Abstract
Variations of the total electron content according to the index IONEX IGS in the period of preparation of the earthquake in Haiti (M7.9) on January 12, 2010, are considered. The situation is exceptional owing to the unique position of the island of Haiti relative to the structure of the ionosphere over the Caribbean Sea: the ionospheric region over Haiti is in the trough formed by the northern slope of the equatorial anomaly and additional maximum formed at latitudes of approximately 30° N within this longitudinal interval. Distortion of the shape of the equatorial anomaly, total decrease in the electron content in the equatorial anomaly a few days prior to the earthquake, increase in the electron concentration directly over the earthquake epicenter a few days prior to the earthquake, increase in the additional maximum at latitudes of ∼30° N, and formation of an additional maximum in the Southern Hemisphere in the region conjugated to the additional maximum in the Northern Hemisphere in the periods of its intensification are observed. The configuration of the equatorial anomaly is restored after the earthquake.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mendillo, M., Huang, C.-L., Pi, X., Rishbeth, H., and Meier, R., The Global Ionospheric Asymmetry in Total Electron Content, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys., 2005, vol. 67, pp. 1377–1387.
Namgaladze, A.A., Klimenko, M.V., Klimenko, V.V., and Zakharenkova, I.E., Physical Mechanism and Mathematical Modeling of Earthquake Ionospheric Precursors Registered in Total Electron Content, Geomagn. Aeron., 2009, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 267–277 [Geomagn. Aeron., 2009, vol. 49, pp. 252–262].
Pulinets, S.A. and Boyarchuk, K.A., Ionospheric Precursors of Earthquakes, Berlin, Germany: Springer, 2004.
Pulinets, S.A. and Legen’ka, A.D., First Simultaneous Observations of the Topside Density Variations and VLF Emissions before the Irpinia Earthquake, November, 23, 1980 in Magnetically Conjugated Regions, Proc. Int. Workshop on Seismo Electromagnetics, (Japan, 1997), Chofu: Univ. Electro-Commun., 1997, pp. 56–59.
Pulinets, S.A., Bondur, V.G., Tsidilina, M.N., and Gaponova, M.V., Verification of the Concept of Seismoionospheric Coupling under Quiet Heliogeomagnetic Conditions, Using the Wenchuan (China) Earthquake of May 12, 2008 as an Example, Geomagn. Aeron., 2010, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 251–263 [Geomagn. Aeron., 2010, vol. 50, pp. 231–242].
Pulinets, S.A., Hernandez-Pajares, M., and Depuev, V.Kh., Equatorial Anomaly Variability as a Function of the Local Time and the Longitude, Proc. the IRI Task Force Activity, Trieste, 2003, pp. 159–166.
Pulinets, S.A., Physical Mechanism of the Vertical Electric Field Generation over Active Tectonic Faults, Adv. Space Res., 2009, vol. 44, pp. 767–773.
Rishbeth, H., Dynamics of the Equatorial F-Region, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys., 1977, vol. 39, pp. 1159–1168.
Zakharenkova, I.E., Krankowski, A., and Shagimuratov, I.I., Modification of the Low-Latitude 21 Ionosphere before December 26, 2004 Indonesian Earthquake, Nat. Hazard Earth Syst. Sci., 2006, vol. 6, pp. 817–823.
Zakharenkova, I.E., Shagimuratov, I.I., Tepenitzina, N.Yu., and Krankowski, A., Anomalous Modification of the Ionospheric Total Electron Content Prior to the September 26, 2005 Peru Earthquake, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys., 2008, vol. 70, pp. 1919–1928.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © S.A. Pulinets, K.G. Tsybulya, 2010, published in Geomagnetizm i Aeronomiya, 2010, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 713–716.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pulinets, S.A., Tsybulya, K.G. Unique variations of the total electron content in the preparation period of Haitian earthquake (M7.9) on January 12, 2010. Geomagn. Aeron. 50, 686–689 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793210050166
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793210050166