Variations of VLF radio signals and atmospherics during the deep earthquake with M = 8.2 occurred on 24 May 2013 near Kamchatka peninsula

Abstract

To detect seismic disturbances in the lower ionosphere, we have used the signals of very-lowfrequency radio transmitters and natural radio signals—electromagnetic emission of lightning discharges—atmospherics. On earlier results of observation of atmospherics, it was obtained that the earthquake effects are displayed as weight-hourly amplitude increases on the day of event or within 3 days after them. Possible earthquake precursors are also manifested as one-day (within one to several hours) increases in the amplitude of atmospherics on average 5 - 12 days before the event. Analysis shows that seismic effects in the amplitude of atmospherics have been observed in the case of sufficiently strong (magnitude M > 4.5) and not very deep (usually no deeper than 50 km) earthquakes. The effects of the events of the earthquake with magnitude of 8.2 occurring in the Sea of Okhotsk on 24.05.13 not far from the Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of 609 km considered in this work have shown that even deep earthquakes may have precursors in the form of disturbances in the lower ionosphere.