Investigation of VLF and HF waves showing seismo-ionospheric anomalies induced by the 29 September 2009 Samoa earthquake (<i>M</i>_w=8.1)

Abstract

Abstract. In Samoa Islands, a powerful earthquake took place at 17:48:10.99 UTC (06:48:10.99 LT) on 29 September 2009 with a magnitude Mw=8.1. Using ICE (Instrument Champ Electrique) and IMSC (Instrument Magnetic Search Coil) experiments onboard the DEMETER (Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite we have surveyed possible variations in electromagnetic signals transmitted by the ground-based VLF transmitter NPM in Hawaii and in HF plasma waves close to the Samoa earthquake during the seismic activity. The indices Dst and Kp were used to distinguish pre-earthquake anomalies from the other anomalies related to the geomagnetic activities. In a previous study we have shown that anomalies in IAP (plasma analyzer) and ISL (Langmuir probe) experiments onboard the DEMETER and also TEC (Total Electron Content) data appear 1 to 5 days before the Samoa earthquake. In this paper we show that the anomalies in the VLF transmitter signal and in the HF range appear with the same time scale. The lack of significant geomagnetic activities indicates that these anomalous behaviors could be regarded as seismo-ionospheric precursors. It is also shown that comparative analysis is more effective in seismo-ionospheric studies.