Open AccessIonospheric GPS total electron content (TEC) disturbances triggered by the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
Author(s) -
Liu JannYenq,
Tsai YiBen,
Ma KuoFong,
Chen YuhIng,
Tsai HoFang,
Lin ChienHung,
Kamogawa Masashi,
Lee ChienPing
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2005ja011200
Subject(s) - total electron content , tec , ionosphere , epicenter , global positioning system , geology , geodesy , seismology , geophysics , telecommunications , computer science
Tsunami ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) of the 26 December 2004 M w 9.3 Sumatra earthquake are detected by the total electron content (TEC) of ground‐based receivers of the global positioning system (GPS) in the Indian Ocean area. It is found that the tsunami waves triggered atmospheric disturbances near the sea surface, which then traveled upward with an average velocity of about 730 m/s (2700 km/hr) into the ionosphere and significantly disturbed the electron density within it. Results further show that the TIDs, which have maximum height of about 8.6–17.2 km, periods of 10–20 min, and horizontal wavelengths of 120–240 km, travel away from the epicenter with an average horizontal speed of about 700 km/hr (190 m/s) in the ionosphere.