On the identification of earthquakes by along-orbit probe measurements of the parameters of local disturbances in the ionospheric plasma

Procedures are developed for the space–time localization of earthquakes incipient on the ground track by local disturbances in the charged and neutral particle parameter distributions measured with spacecraft’s electric probes in the Earth’s ionosphere. Using the results of ionospheric plasma diagnostics onboard the Sich-2 (Ukraine), it is shown that information on the parameters of the neutral component of the ionospheric plasma, in addition to data on the charged particle parameters, may be used to predict the location and first shock time of incipient earthquakes. Such parameters as the electron energy gain rate and the electron and neutral particle temperature relaxation time offer a more accurate space–time localization of seismic activity sources. To the location of incipient earthquake epicenters there correspond maxima in the electron and neutral particle temperature and density distributions along the spacecraft orbit and a maximum value of the electron energy gain rate in the ionospheric plasma. The first shock time is estimated by the relaxation time of locally excited electrons and neutral particles.