This article focuses on the importance of keeping the public aware of earthquake forecasting. This article also encourages proper seismic codes to design buildings in the seismic-prone regions because such practice can save lives and property associated with an earthquake

Singh, Ramesh P.

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Chapman UniversityChapman University Digital CommonsMathematics, Physics, and Computer ScienceFaculty Articles and ResearchScience and Technology Faculty Articles andResearch2013Multi Geophysical Parameters for EarthquakeForecastingRamesh P. SinghChapman University, rsingh@chapman.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_articlesPart of the Construction Engineering and Management Commons, Environmental MonitoringCommons, Structural Engineering Commons, and the Tectonics and Structure CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Science and Technology Faculty Articles and Research at Chapman University DigitalCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research by an authorizedadministrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact laughtin@chapman.edu.Recommended CitationSingh, R.P., "Multi geophysical parameters for earthquake forecasting." Current Science, 2013. 105(12): p. 1657-1657.Multi Geophysical Parameters for Earthquake ForecastingCommentsThis article was originally published in Current Science volume 105, issue 12, in 2013.CopyrightIndian Academy of SciencesThis article is available at Chapman University Digital Commons: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_articles/240CORRESPONDENCE  CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 105, NO. 12, 25 DECEMBER 2013 1657Multi geophysical parameters for earthquake forecasting  Bapat1 has stated that various funding agencies should come forward and sup-port research related to earthquake pre-diction in order to save the lives of people. Various academic institutions as well as the Geological Survey of India have carried out field measurements in Assam over a long period and found changes in several geophysical parame-ters in the wake of prediction of major earthquakes of magnitude greater than 8.0. We are lucky that such a major earthquake has not occurred so far; whether it will occur in the future is dif-ficult to predict. Similar to India, Cali-fornia, along the San Andreas Fault, is another vulnerable region where a major earthquake, after 1906, has been antici-pated.   The US and several countries have spent millions of dollars on earthquake prediction research. While some scien-tists strongly believe that earthquakes cannot be predicted, some believe  otherwise. The subject of earthquake pre-diction is debated, with little funding available in the US for research. How-ever, scientists from several countries, including India are making efforts to find a reliable precursor for an impending earthquake.   Earthquake is a complex process as the Earth’s structure is complex; subsurface configuration and inhomogeneities differ from location to location. Understanding of earthquake process is a complex sys-tem of systems. Furthermore, earth-quakes can occur in the ocean, land and coastal regions, and such complex envi-ronments make the understanding of earthquake process more challenging.   In the last few decades, several efforts have been made to study the complexity of the Earth and various parameters from the epicentral regions using ground,  meteorological stations and satellite  observations. All these observations have strong coupling among land–ocean–atmosphere–ionosphere associated with earthquakes2–4. Scientists have found that some parameters change prior to earth-quakes. Though thousands of research papers have been published on the sub-ject matter, they lack long term analysis of data and detailed statistical analysis. It is clear that earthquake process may im-pact the atmosphere, ionosphere and ground parameters, but the question  is whether we can integrate all these  parameters and predict an impending earthquake. All these parameters from land surface, in situ, emission of green-house gases, meteorological and iono-spheric, must show complementary behaviour if they are associated with earthquakes.   Earthquake prediction research based on a single parameter should be discour-aged; an integrated approach to combine all the parameters is a welcome proposi-tion. The Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India has established few multi parametric geophysical observato-ries5 in the seismic-prone areas. All the measured parameters should be examined and if complementary behaviour of the parameters is found, confidence can be gained about an impending earthquake.   It is important to know the highly seis-mic-prone areas so that people living there become aware of the earthquake risk and follow seismic codes to design buildings, like in Japan, which are not affected by major earthquakes. Thou-sands of people were killed and buildings were damaged during the following  major earthquakes (magnitudes greater than 6 and 7) – Bihar–Nepal earthquake (1988), Uttarkashi (1991), Latur (1993), Jabalpur (1997), Chamoli (1999) and Bhuj (2001) in India.   As stated by Bapat1, if we want to save lives and property, we must try to teach the population at large that earthquakes are bound to occur and it is ‘impossible’ to avoid earthquake. At the same time we can take lesson from the Japanese and follow proper seismic codes to design buildings in the seismic-prone regions. Such practice can save lives and property associated with an earthquake.   1. Bapat, A. V., Curr. Sci., 2013, 105, 1035–1036. 2. Singh, R. P. et al., Int. J. Remote Sensing, 2010, 31, 3341–3354. 3. Singh, R. P. et al., NHESS, 2010, 10, 1299–1305. 4. Singh, R. P. et al., Int. J. Remote Sensing, 2007, 28, 2885–2896. 5. Verma, M. and Bansal, B. K., Asian Earth Sci., 2012, 54–55, 1–8.   RAMESH P. SINGH  School of Earth and Environmental   Sciences, Schmid College of Science and   Technology,  Chapman University,  One University Drive,  Orange, CA 92866, USA e-mail: rsingh@chapman.edu   Soil acidification: a recent issue in Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern  Himalaya  Soil acidification – the net production of protons in the soil, is a result of various biological, chemical and plant processes such as cation/anion uptake, mineraliza-tion of soil organic matter, nitrification, dissociation of organic acids, and oxida-tion/reduction processes1. It occurs gradu-ally in undisturbed ecosystems, but can be accelerated by intensive agriculture. It may also be enhanced by the nitrogenous fertilizers, particularly through drip irri-gation systems, or the fixation of atmos-pheric nitrogen using leguminous plants. Change in nutrient cycles also causes soil acidification.  Three types of major land-use patterns in East Siang district (lat. 2730–2920 and long. 9442–9535), Arunachal Pradesh were studied. Among the three soils types, higher soil pH was recorded in areas with natural vegetation, while pH was found to be low in vegetable  cultivated land which is common in Arunachal Pradesh (Table 1). Different agricultural practices such as slash-and-burn agriculture on hill slopes and settled cultivation in the foothills and valleys 

Multi Geophysical Parameters for Earthquake Forecasting

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Multi Geophysical Parameters for Earthquake Forecasting

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