A statistical study on seismo-ionospheric anomalies of the total electron content in China

This paper reports statistical results of seismo-ionospheric anomalies (SIAs) of the total electron content (TEC) in the global ionosphere map (GIM) associated with M≥6.0 earthquakes in China during 1998–2013. To detect SIA, a quartile-based (i.e. median-based) process is performed. TEC anomalies for the period of earthquakes without being led by magnetic storms about 10 days are further isolated and examined to confirm the SIP existence. Results show that the SIA is the TEC significantly decrease in the afternoon period 3–6 days before the earthquakes in China, which is in a good agreement with the SIA appearing before the 12 May 2008 M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake.