Magnetic location of a possible earthquake epicentre area: a mathematical model

Abstract

We study one of the problems of the theory of seismo-electromagnetic methods of earthquake prediction, namely, the physical nature of magnetic location of a future epicentre. According to numerous magneto-telluric soundings and geological theory of ore genesis, high seismicity lithosphere zones typically contain structures with high electric conductivity of the order of 0.01–0.1 S/m. Taking account of this particularity of the seismically active lithosphere zones, we applied the physical theory of magneto-thermo-elasticity and formulated a mathematical model of magnetic location of an area emitting a seismically generated electromagnetic field (an area with repeated emissions is expected to be the epicentre area of a future earthquake). In other words, we explained, on a rational geological, physical, and mathematical basis, why it occurred to be possible that Prof. Kopytenko (IZMIRAN, Russian Academy of Science) and co-authors have localized the future epicentre area as the result of the magnetic field measurements.