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Atmospheric electricity and earthquake prediction
Author(s) -
Pierce E. T.
Publication year - 1976
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/gl003i003p00185
Subject(s) - atmospheric electricity , potential gradient , environmental science , electricity , ground level , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , electric field , electrical resistivity and conductivity , lightning (connector) , geology , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , power (physics) , architectural engineering , ground floor
There are experimental indications that the release of radon from the ground may increase substantially before an earthquake. Illustrative calculations suggest that the observed increases would have appreciable effects on the parameters of atmospheric electricity. Typically, the fair weather conductivity near the ground would increase by some 50%, while the electric field (potential gradient) would decrease by about 30%. These alterations might be readily detectable in areas where the atmospheric electrical climate is largely unaffected by naturally disturbed weather, and where temporal changes in the electrical parameters, whether due to natural or to man‐made causes, are repetitive and therefore easily distinguishable from an earthquake effect.