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Comment on “Signature of pending earthquake from electromagnetic anomalies” by K. Eftaxias et al.
Author(s) -
Pham V. N.,
Geller Robert J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2002gl015328
Subject(s) - signature (topology) , seismology , earthquake prediction , geology , relation (database) , computer science , mathematics , data mining , geometry
Eftaxias et al. [2001], hereafter cited as “E01,” claim to have observed VLF (very low frequency) radio waves that “might be considered as signatures of a pending earthquake.” For the following reasons, this claim should not be accepted. (1) Previous such claims have proved groundless. In the absence of compelling evidence, which E01 do not provide, further such claims should be regarded skeptically. (2) The observed signals appear consistent with well known types of background noise that are unrelated to earthquakes. (3) E01 did not present a quantitative and objectively testable model of the relation between the observed signals and the earthquake source parameters. (4) E01's correlation between the observed signals and the earthquake appears to be arbitrary. (5) E01 did not present any objective evidence of a correlation beyond random chance, nor did they present any method by which objective tests might be made in the future.