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Source: The post is based on the article “Ionosphere: Reflection of Earthquake Source Process in the Ionosphere could pave way for deciphering earthquake precursors using space-based observations” published in “PIB” on 24th November 2023
Why in the News?
Scientists from Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) have found that the earthquake processes have an impact on the ionosphere.
What is the Ionosphere?
1)The Ionosphere refers to a layer of the upper atmosphere about 60-1000 km above Earth’s surface.
2)This layer overlaps with the other layers of atmosphere such as mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.
3)The layer contains electrically charged particles known as ions, and hence, it is known as ionosphere.
4)This layer is a very active part of the atmosphere as it grows and shrinks depending on the energy it absorbs from the Sun.
5)Radio waves transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth by this layer.
What are the studies findings on impact of earthquakes on the ionosphere?
1) Scientists have found that the earthquakes, even smaller ones, affect the ionosphere, causing disruptions known as coseismic ionospheric perturbations (CIP).
2) These perturbations are influenced by various factors like geomagnetism, the geometry of the area and the seismic activity itself.
3) Understanding these disturbances using space-based observations can help predict earthquakes even before they occur.
What are Coseismic Ionospheric Perturbations (CIP)?
1) During an earthquake, coseismic vertical crustal movements generate acoustic waves in the atmosphere.
– Note: Coseismic refers to the timeframe during and after seismic activity.
2) These acoustic waves travel upwards to the ionosphere where they disrupt the number of electrons along the paths connecting ground-based satellite receivers and satellites. These disruptions are known as coseismic ionospheric perturbations (CIP).
UPSC Syllabus: Geography
