Propagation of Seismogenic Electric Currents Through the Earth's Atmosphere

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics 2018-05, Vol.123 (5), p.4290-4297
• Main Authors: Denisenko, V. V., Boudjada, M. Y., Lammer, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Atmospheric models; Computer simulation; Earthquake prediction; Earthquakes; Electric currents; Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Finite element method; Ionosphere; Lithosphere; lithosphere‐atmosphere‐ionosphere coupling; Numerical simulations; Seismic activity; seismogenic electric currents
• ISSN: 2169-9380; 2169-9402
• DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025228

Seismogenic models have been recently proposed to explain precursors before earthquakes occurrences. Those models refer to physical processes linking the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere. We analyze in this work the curl‐free current model describing the current flow from the lithosphere to the ionosphere through the atmosphere. We use a numerical simulation based on the finite element method to derive the current between the ground and the ionosphere. We have shown that the curl‐free approximation of the atmospheric current density leads to significant and unpredictable distortions of the solutions of the electrical conductivity. Hence, it incorrectly expands the ionospheric disturbed region associated to lithospheric currents. It is shown that horizontally homogeneous vertical underground external currents cannot create currents from ground to the atmosphere. Key Points Analysis of the role of the quasi-stationary electric currents in the lithosphere-ionosphere coupling A comparison of two alternative mathematical models of the atmospheric currents is presented Horizontally homogeneous vertical underground currents do not generate currents above ground