Storm sudden commencements and earthquakes

Abstract

We have investigated statistically the problem of possi-ble impact of the geomagnetic storm sudden com-mencement (SSC) on the global seismic activity. SSC are used as reference points for comparative analysis of seismicity by the method of superposed epoch. We se-lected 405 earthquakes from 1973 to 2010 with M≥5 magnitudes from a representative part of USGS Catalog. The comparative analysis of seismicity was carried out at the intervals of ±60 min relative to the reference point. With a high degree of reliability, it was found that before the reference point the number of earthquakes is noticeably greater than after it. In other words, the global seismicity is suppressed by SSC. We refer to some studies in which the chemical, thermal and force mechanisms of the electromagnetic field action on rocks are discussed. We emphasize the incompleteness of the study concerning the correlation between SSC and earthquakes because we still do not succeed in understanding and interpreting the relationship in terms of physics and mathematics. The study need to be continued to solve this problem of interest and importance.

On possible relation of earthquakes with the sign change of the interplanetary magnetic field radial component

“…In terms of strength, IMF has no particular effect on the dynamics of the magnetosphere, but it plays a key role in transferring momentum and energy from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. In particular, IMF determines the variety of spatio-temporal modes of magnetospheric ULF oscillations [Guglielmi, Pokhotelov, 1996], on which, in turn, physical processes in the lithosphere might depend.…”

“…We drew attention to another control parameter, namely |B| (see [Tobolzhina, 2016]). The mode of excitation of daytime permanent magnetospheric oscillations is known to depend on |B| [Guglielmi, 2007] [Tobolzhina, 2016]). We have made a preliminary estimate and have found out that in the latter range the number of severe earthquakes (with magnitudes 8 or higher) is 1.5 times larger than in the former.…”

“…The former category includes the phenomena in which mechanical processes in the earth's crust can, with some degree of certainty, be regarded as the cause of geomagnetic variations. An example is quasi-periodic magnetic field variations accompanying propagation of elastic waves at a distance away from an earthquake source, as well as magnetic pulses occurring at the source when the main rupture of rock continuity is formed (see the review [Guglielmi, 2007] and references therein). This category also includes observations of magnetic precursors of earthquakes, generated in the earth's crust at the stage of the main rupture formation.…”

“…This category also includes observations of magnetic precursors of earthquakes, generated in the earth's crust at the stage of the main rupture formation. The references below do not reflect the wealth of literature on magnetic earthquake precursors [Kalashnikov, 1954;Moore, 1964;Fraser-Smith et al, 1990;Hayakawa, 2001;Hattori, 2004;Dovbnya, 2009;Sobisevich et al, 2010;Masci, 2011;Guglielmi, Zotov, 2012a;Schekotov et al,. 2012;Zotov et al, 2013].…”

“…Our interest in HCS was generated by two factors. First, the interaction of Earth with HCS leads to a specific variation in magnetospheric ULF oscillations [Guglielmi, Pokhotelov, 1996], which is of concern from the viewpoint of seismomagnetism. Second, the moment when HCS is crossed is convenient to utilize as a reference in the statistical processing of a large amount of numerical information on earthquakes.…”