Multiple parameters anomalies for verifying the geosystem spheres coupling effect: a case study of the 2010 Ms7.1 Yushu earthquake in China

• Main Authors: Shuo Zheng, Lixin X. Wu, Kai Qin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 2014-08-01
• Series: Annals of Geophysics
• Subjects: Multi-parameters; Geosystem spheres coupling effect; Power spectrum density; Radon; Surface latent heat flux; Yushu earthquake
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/6508

<p>In the research of earthquake anomaly recognition, the coupling effect of multiple geosystem spheres can be expected to reasonably interpretating the correlation between various anomalous signals before strong earthquake. Specially, the development of the Lithosphere–Atmosphere–Ionosphere (LAI) coupling model has been accepted as verified by some experimental, thermal and electromagnetic data. However, quasi-synchronous anomalies of the multiple parameters, including thermal, radon and electromagnetic data, have not been reported in a single event case for verifying the geosystem spheres coupling effect. In this paper, we firstly summarized the reported studies on the power spectrum density (PSD) in the ELF/VLF band and radon data recorded from Guza seismic station. Then, historical surface latent heat flux (SLHF) data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project was employed for investigating anomalous change in a month before the April 14, 2010, Ms7.1 Yushu earthquake which is one of the typical intra-continental earthquakes in Tibet Plateau. The results from spatial and temporal analysis revealed that anomalous fields of PSD and SLHF data were located close to the epicenter and the ends of some active faults at Bayan Har Block and all anomalous dates converged between April 8 and 11 (6 to 3 days before the Yushu earthquake). Therefore, we suggest that the anomalies of multiple parameters before the main shock are related with the Yushu earthquake. This paper could give an ideal case study to verify the geosystem spheres coupling effect happened in a single event.</p>