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Three-dimensional reconstruction of seismo-traveling ionospheric disturbances after March 11, 2011, Japan Tohoku earthquake

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Abstract

The electron density structures of the seismo-traveling ionospheric disturbances (STIDs) during the Tohoku earthquake are reconstructed by applying the three-dimensional computerized ionospheric tomography (3DCIT) technique with a 30-s time resolution for the first time. The vertical distribution of 3DCIT results is consistent with the constellation observing system for meteorology, ionosphere and climate (COSMIC) observations. The horizontal speeds of STIDs at different altitudes are estimated, and the three types of STIDs related to Rayleigh waves, acoustic waves and gravity waves are identified by their propagation characters. The magnitude of STIDs related to Rayleigh waves decreased with altitude, and there was no significant difference between the speeds (~ 2500 m/s) at different altitudes. The STIDs caused by acoustic waves traveled faster at 300 km altitude (~ 666–724 m/s) than at 150 km altitude (~ 500–550 m/s). From 150 to 250 km altitudes, in the STIDs induced by gravity waves, the magnitude of positive and negative wave fronts showed the opposite trend. The speed at 300 km altitude (~ 332 m/s) was slightly larger than at 150 km altitude (~ 310 m/s). The Rayleigh waves related STIDs showed a conic-like geometry, whereas the acoustic waves and gravity waves induced STIDs showed inverted conic-like geometries. The possible propagation mechanisms of different types of STIDs are also discussed.

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Data availability

The GPS data can be obtained from http://datahouse1.gsi.go.jp/terras/terras_english.html.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan for providing the dense GPS data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geodesy and Geomatics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China

    Changzhi Zhai & Yibin Yao

  2. Chinese Antarctic Center of Surveying and Mapping, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China

    Jian Kong

Authors
  1. Changzhi Zhai
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  2. Yibin Yao
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  3. Jian Kong
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Contributions

CZZ and YBY designed the research; CZZ and JK performed the research and experiment; CZZ, YBY and JK analyzed the data; CZZ and JK wrote the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian Kong.

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Zhai, C., Yao, Y. & Kong, J. Three-dimensional reconstruction of seismo-traveling ionospheric disturbances after March 11, 2011, Japan Tohoku earthquake. J Geod 95, 77 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-021-01533-5

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