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Abstract. This paper is related to the study of the ion density recorded by the low altitude satellite DEMETER. In a first time there is an automatic search for ionospheric perturbations in the complete satellite data set of ion densities. Then perturbations due to known ionospheric phenomena (for example, solar activity) are eliminated as well as perturbations not above a seismic zone. In a second time, there is a search to know if each selected perturbation corresponds to a future earthquake. The earthquakes have been classified depending on their magnitude and depth. This attempt to predict earthquakes of course generates false alarms and wrong detections. The results of this statistical analysis are presented as function of various parameters. It is shown that the number of false alarms is very important, because the ionosphere has variations not only linked to the seismic activity. The number of wrong detections is also important and can be explained by the fact that the satellite is above a seismic area only a few minutes per day and we do not expect continuous perturbations from a given earthquake. The more important results of this study is that the ratio between detected earthquakes and earthquakes to be detected increases with the magnitude of the earthquakes which intuitively makes sense.

Abstract. We show that many, if not all, electron bursts with energy dispersion claimed to be earthquake precursors by Sideropoulos et al. (2011) are due to the cyclotron resonance of electrons with monochromatic waves from VLF transmitters. The geographic distribution of the VLF-related electron bursts is established during a period in 2007, when the powerful NWC transmitter is off and 20 more transmitters are operating.

Abstract. In Samoa Islands, a powerful earthquake took place at 17:48:10.99 UTC (06:48:10.99 LT) on 29 September 2009 with a magnitude Mw=8.1. Using ICE (Instrument Champ Electrique) and IMSC (Instrument Magnetic Search Coil) experiments onboard the DEMETER (Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite we have surveyed possible variations in electromagnetic signals transmitted by the ground-based VLF transmitter NPM in Hawaii and in HF plasma waves close to the Samoa earthquake during the seismic activity. The indices Dst and Kp were used to distinguish pre-earthquake anomalies from the other anomalies related to the geomagnetic activities. In a previous study we have shown that anomalies in IAP (plasma analyzer) and ISL (Langmuir probe) experiments onboard the DEMETER and also TEC (Total Electron Content) data appear 1 to 5 days before the Samoa earthquake. In this paper we show that the anomalies in the VLF transmitter signal and in the HF range appear with the same time scale. The lack of significant geomagnetic activities indicates that these anomalous behaviors could be regarded as seismo-ionospheric precursors. It is also shown that comparative analysis is more effective in seismo-ionospheric studies.

Abstract. Using IAP (plasma analyzer) and ISL (Langmuir probe) experiments onboard DEMETER (Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite and GPS (Global Positioning System) measurements, we have statistically analyzed the variations of the electron and ion densities to search for disturbances in the vicinity of four large earthquakes prior to events. The indices Dst and Kp were used to distinguish pre-earthquake anomalies from the other anomalies related to the geomagnetic activities. For each studied case, a very good agreement was found between the different parameters estimated by DEMETER and GPS data in the detection of pre-seismic anomalies. Our statistics results show that the anomalous deviations prior to earthquakes have different sign from case to case, and that their amplitude depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. It has also been found that the electron density measured by the ISL experiment at night detects anomalous variations significantly before the earthquakes. The appearance of positive and negative anomalies in both of DEMETER and TEC (Total Electron Content) data during 1 to 5 days before all studied earthquakes during quiet geomagnetic conditions indicates that these anomalous behaviors are highly regarded as seismo-ionospheric precursors.

Abstract. The electron density data recorded by the Langmuir Probe Instrument (ISL, Instrument Sonde de Langmuir) onboard the DEMETER satellite have been collected for nearly 4 yr (during 2006–2009) to perform a statistical analysis. During this time, more than 7000 earthquakes with a magnitude larger than or equal to 5.0 occurred all over the world. For the statistical studies, all these events have been divided into various categories on the basis of the seismic information, including Southern or Northern Hemisphere earthquakes, inland or sea earthquakes, earthquakes at different magnitude levels, earthquakes at different depth levels, isolated events and all events. To distinguish the pre-earthquake anomalies from the possible ionospheric anomalies related to the geomagnetic activity, the data were filtered with the Kp index. The statistical results obviously show that the electron density increases close to the epicentres both in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere, but the position of the anomaly is slightly shifted to the north in the Northern Hemisphere and to the south in the Southern Hemisphere. The electron density related to both inland and sea earthquakes presents an anomaly approximately close to the epicentres, but the anomaly for sea earthquakes is more significant than for inland earthquakes. The intensity of the anomalies is enhanced when the magnitude increases and is reduced when the depth increases. A similar anomaly can also be seen in the statistical results concerning the isolated earthquakes. All these statistical results can help to better understand the preparation process of the earthquakes and their influence up to the ionospheric levels.

Abstract. Variations of the Es-layer semi transparency co-efficient were analyzed for more than 100 earthquakes with magnitudes M > 4 and depths h < 100 km. Data of mid latitude vertical sounding stations (Kokubunji, Akita, and Yam-agawa) have been used for several decades before and after earthquake occurrences. The semi-transparency coefficient of Es-layer X = (foEs – fbEs)/fbEs can characterize, for thin layers, the presence of small scale plasma turbulence. It is shown that the turbulence level decreases by ~ 10% during three days before earthquakes probably due to the heating of the atmosphere. On the contrary, the turbulence level increases by the same value from one to three days after the shocks. For earthquakes with magnitudes M > 5 the effect exists at distances up to 300 km from the epicenters. The effect could also exist for weak (M ~ 4) and shallow (depth < 50 km) earthquakes at a distance smaller than 200 km from the epicenters.

Abstract. This paper studies seismo-electromagnetic anomalies observed by the French satellite DEMETER (Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) during the 27 February 2010 M = 8.8 Chile earthquake. The nighttime electron density (Ne), electron temperature (Te), ion density (Ni), ion temperature (Ti) and whistler counts (Cw) are investigated. A statistical analysis of the box-and-whisker method is applied to see if data of two or more groups under study are significantly different. A cross-examination of temporal variations before and after shows that Ne and Ni (Cw) increases (decreases) appear 10–20 days before the earthquake. A comparison of data over the epicenter and those over its reference area can be employed to discriminate the earthquake-related anomalies from global effects. Results prove that anomalous enhancements of Ne, Ni, and Ti occur specifically around the epicenter area. The intersection of the temporal and spatial results confirms that Ne and Ni are useful and sensitive detecting anomalous related to the 2010 M = 8.8 Chile earthquake.

Abstract. There have been recently reported a lot of electromagnetic phenomena associated with earthquakes (EQs). Among these, the ground-based reception of subionospheric waves from VLF/LF transmitters, is recognized as a promising tool to investigate the ionospheric perturbations associated with EQs. This paper deals with the corresponding whistler-mode signals in the upper ionosphere from those VLF/LF transmitters, which is the counterpart of subionospheric signals. The whistler-mode VLF/LF transmitter signals are detected on board the French satellite, DEMETER launched on 29 June 2004. We have chosen several large Japanese EQs including the Miyagi-oki EQ (16 August 2005; M=7.2, depth=36 km), and the target transmitter is a Japanese LF transmitter (JJY) whose transmitter frequency is 40 kHz. Due to large longitudinal separation of each satellite orbit (2500 km), we have to adopt a statistical analysis over a rather long period (such as 3 weeks or one month) to have reliable data set. By analyzing the spatial distribution of JJY signal intensity (in the form of signal to noise ratio SNR) during a period of 4 months including the Miyagi-oki EQ, we have found significant changes in the intensity; generally the SNR is significantly depleted before the EQ, which is considered to be a precursory ionospheric signature of the EQ. This abnormal effect is reasonably explained in terms of either (1) enhanced absorption of whistler-mode LF signals in the lower ionosphere due to the lowering of the lower ionosphere, or (2) nonlinear wave-wave scattering. Finally, this analysis suggests an important role of satellite observation in the study of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling.

Abstract. This work presents ground based ultra low frequency (ULF) electromagnetic field measurements in the frequency range 0.1–10 Hz from January 2007 to December 2008. In this time period a strong earthquake series hits the Wenchuan region with a main shock of magnitude MS = 8.0 on 12 May 2008. The Hebei ULF electromagnetic observation network includes eight observation stations in north China and the observation system named E-EM is employed to record the electric potential difference between two electrodes with an analog automatic real-time continuous pen recorder. First, weak electric signals appeared on 11 October 2007 at Ningjin station, most of which are with relative long periods ~0.4–3 s and unequal amplitudes ~0.5–20 mm. Then, similar signals appeared at Gaobeidian station at the end of October. Abnormal behavior with various time intervals appeared randomly and not every day. At the beginning of April 2008, one and a half months before the Wenchuan MS = 8.0 earthquake, the anomalies were gradually subject to an intensive increase mainly in Gaobeidian SN direction and Ningjin EW direction. The abnormal behavior appeared almost every day and the amplitudes of electric signals, with short periods of ~0.1–0.3 s, enhanced to ~3–30 mm. Qingxian station started to record marginally high frequency signals in SN and EW components in the middle of April. On 9 May, 3 days before the main shock, the amplitude of high frequency information increased sharply at the same time in two components at Gaobeidian station and the maximum amplitude was up to 70 mm, i.e. 1.3 mV m−1 for the electric field. This situation did not stop until 17 May, 5 days after the main event. However, this kind of climax phenomena did not happen at Ningjin station and Qingxian station. Then weak anomalous information lasted about four months again, and strong signals appeared again for a short time before several powerful aftershocks. It is the first time that an abnormity with so large an amplitude and so long a duration time in the observation history of this network though several strong earthquakes were recorded. Furthermore, no obvious interferences have been found during this period. So this event is possibly related to this shock although all these three stations are more than 1300 km away from the Wenchuan earthquake epicenter.

Abstract. Signals of two Japanese transmitters (22.2 kHz and 40 kHz) recorded on the ground VLF/LF station in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and on board the DEMETER French satellite have been analyzed during a seismic activity in Japan in May–June 2008. The period of analysis was from 18 April to 27 June. During this time two rather large earthquakes occurred in the north part of Honshu Island – 7 May (M=6.8) and 13 June (M=6.9). The ground and satellite data were processed by a method based on the difference between the real signal in nighttime and the model one. For ground observations a clear decrease in both signals has been found several days before the first earthquake. For the second earthquake anomalies were detected only in JJI signal. The epicenters of earthquakes were in reliable reception zone of 40 kHz signal on board the DEMETER. Signal enhancement above the seismic active region and significant signal intensity depletion in the magnetically conjugate area has been found for satellite observation before the first earthquake. Anomalies in satellite data coincide in time with those in the ground-based observation.

Abstract. The statistical analysis of the variations of the dayly-mean frequency of the maximum ionospheric electron density foF2 is performed in connection with the occurrence of (more than 60) earthquakes with magnitudes M>6.0, depths h<80 km and distances from the vertical sounding station R<1000 km. For the study, data of the Tokyo sounding station are used, which were registered every hour in the years 1957–1990. It is shown that, on the average, foF2 decreases before the earthquakes. One day before the shock the decrease amounts to about 5%. The statistical reliability of this phenomenon is obtained to be better than 0.95. Further, the variations of the occurrence probability of the turbulization of the F-layer (F spread) are investigated for (more than 260) earthquakes with M>5.5, h<80 km, R<1000 km. For the analysis, data of the Japanese station Akita from 1969–1990 are used, which were obtained every hour. It is found that before the earthquakes the occurrence probability of F spread decreases. In the week before the event, the decrease has values of more than 10%. The statistical reliability of this phenomenon is also larger than 0.95. Examining the seismo-ionospheric effects, here periods of time with weak heliogeomagnetic disturbances are considered. For the foF2 analysis, the Wolf number is less than 100 and the index ΣKp is smaller than 30, and in case of the F-spread study a Wolf number less than 80 and ΣKp smaller than 17 are chosen.

Abstract. In the present work, phenomena in the ionosphere are studied, which are connected with earthquakes (16 events) having a depth of less than 50 km and a magnitude M larger than 4. Analysed are night-time Es-spread effects using data of the vertical sounding station Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (φ=53.0°, λ=158.7°) from May 2004 until August 2004 registered every 15 min. It is found that the maximum distance of the earthquake from the sounding station, where pre-seismic phenomena are yet observable, depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. Further it is shown that 1–2 days before the earthquakes, in the pre-midnight hours, the appearance of Es-spread increases. With a probability of more than 0.95, this increase of Es-spread observations before midnight is not casual.

Abstract. In our earlier papers we have found the effect of VLF transmitter signal depression over epicenters of the large earthquakes from observation on the French DEMETER satellite that can be considered as new method of global diagnostics of seismic influence on the ionosphere. At present paper we investigate a possibility VLF signal-ionospheric turbulence interaction using additional characteristic of VLF signal-spectrum broadening. This characteristic is important for estimation of the interaction type: linear or nonlinear scattering. Our main results are the following: – There are two zones of increased spectrum broadening, which are centered near magnetic latitudes Φ=±10° and Φ=±40°. Basing on the previous case study research and ground ionosonde registrations, probably it is evidence of nonlinear (active) scattering of VLF signal on the ionospheric turbulence. However occurrence rate of spectrum broadening in the middle-latitude area is higher than in the near-equatorial zone (~15–20% in comparison with ~100% in former area) that is probably coincides with the rate of ionospheric turbulence. – From two years statistics of observation in the selected 3 low-latitude regions and 1 middle-latitude region inside reception area of VLF signal from NWC transmitter we find a correlation of spectrum broadening neither with ion-cyclotron noise (f=150–500 Hz), which possibly means poor representation of the turbulence by the noise due to its mixture with natural ELF emission (which correlates with whistler), nor with magnetic storm activity. – We find rather evident correlation of ion-cyclotron frequency noise, VLF signal depression and weak correlation of spectrum broadening with seismicity in the middle-latitude region over Japan. But in the low-latitude regions we do not find such a correlation. Statistical decrease of VLF signal supports our previous case study results. However rather weak spectrum broadening-seismicity statistical correlation means probably that passive scattering prevails upon nonlinear (active) one.

Abstract. During the DEMETER operating period in 2004–2010, many strong earthquakes took place in the world. 69 strong earthquakes with a magnitude above 7.0 during January 2005 to February 2010 were collected and analysed. The orbits, recorded in local nighttime by satellite, were chosen by a distance of 2000 km to the epicentres during the 9 days around these earthquakes, with 7 days before and 1 day after. The anomaly is defined when the disturbances in the electric field PSD increased to at least 1 order of magnitude relative to the normal median level about 10−2μV2/m2/Hz at 19.5–250 Hz frequency band, and the starting point of perturbations not exceeding 10° relsupative to the epicentral latitude. Among the 69 earthquakes, it is shown that electrostatic perturbations were detected at ULF-ultra low frequency and ELF-extremely low frequency band before the 32 earthquakes, nearly 46%. Furthermore, we extended the searching scale of these perturbations to the globe, and it can be found that before some earthquakes, the electrostatic anomalies were distributed in a much larger area a few days before, and then they concentrated to the closest orbit when the earthquake would happen one day or a few hours later, which reflects the spatial developing feature during the seismic preparation process. The results in this paper contribute to a better description of the electromagnetic (EM) disturbances at an altitude of 660–710 km in the ionosphere that can help towards a further understanding of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere (LAI) coupling mechanism.

Abstract. In this study, we report on Total Electron Content (TEC) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) space measurements derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) and DEMETER satellites, respectively. These measurements are associated with the earthquake (EQ) of a magnitude of 6.3, which occurred on 6 April 2009, in L'Aquila (Italy). Anomaly features are derived from the analysis of TEC and VLF observations recorded two weeks before and after the seismic event occurrence. A TEC map with an interpolated regional pixel resolution of 1° × 1° × 15 min in latitude, longitude and time was generated, allowing for the checking of a possible presence of disturbances over the L'Aquila region. This analysis is combined with the study of the time profile associated to the VLF flux density variations recorded by the Instrument Champ Electrique (ICE) experiment on-board DEMETER satellite. We discuss, on the one hand, the combination efficiency of the electronic density and the VLF electromagnetic measurements and, on the other hand, the difficulty to distinguish between global effects and regional ones related to the earthquake.