Anomalous variations of VLF subionospheric signal and Mesospheric Ozone prior to 2015 Gorkha Nepal Earthquake

Abstract

The subject of pre-earthquake ionospheric signatures has always been contentious and debatable. Some of the previous reports have documented unforeseen and unusual variations in some of the atmospheric and ionospheric parameters well before an earthquake. Here, we analyze the ionospheric response from the Indian Subcontinent to Nepal Gorkha Earthquakes occurred between April and May 2015, which were the most powerful and disastrous natural calamities in past ~80 years over the Himalayan region left ~9000 causalities and more than ~20000 people injured with the property damage of the order of several billion dollars. In view of severe earthquakes occurrences, their prior information on the shorter time scales are warranted for mitigation of associated disasters. Here, we report for the first time, a case which shows a strong link in anomalous variations between VLF subionospheric signal and mesospheric ozone prior to both April 25, 2015 (Mw = 7.8) earthquake and its biggest aftershock on May 12, 2015 (Mw = 7.3). Observations show an unusual variation in VLF signals amplitude /shift in terminator time (TT) strongly linked with positive (negative) mesospheric ozone anomaly in D-region altitudes prior to the Gorkha Nepal earthquakes. It is surmised that simultaneous continuous observations of both VLF waves and mesospheric ozone can be considered as an important tool to identify the prior earthquake signatures in the vicinity of the extremely earthquake-prone zone such as Himalayan region. In this context, the current report opens up a new dimension in lithosphere atmosphere- ionosphere coupling during the earthquake preparation processes itself.