Abstract
The possible seismo-ionospheric anomalies of the recent Mw 6.0 and Mw 6.4 twin earthquakes of 14 November 2021 in southern Iran were studied through Global Positioning System (GPS) and ground ionosonde observations. GPS measured total electron content observations, and ionosonde measured NmF2 and hmF2, showing ionospheric anomalies in the pre-seismic and co-seismic phases of the earthquakes. A positive increase in ΔTEC was observed at near-field stations ~ 2–7 days before the twin earthquakes. Our observations also show an increase in the estimated values of NmF2 and hmF2 in the pre-seismic phase compared to their mean values. As the “Kp” and “Dst” indices were quiet during the observation period, these anomalies are apparently generated by seismic activity. The observation of sudden co-seismic ionospheric disturbances at near-field stations immediately after the earthquakes explains the mechanism of co-seismic energy propagation through the lithosphere-atmosphere–ionosphere coupling. The estimated differential NmF2 values show a dip in the peak electron density of − 2.84 × 1011 e/m3 during the time of earthquakes. Our results also show anomalous pre-seismic enhancements in all the three parameters used in this study—TEC, NmF2, and hmF2—an indication of precursory signatures of the twin events. In addition, these parameters also show similar changes in their co-seismic phases. Thus, the observed pre- and co-seismic ionospheric anomalies reveal the characteristic signatures of the preparation processes and the co-seismic energy propagation of the twin earthquakes.
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GPS data of the SCAS station and the ground ionosonde data used in this study were provided by the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST). The GPS data of DRS6 and DRS9 stations were provided by Dubai municipality. The solar and geomagnetic indices were obtained from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) (https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/geomag/indices.html). The GPS RINEX data of the IGS stations were obtained from the International GNSS service (IGS) (https://igs.org). The earthquake data used in this study were obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/search/).
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the Director of Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) for the GPS and ionosonde data. Our sincere thanks and acknowledgment to the survey department of the Dubai Municipality (Eng. Eman AL Falasi and Eng. Osama S. A Mohamed) for their collaboration in providing the data of two GPS stations (DRS6 and DRS9). Author RS would also like to thank the Director of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, India, for providing the facilities to carry out this work. We thank Abd Elmahmoud Elgaili for his help with data collection.
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JPP conceived the problem, carried out data analysis, interpreted the results, and drafted the text. HAH and RS participated in the scientific discussions, interpreted the results, and co-drafted the text. AMD carried out the ionosonde data processing, and AS reviewed the results and provided useful suggestions during the preparation of the manuscript. All the authors actively discussed the results and reviewed the manuscript.
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Pappachen, J.P., Hamdan, H.A., Sathiyaseelan, R. et al. Possible seismo-ionospheric anomalies of Mw 6.0 and 6.4 south Iran twin earthquakes on 14 November 2021 from GPS and ionosonde observations. Arab J Geosci 17, 201 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-12005-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-12005-3