Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (Nov 2012)
IR spectral analysis for the diagnostics of crust earthquake precursors
Abstract
Some possible physical processes are analysed that cause, under the condition of additional ionisation in a pre-breakdown electric field, emissions in the infrared (IR) interval. The atmospheric transparency region of the IR spectrum at wavelengths of 7–15 μm is taken into account. This transparency region corresponds to spectral lines of small atmospheric constituents like CH<sub>4</sub>, CO<sub>2</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>O, NO<sub>2</sub>, NO, and O<sub>3</sub>. The possible intensities of the IR emissions observable in laboratories and in nature are estimated. The acceleration process of the electrons in the pre-breakdown electrical field before its adhesion to the molecules is analyzed. For daytime conditions, modifications of the adsorption spectra of the scattered solar emissions are studied; for nighttime, variations of emission spectra may be used for the analysis.