PDA-based system for monitoring electromagnetic signals

The development of a mobile system for receiving, storing, and displaying electromagnetic-signals (EM) at specific frequencies using mobile devices and wireless networks, is of extreme interest, especially when the final means of display is a PDA, a very light and compact handheld device. In the present study, an application is developed for remote monitoring of EM-signals preceding seismic events. The particular advantages and challenges faced when developing such application are explained and future work in this area is presented

Unfolding the procedure of characterizing recorded ultra low frequency, kHZ and MHz electromagetic anomalies prior to the L'Aquila earthquake as pre-seismic ones. Part I

Ultra low frequency, kHz and MHz electromagnetic anomalies were recorded prior to the L'Aquila catastrophic earthquake that occurred on April 6, 2009. The main aims of this contribution are: (i) To suggest a procedure for the designation of detected EM anomalies as seismogenic ones. We do not expect to be possible to provide a succinct and solid definition of a pre-seismic EM emission. Instead, we attempt, through a multidisciplinary analysis, to provide elements of a definition. (ii) To link the detected MHz and kHz EM anomalies with equivalent last stages of the L'Aquila earthquake preparation process. (iii) To put forward physically meaningful arguments to support a way of quantifying the time to global failure and the identification of distinguishing features beyond which the evolution towards global failure becomes irreversible. The whole effort is unfolded in two consecutive parts. We clarify we try to specify not only whether or not a single EM anomaly is pre-seismic in itself, but mainly whether a combination of kHz, MHz, and ULF EM anomalies can be characterized as pre-seismic one

Critical features in electromagnetic anomalies detected prior to the L'Aquila earthquake

Electromagnetic (EM) emissions in a wide frequency spectrum ranging from kHz to MHz are produced by opening cracks, which can be considered as the so-called precursors of general fracture. We emphasize that the MHz radiation appears earlier than the kHz in both laboratory and geophysical scale. An important challenge in this field of research is to distinguish characteristic epochs in the evolution of precursory EM activity and identify them with the equivalent last stages in the earthquake (EQ) preparation process. Recently, we proposed the following two epochs/stages model: (i) The second epoch, which includes the finally emerged strong impulsive kHz EM emission is due to the fracture of the high strength large asperities that are distributed along the activated fault sustaining the system. (ii) The first epoch, which includes the initially emerged MHz EM radiation is thought to be due to the fracture of a highly heterogeneous system that surrounds the family of asperities. A catastrophic EQ of magnitude Mw = 6.3 occurred on 06/04/2009 in central Italy. The majority of the damage occurred in the city of L'Aquila. Clear kHz - MHz EM anomalies have been detected prior to the L'Aquila EQ. Herein, we investigate the seismogenic origin of the detected MHz anomaly. The analysis in terms of intermittent dynamics of critical fluctuations reveals that the candidate EM precursor: (i) can be described in analogy with a thermal continuous phase transition; (ii) has anti-persistent behaviour. These features suggest that the emerged candidate precursor could be triggered by microfractures in the highly disordered system that surrounded the backbone of asperities of the activated fault. We introduce a criterion for an underlying strong critical behavior.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Scanning X-ray microfluorescence in a SEM for the analysis of very thin overlayers

Abstract In this paper, we used back-foil scanning X-ray microfluorescence (SXRF) and we examined the sensitivity of the technique for the analysis of very thin overlayers, where electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) reaches its detection limits. The lateral resolution of back-foil SXRF is also calculated for all the systems used. Both experimental results and Monte-Carlo calculations are used in this respect. Back-foil SXRF used in optimized experimental conditions, is found to be more sensitive than EPMA, especially in the case of very thin overlayers. The lateral resolution of back-foil SXRF is of the order of some micrometers. This is much better than the lateral resolution in conventional XRF and of the same order of magnitude as in EPMA

A multidisciplinary analysis for traces of the last state of earthquake generation in preseismic electromagnetic emissions

Many questions about earthquake (EQ) generation remain standing. Fracture induced electromagnetic (EM) fields allow real-time monitoring of damage evolution in materials during mechanical loading. An improved understanding of the EM precursors has direct implications for the study of EQ generation processes. An important challenge in this direction is to identify an observed anomaly in a recorded EM time series as a pre-seismic one and correspond this to a distinct stage of EQ generation. In previous papers (Kapiris et al., 2004; Contoyiannis et al., 2005; Papadimitriou et al., 2008), we have shown that the last kHz part of the emerged precursory EM activity is rooted in the fracture of the backbone of asperities distributed along the activated fault, sustaining the system. The crucial character of this suggestion requires further support. In this work we focus on this effort. Tools of information theory (Fisher Information) and concepts of entropy (Shannon and Tsallis entropies) are employed. The analysis indicates that the launch of the EM precursor is combined with the appearance of a significantly higher level of organization, which is an imprint of a corresponding higher level of organization of the local seismicity preceding the EQ occurrence. We argue that the temporal evolution of the detected EM precursor is in harmony with the Intermittent Criticality approach of fracture by means of energy release, correlation length, Hurst exponent and a power-law exponent obtained from frequency-size distributions of seismic/electromagnetic avalanche events. The candidate precursory EM activity is also consistent with other precursors from other disciplines. Thus, accumulated evidence, including laboratory experiments, strengthen the consideration that the emergence of the kHz EM precursor is sourced in the fracture of asperities indicating that EQ occurrence is expected. © 2012 Author(s)

Linking electromagnetic precursors with earthquake dynamics: An approach based on nonextensive fragment and self-affine asperity models

Understanding the earthquake (EQ) preparation process in terms of precursory electromagnetic (EM) emissions has been an evolving field of multi-disciplinary research. EM emissions in a wide frequency spectrum ranging from kHz to MHz are produced by opening cracks, which can be considered as precursors of general fracture. An important feature, observed on both laboratory and geophysical scale, is that the MHz radiation systematically precedes the kHz one. Yet, the link between an individual EM precursor and a distinctive stage of the EQ preparation comprises a crucial open question. A recently proposed two-stage model on preseismic EM activity suggests that the MHz EM emission is due to the fracture of the highly heterogeneous system that surrounds the fault. The finally emerged kHz EM emission is rooted in the final stage of EQ generation, namely, the fracture of entities sustaining the system. In this work we try to further penetrate and elucidate the link of the precursory kHz EM activity with the last stage of EQ generation building on two theoretical models for EQ dynamics. First, the self-affine model states that an EQ is due to the slipping of two rough and rigid fractional Brownian profiles, one over the other, when there is an intersection between them. Second, the fragmentasperity model, rooted in a nonextensive Tsallis framework starting from first principles, consists of two rough profiles interacting via fragments filling the gap. In the latter approach, the mechanism of triggering EQ is established through the interaction of the irregularities of the fault planes and the fragments between them. This paper shows that these models of EQ dynamics can be linked with the detected kHz EM emission. In this framework of analysis of preseismic EM activity, we identify sufficient criteria that offer the possibility to discriminate whether a seismic shock is sourced in the fracture of fragments filling the gap between the rough profiles or in the fracture of "teeth" distributed across the fractional Brownian profiles that sustain the system. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The spectrum of thermally stimulated currents in rock samples from KTB drilling: preliminary results

The technique of thermally stimulated depolarization currents (TSDC) was applied to fine grained amphibolite rock samples extracted from KTB drilling. Each sample was cooled down to liquid nitrogen temperature and consequently heated at a constant rate b = 4 K/min while at the same time it was shorted by a sensitive electrometer. Thermocurrent glow curves were detected in the range from 180 to 360 K. By applying the TSDC method, an effort was made to carry out a preliminary analysis of the TSDC spectrum