Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China
On 3 August 2014, an Mw 6.2 earthquake occurred in Ludian, Yunnan Province, China (27.245° N 103.427° E). This damaging earthquake caused approximately 400 fatalities, 1800 injuries, and the destruction of at least 12,000 houses. Using air temperature data of the National Center for Environmental Pr...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/5/884 |
| _version_ | 1797395090201640960 |
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| author | Ying Zhang Qingyan Meng Zian Wang Xian Lu Die Hu |
| author_facet | Ying Zhang Qingyan Meng Zian Wang Xian Lu Die Hu |
| author_sort | Ying Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On 3 August 2014, an Mw 6.2 earthquake occurred in Ludian, Yunnan Province, China (27.245° N 103.427° E). This damaging earthquake caused approximately 400 fatalities, 1800 injuries, and the destruction of at least 12,000 houses. Using air temperature data of the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the tidal force fluctuant analysis (TFFA) method, we derive the temperature variations in multiple air layers between before and after the Ludian earthquake. In the spatial range of 30° × 30° (12°–42° N, 88°–118° E) of China, a thermal anomaly appeared only on or near the epicenter before earthquake, and air was heated from the land, then uplifted by a heat flux, and then cooled and dissipated upon rising. With the approaching earthquake, the duration and range of the thermal anomaly during each tidal cycle was found to increase, and the amplitude of the thermal anomaly varied with the tidal force potential: air temperature was found to rise during the negative phase of the tidal force potential, to reach peak at its trough, and to attenuate when the tidal force potential was rising again. A significance test supports the hypothesis that the thermal anomalies are physically related to Ludian earthquakes rather than being coincidences. Based on these results, we argue that the change of air temperature could reflect the stress changes modulated under the tidal force. Moreover, unlike the thermal infrared remote sensing data, the air temperature data provided by NCEP are not affected by clouds, so it has a clear advantage for monitoring the pre-earthquake temperature variation in cloudy areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:29:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5bb8a47658c4436aacf96b2ca93d0c3f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:29:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-5bb8a47658c4436aacf96b2ca93d0c3f2023-12-11T18:36:47ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922021-02-0113588410.3390/rs13050884Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, ChinaYing Zhang0Qingyan Meng1Zian Wang2Xian Lu3Die Hu4Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaChina Earthquake Networks Center, Beijing 100045, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaOn 3 August 2014, an Mw 6.2 earthquake occurred in Ludian, Yunnan Province, China (27.245° N 103.427° E). This damaging earthquake caused approximately 400 fatalities, 1800 injuries, and the destruction of at least 12,000 houses. Using air temperature data of the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the tidal force fluctuant analysis (TFFA) method, we derive the temperature variations in multiple air layers between before and after the Ludian earthquake. In the spatial range of 30° × 30° (12°–42° N, 88°–118° E) of China, a thermal anomaly appeared only on or near the epicenter before earthquake, and air was heated from the land, then uplifted by a heat flux, and then cooled and dissipated upon rising. With the approaching earthquake, the duration and range of the thermal anomaly during each tidal cycle was found to increase, and the amplitude of the thermal anomaly varied with the tidal force potential: air temperature was found to rise during the negative phase of the tidal force potential, to reach peak at its trough, and to attenuate when the tidal force potential was rising again. A significance test supports the hypothesis that the thermal anomalies are physically related to Ludian earthquakes rather than being coincidences. Based on these results, we argue that the change of air temperature could reflect the stress changes modulated under the tidal force. Moreover, unlike the thermal infrared remote sensing data, the air temperature data provided by NCEP are not affected by clouds, so it has a clear advantage for monitoring the pre-earthquake temperature variation in cloudy areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/5/884Ludian earthquakethermal anomalyair temperaturetidal forcemultiple layers |
| spellingShingle | Ying Zhang Qingyan Meng Zian Wang Xian Lu Die Hu Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China Remote Sensing Ludian earthquake thermal anomaly air temperature tidal force multiple layers |
| title | Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China |
| title_full | Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China |
| title_fullStr | Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China |
| title_short | Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China |
| title_sort | temperature variations in multiple air layers before the mw 6 2 2014 ludian earthquake yunnan china |
| topic | Ludian earthquake thermal anomaly air temperature tidal force multiple layers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/5/884 |
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