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Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR
1988, vol.301, No.1, pp.67-69.
V.I.Gorny, A.G.Salman, A.A.Tronin, B.V.Shilin
TERRESTRIAL OUTGOING INFRARED RADIATION
AS AN INDICATOR OF SEISMIC ACTIVITY
The analysis of satellite thermal images (STI) of the Earth's surface within the spectral
range of 10.5-11.3 mcm has shown that over some linear structures of the Middle-Asian
seismically active region (Kopet-Dagh, Talasso-Ferghana and other faults) there is observed a
stable in time and space increasing intensity of the outgoing radiathion flux as compared to
contiguous blocks (Fig.1).
A retrospective analysis of a continuous series (1980 and 1984) of observations of the
outgoing IR radiation flux (daily STI taken before dawn) in the Middle-Asian region has shown
that in certain individual zones of some major tectonic dislocations there appear from time to
time positive anomalies of IR radiation, for instance at the point of intersection of the Talasso-
Ferghana and Tamdy-Tokrauss faults. These anomalies last from 2 to 10 days. The spontaneous
anomalies are characterized by a pulsating variation of area. The space confinement and duration
of these anomalies permit distinguishing theme noise anomalies caused by meteorological
factors. The time of the appearance of these anomalies coincides with the activation of faults
over which there has been detected an increase of the outgoing IR radiation flux. In 1984 the
majority of crustal earthquakes, of a magnitude over 4, in the Tien Shan were accompanied by
the appearance of a positive anomaly of the IR radiation at the point of the intersection of the
Tamdy-Tokrauss fault with that of Talasso-Ferghana. The area of anomalies was several tens of
thousands of square kilometres.
The most outstanding example of such activization is the Ghazli earthquake of March 19,
1984 (magnitude 7.2). At the point of the intersection of the Tamdy-Tokrauss and Talasso-
Ferghana faults there was detected on March 11 a positive anomaly of the outgoing IR radiation
flux of exceptional intensity and enormous area (about 100 thousand sq.km) (Fig.2).
The subsequent earthquakes in the zone of the Tamdy-Tokrauss fault in the summer of 1984
(July 8, August 5,14, September 27) of the magnitudes from 4.3 to 5.3 were also preceded by the
appearance of a positive anomaly of the outgoing IR radiation at the point of intersection of the
Tamdy-Tokrauss and Talasso-Ferghana faults. Let us review in more detail the development in
time and space of the anomalies of IR radiation at the intersection of the above faults during the
time of their activation in the summer of 1984.
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After the earthquake of March 19 there set in a background distribution of the terrestrial
outgoing IR radiation flux (Fig.1). The appearance of a positive anomaly of IR radiation at the
point of intersection of the Talaso-Ferghana and Tamdy-Tokrauss faults was noted only by the
end of July 24. This anomaly developed to the south-west on June 25 and 26 along the Tamdy-
Tokrauss fault. On July 27 the area of the anomaly began diminishing and on July 29 there was
observed a background distribution of the terrestrial outgoing radiation flux. On July 30, August
1 and 2 there was noted the appearance of anomaly over the Tamdy-Tokrauss fault of
inconsiderable area and intensity. On August 3 and 4 there was again observed in the region a
background distribution of the terrestrial outgoing IR radiation flux. On August 5, 1984, there
occurred a 4.3 earthquake in the area of Ghazli within the zone of the Tamdy-Tokrauss fault,
with the epicentre at 40 20' N, 63 35' W.
After the earthquake, between Aug. 6 and 10 there was registered in the region a next
appearance and development of the anomaly of IR radiation at the point of intersection of the
same faults. The maximum area of anomaly was observed on Aug. 7 and 8. Beginning on
Aug. 10, 1984, the distribution in the region of the terrestrial outgoing IR radiation flux acquires
the background state. Upon this appearance of the positive anomaly of the outgoing IR
radiation there followed on Aug. 14, 1984, 5.3 and 4.9 earthquakes in the Ghazli area that were
genetically connected with the Tamdy-Tokrauss fault (Fig. 3)
The anomalies of the outgoing IR radiation in the zone of the Talasso-Ferghana fault appear
not only prior to the earthquakes connected with the Tamdy-Tokrauss fault, but also prior to the
earthquakes with epicenters in the southern spurs of the Tien Shan. The dynamics of the
development in space and time of the outgoing IR radiation flux anomalies are similar to the
instances cited above. It should be emphasized that the anomalies of IR radiation in the zone of
the Talasso-Ferghana fault proceed only the crustal earthquakes of magnitudes over 4.3.
Similar positive anomalies of the terrestrial outgoing IR radiation flux were discovered in
another region of seismic activity - in the Eastern Mediterranean. Here the anomalies of IR
radiation were registered in the coastal zone (up to 300 km) on the boundary between Lybia and
Egypt. These anomalies appear on the extension of the Hellenic deformation system of disloca-
tions within the African platform, as well as over faults of the anti-Mediterranean direction in the
area from the Nile delta to the Gulf of Sidra. The anomalies of IR radiation are especially distinct
in this area prior to the earthquakes genetically connected with the Hellenic arch. It should be
emphasized that the anomalies can appear at places considerably distant from the epicenters of
the earthquakes connected with them.
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The connection of the anomalies of the outgoing IR radiation over active fault zones with
the time of their activation poses the problem of the nature of the appearance of such anomalies.
The relatively high velocity of the formation and development of the anomalies, their
intensity reaching a few degrees, as well as the area of their development encompassing from a
few up to several thousand square kilometers, deny any opportunity for connecting these
anomalies directly with the processes of transformation of the mechanical energy into the
thermal one in the course of maturation of an earthquake. Possible the nature of these anomalies
is connected with the changes in the composition and concentration of gaseous foreign matter in
the layers of atmosphere close to the earth over active faults. It is known [1-5] that active
structures of the Earth's crust are characterized by high emanations of such gases as H , CO , CO
, CH , PH , Rn and other compounds. Changes in the gaseous composition of the atmosphere can
result in different effects. One of these is the greenhouse effect [6]. For instance, an increase by
an order (in comparison with the normal) of the content of such gases as CO , CH in the
ground layer of atmosphere 2000 m high can result in an increase of temperature at the surfase of
the Earth by a few degrees, this corresponding to the intensity of the observed anomalies of the
terrestrial outgoing IR radiation flux over active structures of Middle Asia and some other
seismically active region. Moreover, in seismically active regions there are known facts of the
increase of the concentration of these gases by 1-2 orders in the near-surface layer of atmosphere
at the times of seismic activity [4,7].
It is quite possible that gases can be luminescent if the near-surface layers of atmosphere
within the range of IR similarly to luminescence of the atmosphere observed in the focus zones
of some earthquake [8].
O.Yu.Schmidt Institute of the Physics of the Earth
of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow.
The All-Union Research Institute of Remote
Sensing Methods in Geology, of Satellite Airborne
Methods, Leningrad.
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References
1. Sugisaki R., Anno H. et al. - Geochim.J., 1980, N 14, p.101-110.
2. Wakita H., Nakamura Y. et al. - Science, 1980, vol.210, p.188-190.
3. Osika D.C. The Fluid Regime of Seismically Active Regions. M., Nauka, 1981.
4. Petrenko V.I. - Sov. Geol., 1982, N 2, p.116-124.
5. Voitov G.I., Abduvaliev A.U. et al. In a book "Hydrogeodynamic Forerunners of
Earthquakes". M.; Nauka, 1984, p.129-155.
6. Kondratiev K.Ya., Moskalenko N.I. Grenhouse Effect of the Atmosphere and the Climate. L.;
Gydrometeoizdat, 1984.
7. Golubev O.A. In a book "Hydrogeochemical Investigations on Prognostic Polygons". Alma-
Ata; Nauka, 1983, p.30-32.
8. Hedervari P., Noszticrius Z. - Ann.Geophys., vol.3, N 6, p.705-708.
9. Shilin B.V. - Thermal Aerial Survey in the Study of Natural Resources. L.; Gydrometeoizdat,
1980.
10. Kissin I.G. In a book "Hydrogeodynamical Forerunners of Earthquakes". M.; Nauka, 1984,
p.3-30.
Captions
Fig.1 The thermal IR image of NOAA-9 satellite. Background distribution of the terrestrial
outgoing IR radiation flux at night in the Middle-Asian seismically active region (image
in the spectral range of 10.5-11.3 , scale 1:25 000 000). Faults: I-I - Dzhalair-Naiman,
II-II - Talasso-Ferghana, III-III - Tamdy-Tokrauss, IV-IV - prior to Kopet-Dagh.
Fig.2 The thermal IR image of NOAA-9 satellite on March 11, 1984 before the Ghazli
earthquake of March 19, 1984 ( M=7.2 ) IR anomaly is indicated by arrows.
Fig.3 The thermal IR images of NOAA-9 satellite on: a) August 6, 1984; b) August 8, 1984; c)
August 15, 1984. IR anomalies are indicated by arrows.
Fig.4 Summarized, by months, area of IR anomalies for the period of observations (top)
1979 (7 months), 1980 (4), 1984 (3), 1985 (4), 1986 (3), 1987 (5). Summarized, by
months, seismic activity in Tien Shan for the same period (bottom).
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Доклады АН СССР, т. 301, №1, 1988 г., сс. 67-69.
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