Animal Perception of Seismic and Non-Seismic Earthquake Phenomena
Abstract
Certain non-seismic geophysical (electric, magnetic, air ionization, infrared) phenomena are known to be associated with, and often precede, major earthquakes.Also, much anecdotal evidence exists concerning anomalous behavior of various animal species before large earthquakes.Theories have been put forward that may explain the anomalous behavior in terms of those non-seismic geophysical phenomena, but real-world scientific evidence of these ideas is missing still. Our study “Animal Perception of Seismic and Non-Seismic Earthquake Phenomena”, which is supported by Red Bull Media House, Salzburg, Austria, aims at getting some decisive step forward from anecdotal to scientific evidence of those interdependencies, and show their possible use in forecasting seismic hazard on a short-term basis.Field activities are focused on Sumatra, Indonesia. In Indonesia, indeed, before the earthquake and tsunami of 2004, ominous geophysical as well as biological phenomena occurred (but were realized as precursors only in retrospect); numerous comparable stories can be told from other times and regions.Nearly 2000 perceptible earthquakes (> M 3.5) occur each year in Indonesia. Furthermore, in 2007, thegovernment has launched a program, focused on West Sumatra, for investigating earthquake precursors. Therefore, Indonesia, and Sumatra in particular, is an excellent target area for a study concerning possible interconnections between geophysical and biological earthquake precursors. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Civil Engineering, Vienna, Austria, and SyiahKuala University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, cooperate in this enterprise. Geophysical and atmospheric measurements and behavioral observation of several animal species (rat, elephant, cattle, water buffalo, catfish, edible-nest swiftlets, shark, and possibly others) are conducted in 3 areas of different geological and seismological character (Aceh, Nias/Simeulue and Bengkulu), in order to look for behavioral correlates of seismic and non-seismic (seismic, magnetic, air ionization) earthquake phenomena and their usefulness for earthquake forecasting.
keywords Earthquake Precursor Animal Behaviour Indonesia
Publikationen
Project staff
Wolfgang Straka
Mag. Dr.rer.nat. Wolfgang Straka
wolfgang.straka@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-87215
Project Leader
01.03.2011 - 31.08.2013
BOKU partners
External partners
TerraMath
Dr. Robert Faber
partner
Syiah Kuala University
Teuku Reza Ferasyi
partner