Ionospheric Disturbances Possibly Associated with Yangbi Ms6.4 and Maduo Ms7.4 Earthquakes in China from China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite

Abstract

In this paper, the data of electron density, electron temperature and ion compositions detected by the China seismo-electromagnetic satellite (CSES) before Yangbi Ms6.4 and Maduo Ms7.4 earthquakes in China during 21–22 May 2021 are analyzed by using the algorithms of moving average to get the high frequency perturbations, revisited orbit comparison to construct the normal background, and wavelet transform to obtain the spectrum characteristics. Most of the parameters we studied were characterized by synchronous changes and similar frequencies, and even have symmetrical structures in the seismogenic zone, suggesting that they may originate from the same disturbing source. The research results also demonstrated that the electron density and electron temperature forms changed from relatively stable to unstable about 40 days before the earthquakes, and then gradually recovered after the earthquakes. Meanwhile, the disturbances are concentrated near the epicenter. As the earthquakes approach, the number of disturbances gradually becomes more frequent. Based on those observational facts, we suggest that the Yangbi and Maduo earthquakes may have affected the ionosphere through the ionosphere and magnetosphere branch and thermal branch of the lithosphere atmosphere ionosphere coupling model mechanism.