The giant earthquake that struck Japan this year not only shook the Earth, but also rattled the highest layer of the atmosphere, scientists find.
This research could lead to a new type of early warning system for devastating tsunamis and earthquakes.
The magnitude 9 quake that struck off the coast of Tohoku in Japan in March unleashed a catastrophic tsunami, ushered in what might be the world's first complex megadisaster and set off microquakes and tremors around the globe.
Past research revealed the surface motions and tsunamis that earthquakes generate can also trigger waves in the atmosphere. These waves can reach all the way to the ionosphere, one of the highest layers of the atmosphere.
Now scientists report the Tohoku quake generated the largest such disturbances seen yet, creating ripples in electrically charged particles reaching nearly 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the Earth.
Investigators measured these disruptions, called seismotraveling ionospheric disturbances, using about 1,000 global positioning system (GPS) receivers in Japan and Taiwan. Disruptions of the electrically charged particles in the ionosphere would lead to anomalies in radio signals between the ground receivers and the GPS satellites, data that scientists can measure.
Scientists detected a disc-shaped rise in electron density in the ionosphere about seven minutes after the earthquake. Concentric waves of fluctuating electron density then flowed out in the ionosphere from this disk at speeds of about 450 to 500 mph (720 to 800 kph). All in all, this disruption was about three times greater than the next largest one ever seen, which came after the 2004 magnitude 9.3 Sumatra earthquake.
The ripples that flowed from the initial disc-shaped disturbance in the ionosphere appear to be linked to the tsunami, a connection that has the potential to save lives. "This signature in space that we can see with GPS could provide early warning that a tsunami is coming," said researcher Jann-Yenq "Tiger" Liu, an atmospheric scientist at Taiwan's National Central University.
One important question in determining how much of a warning his phenomenon might provide is: "Is there any detectable precursor in the status of the ionosphere before this disturbance is actually observed?" said atmospheric physicist Gaopeng Lu at Duke University, who did not take part in this study. "In that way, we might be able to predict the occurrence of earthquakes."
© OurAmazingPlanet
16 Comments
Login to comment
Elbuda Mexicano
Wow! If this earthquake and tsunamis were such a terrible thing to so many people, maybe this research can bring something positive, like an early warning system by looking for changes in the upper atmosphere. Congrats to these scientists!
redsac
I tend to view a massive earthquake as the best early warning system for tsunami's, not ionosphere anomalies detected AFTER the tsunami has been unleashed.
cwhite
they have buoy's for that, after an earthquake any rise in the sea, however slight near the epi-center will be enough to send warnings
MeLuvULongTimes
This may be true and, hopefully, it will detect tsunamis in the future. However, a few days prior to the quake there was a high level of ionospheric activity discovered. Finish nuclear scientist, Arto Lauri, explains his theory based on the research he has done on the Fukushima accident:
continued... http://enenews.com/discussion-thread-august-15-21-2011/comment-page-2#comment-121481
mimitchy
Totally, unless there's some element of quantum mechanics involved which is most likely.
WilliB
Meluvelongtimes:
And what, pray tell, is "methane in the form of ice"?
Star-viking
The article says the atmospheric waves were detected around 7 minutes after the earthquake - if I recall correctly the first tsunami waves made landfall 15 minutes after the quake - so this seems like a possible way of confirming a tsunami is on the way before it hits.
Star-viking
MeLuvULongTimes,
as a Physics graduate I can tell you that if Arto Lauri is a scientist, then 'scientist' must have a different meaning from the English definition in Finland. His stuff reads like standard conspiracy theory fare: HAARP, Chemtrails - and when did Sellafield and Superphenix explode!?
WilliB
Star-viking:
Also, Arto Lauri seems to have moved Superphenix move from France to Japan. Quite an achievement :-)
Star-viking
Well spotted WilliB!
WilliB
I found Arto Lauri on Youtube. He is no scientiest, he is an ex nuclear plant worker turned "activist".
He is telling tall tales on the other monitor as I am typing. The English subtitles are full of bizarre stuff, but in Finnish it sounds great.
Moderator
All readers back on topic please.
MeLuvULongTimes
Thank you all. Well, Arto Lauri may not be a scientist, and his theory may not be 100% correct, but it may hold some validity. Especially the part where he talks about the ionization of the atmosphere above Japan prior to the quake. In addition to the Chinese and Russians, NASA also detected increased ionization above Japan prior 3-11.
Also I believe he is talking about "Methane clathrate": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_clathrate
MeLuvULongTimes
And as the article states the detection of seismotraveling ionospheric disturbances has now been confirmed by Taiwan and Japan. Now that is at least three and maybe five nations that have detected high levels of activity above Japan. So where did it come from?
Star-viking
@MeLuvULongTimes
First, do you have a source for your claim that 'increased ionization' was detected above Japan prior to 11-3?
Second the article is talking about physical waves in the ionosphere - not an increase in ionization.
BessonovYan
One of some Russian Institutes was prognosis 11 March. Their prognosis based on change of atmospheric absolute pressure that began in 9 March in Japan. Also they calculate 5-6 magnitude, but they not expect 9. Chinese scientific supposed that atmospheric absolute pressure changed after quake, but our scientific calculate prognosis of quake after fixed change of atmospheric absolute pressure.