
- Expanding the dataset to include more geomagnetic events and improve statistical significance.
- Investigating the effects of short-lived radiation belts, exploring whether they also induce similar seismic responses.
- Developing real-time monitoring systems to predict increased seismic activity following major geomagnetic storms.
Overall, this paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on the interconnectedness of Earth's systems, exhibiting how extraterrestrial phenomena might play a role in terrestrial seismic activities. Through comprehensive data analysis and theoretical exploration, the authors emphasize the need for interdisciplinary approaches in earthquake forecasting and preparedness.