Ionospheric and Meteorological Anomalies Associated with the Earthquake in Central Asia on 22 January 2024


Lukianova R. Daurbayeva G. Siylkanova A.
September 2024Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Remote Sensing
2024#16Issue 17

On 22 January 2024, at 18 UT, a strong earthquake (EQ), Mw = 7, occurred with the epicenter at 41°N, 79°E. This seismic event generated a complex response, the elements of which correspond to the concept of lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling through electromagnetic processes. While flying over the EQ area on the night-ide of the Earth, the tandem of low-orbiting Swarm satellites observed small-scale irregularities in the plasma density with an amplitude of ~1.5 × 104 el/cm3, which are likely associated with the penetration of the coseismic electric field into the ionosphere. The local anomaly was detected against the background of a global increase in total electron content, TEC (although geomagnetic indices remained quiet), since the moment of EQ coincided with the ionospheric response to a solar flare. In the troposphere, specific humidity decreased while latent heat flux and aerosol optical depth increased, all exhibiting the co-located disturbances that can be attributed to the effect of increased air ionization rates, resulting in greater electrical conductivity in the near-Earth boundary layer. Anomalies started developing over the epicenter the day before and maximized on the day of the main shock and aftershocks.

earthquake , ionospheric electron density , lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling , meteorological parameters , Swarm satellites

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National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research, Almaty, 050060, Kazakhstan
Space Research Institute, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation

National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research
Space Research Institute

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