## 6 Discussion
### On the Mechanism of Coseismic Effects in the Lower Atmosphere  
In addition to anomalies observed in the ionosphere plasma density above the seismic preparation area, seismicity can manifest itself in co-located disturbances of meteorological parameters. The main factor leading to the generation of electromagnetic anomalies in the ionosphere is associated with changes in the conductivity of the air column, especially at the boundary layers between the atmosphere and the ionosphere. During the motion of tectonic plates in the pre-earthquake period, a significant amount of radon and its progeny substances are released. The decay, accompanied by the emission of energetic \(\alpha\)-particles, may result in the ionization of the air and the formation of ion clusters in the lower troposphere. With turbulent diffusion, radon can reach a height of 1 km. Due to chemical reactions and the adhesion of molecules to ion clusters, large charged particles are formed, on which water vapor condenses. Compared with normal conditions, the consequences of increased radon emissions lead to a decrease in relative humidity. When water vapor condenses, the latent heat of evaporation is released. Also, the radon-related ionization of air molecules consequently influences the aerosol number and the particle size distribution. The air ionization mechanism is probably at the origin of the tropospheric anomalies observed in the case of the investigated EQ. The meteorological parameters extracted from the MERRA-2 reanalysis indicate a pronounced tropospheric response. In particular, the specific humidity drops by \(\sim\)30%, while the latent heat and AOD increase by \(\sim\)25% and 80%, respectively. Ionospheric anomalies and meteorological anomalies appeared in the area of EQ almost simultaneously, although the anomalies in meteo parameters began growing 1-2 days prior to the main seismic shock and peaked on the day of the shock (not in the several days before the EQ though). The tropospheric response can be associated with the increased pre-EQ radon emanation during the relatively short period preceding the shock. The decay time of the meteo parameters is also about 1-2 days, likely due to atmospheric inertia and a relatively slow relaxation. The ionospheric anomaly seemed to be shorter-lived than the tropospheric anomaly. This is likely because the ionospheric anomaly is associated with the electromagnetic signal, while the meteo anomalies involve chemical and dynamic processes.  
Looking from the perspective of the LAIC model, radon variations are the primary source of the atmospheric electricity changes a few days before the strong EQs. Sometimes it was reported that meteorological precursors appeared prior to EQs. However, on such time scales, possible coseismic anomalies may be hidden by atmospheric wave signatures. In addition, the possibility of detecting specific atmospheric anomalies due to enhanced ionization depends on the general meteorological conditions in the seismic area. During rain, snow, fog, strong wind, or clouds, the corresponding disturbances are many times greater than a possible coseismic signal. However, this is not the case for the EQ studied here. According to the World Weather Service, in late January 2024, in the area of the EQepicenter in Central Asia, the weather was fine for a fairly long period, and no extreme conditions were observed.