Mid-infrared emission prior to the October-November 2002 Earthquake Sequence on the Denali Fault, Alaska analyzed by remote sensing data

Earth-atmosphere interactions during and prior to the 2002 Denali (Alaska) earthquake sequence are the subject of this preliminary study. Slow changes in temperature before large earthquakes have been reported for a long time [Milne, 1913]. Global satellite thermal imaging data indicate long-lived thermal fields associated with large linear structures and fault systems [Carreno at al, 2001] but also short-lived "thermal anomalies" prior to major earthquakes. There is still is no comprehensive explanation for this short-lived increase in IR emission that has been accepted in the science community. A new mechanism has recently been proposed BASED ON the appearance of hole-type electronic charge carriers in rocks subjected to transient stress [Freund, 2002]. If such charge carriers are activated in a stressed rock volume and reach the earth's surface, they should lead to an enhanced emission in the 8-12 µm region similar to the "thermal anomalies"[ Tronin, 2000, Ouzounov and al, 2002] and to the laboratory rock deformation experiments [Geng et al., 1999, Freund at al, 2002]. Using data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) onboard NASA's TERRA satellite, we have begun analyzing surface emissivity and land surface temperatures for THE entire Alaska region during 2002. Specifically, we look for correlations between atmospheric dynamics and solid Earth processes prior to the Oct. 23 and Nov. 3, 2002 earthquakes. With TERRA/MODIS covering the entire Earth every 1-2 days in 36 wavelength bands (20 visible and 16 infrared) we find evidence for anomalous thermal emission pattern apparently related to pre-seismic activity along the Denali. We also find changes in the aerosol content and in atmospheric instability parameters, possibly due to ion emission and to changes in the ground surface potential.