We report the results of measurements of ultra‐low‐frequency magnetic noise during a large earthquake (Ms=7.1) at Guam of 8 August, 1993 (depth ∼60 km). The ULF observing system is located in the Guam Island, about 65 km from the epicenter. Several distinct features of this analysis are summarized. (1) We have proposed rather sophisticated statistical analyses (monthly mean, standard deviation) in order to estimate the wave intensity and polarization (i.e. ratio Z/H). (2) A comparison between the ULF wave activity and ΣKp, is useful in distinguishing between the space geomagnetic pulsations and non‐space emissions. (3) Then, the use of the ratio (Z/H) is found to be of essential importance in discrimating the emissions presumably of seismic origin from space plasma waves. (4) The statistical analysis of the temporal evolution of this ratio, has yielded that it shows a broad maximum only about one month before the earthquake, and this suggests that the emissions during this period are very likely to be magnetic precursors. (5) The temporal variation of Z component is similar to that for the Loma Prieta earthquake such that it shows a broad maximum ten days ∼ two weeks before the earthquake and another increase a few days before the earthquake. (6) The emissions presumably associated with the earthquake are of noise‐like nature, and their main frequency is 0.02 ∼ 0.05 Hz (with maximum intensity ∼0.1 nT).

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The subionospheric VLF/LF propagation is extensively used to investigate the lower ionospheric perturbation in possible association with earthquakes. An extensive period of data over 7 yr from January 2001 to December 2007 and a combination of different propagation paths in and around Japan are used to examine the statistical correlation between the VLF/LF propagation anomaly (average nighttime amplitude, dispersion, and nighttime fluctuation) and earthquakes with magnitude >6.0. It is then found that the propagation anomaly exceeding the 2σ (standard deviation) criterion indicating the presence of ionospheric perturbation is significantly correlated with earthquakes with shallow depth (<40 km). Finally, the mechanism of seismoionospheric perturbations is discussed.

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Abstract. A likely VLF subionospheric signal effect related to seismic activity was first reported by tlayakawa et al. [1996a, b] in association wi0• tire great Kobe earthquake. We have analyzed similar data during periods around 10 other great earthquakes (magnitude M>6) in order to understand the main features of such an effect. The following characteristics cmerged from our analysis: The etti•ct appears as a transient oscillation with a 5-to 10-day period, which is initiated a few clays before a large earthquake and decays over a few days to weeks after it. It is mainly related to crustal earthquakes. It appears when resonant atmospheric oscillations with periods in a range of 5-11 days exist before the earthquake. The seismic influence on the VLF signal is probably explained by the generation of long-period gravity waves during the earthquake process and their intensification at heights of 70-90 km. IntroductionElectromagnetic phenomena associated with seismic activity have been extensively discussed (e.g., see a com- In this paper, we present new results on the VLF subionospheric signal effect. In our previous papers Copyright 1998 by the American Geophysical Union.

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The characteristics of the ULF magnetic field emissions measured at two magnetic observatories in the Republic of Georgia prior to and after the Ms = 6.9 earthquake that occurred near Spitak, Armenia, on December 7, 1988, are compared with the apparently similar emissions associated with the Ms = 7.1 earthquake that occurred near Loma Prieta, California, on October 17, 1989. The main features of the Spitak measurements, according to observations made at the Dusheti station (128 km to the Spitak epicenter), as compared with the Loma Prieta measurements, which were made at Corralitos, California (7 km to the Loma Prieta epicenter), are the following: (1) The intensity of ULF background activity started growing 3 to 5 days before the Spitak earthquake, whereas the corresponding increase in activity began 12 days before the Loma Prieta earthquake; (2) a substantial ULF emission burst was recorded at Dusheti starting 4 hours prior to the main shock; a similar large burst of ULF activity commenced 3 hours before the Loma Prieta event, and continued until the occurrence of the main shock; (3) ULF activity remained high for about two weeks after the Spitak earthquake, and for several months after the Loma Prieta earthquake; (4) ULF noise bursts were observed 1 to 6 hours before powerful aftershocks at Spitak during the period of enhanced activity, but there was no conclusive link between the ULF noise at Corralitos and the after‐shocks. A major difference in the ULF activity preceding the two earthquakes is a difference in amplitude (0.2 nT at Spitak and 5 nT at Loma Prieta), but this is easily explained as being caused by the different distances of the observation stations from the epicenters.

Abstract. The analysis of the VLF signals radiated by ground transmitters and received on board of the French DEMETER satellite, reveals a drop of the signals (scattering spot) connected with the occurrence of large earthquakes. The extension of the "scattering spots" zone is large enough (1000-5000 km) and, probably, it increases with the magnitude of the "relative" earthquake. A possible model to explain the phenomenology, based on the acoustic gravity waves and the ionosphere turbulence, is proposed. The method of diagnostics applied to this study has the advantage to be a global one due to the world wide location of the powerful VLF transmitters and of the satellite reception. However, a specific disadvantage exists because the method requires rather a long time period of analysis due to the large longitudinal displacements among the successive satellite orbits. At the moment, at least, one month seems to be necessary.