Analyzing anomalies in the ionosphere above haiti surrounding the 2010 earthquake

propagating away from the Earth’s surface and eventually enter the ionosphere, where they cause a measurable disturbance in electron density (Park & Dejnakarintra, 1973). The present study focuses on the Haiti earthquake, which occurred on January 12, 2010. We hypothesize that there will be measurable variations in the electron density of the ionosphere during the months prior to this earthquake. The electron density data reported in this paper is taken from the Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) satellite orbiting above Haiti. DEMETER carries many instruments, including an Instrument Sonde de Langmuir (ISL) probe. This ISL probe allows us to measure the electron density of the plasma and the electron temperature in the ionosphere, from which we can obtain the relative ion and electron density along the orbit of the DEMETER satellite. Once electron density measurements are obtained, they are compared to an atmospheric model called the Parameterized Ionospheric Model (PIM) (Daniell et al., 1995). PIM draws upon several regional theoretical ionospheric models, allowing it to be computationally fast while maintaining accurate physics. It can produce electron densities for altitudes between 90 and 25,000km and is able to output the predicted electron density over time based on solar and geomagnetic parameters as well as latitude, longitude, and altitude data. However, sudden electron density variations caused by seismic activity are not represented in PIM models (Cornely, 2003), so according to our hypothesis, any significant difference between outputs provided by PIM and measurements from DEMETER which cannot be accounted for by solar or magnetic sources should be the result of seismic activity. Having the ability to use the ionosphere as an indicator for seismic activity may allow scientists to predict earthquakes months ahead of time. This type advanced warning would make it possible INTRODUCTION The connection between the ionosphere and earthquakes has come to light recently with research into how the ionosphere can be used to predict seismic activity. Being part of the upper atmosphere, the ionosphere ranges from approximately 85 to 900km above the Earth’s surface and is filled with electrons and other charged particles. One way to characterize the ionosphere is to measure its electron density, which is most often affected by solar and magnetic activity. Seemingly unrelated, earthquakes usually occur at the fault line between two tectonic plates within the earth’s crust. Although tectonic plates typically move very slowly, it is possible for the plates to experience a sudden jolt, resulting in an earthquake. Earthquakes can be devastating, yet there is currently no reliable method for predicting earthquakes. The first significant advances in connecting the ionosphere to seismic activity were made by Freund (2002; 2010). There are several contending theories concerning the exact mechanics responsible for the seismic indicators in the ionosphere, but the basic premise is fairly consistent. Prior to an earthquake, due to the seismic forces in the Earth’s crust, a thin layer of particles forms as ions originating in the crust travel to the Earth’s surface and begin radiating outwards due to strong electric fields (Namgaladze, Klimenko, Klimenko, & Zakharenkova, 2009). These ions continue Analyzing Anomalies in the Ionosphere Above Haiti Surrounding the 2010 Earthquake