Dichotomy in mode propagation of coseismic ionospheric disturbance: observations from 11 April 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake

Abstract

The ionosphere response to the great intraplate Indian Ocean earthquake of 11 April 2012 (M_w 8.6) and its largest aftershock (M_w 8.2) is analyzed using GPS-aided total electron content (TEC) measurements. Data from the dense GPS networks, SuGAr (Sumatran GPS Array) and the permanent Andaman-Nicobar array, formed the near-field observations at distances 250–1200 km from the epicenter. Stations such as IISC, DGAR, and few others provided measurements over 2000 km from the epicenter. The coseismic ionospheric disturbances (CIDs) with a propagation velocity of 930–1262 m/s, equals the speeds of the shock acoustic waves, arrive within 10–18 min after the earthquake occurrence. The observed phenomenon of CID splitting into two modes, north and south of the epicenter, is akin to the well-documented effects of anisotropy on wave propagation. Closer to the epicenter, to its south, the propagation velocity of CID is ∼1 km/s, and farther southeast of the network the velocity reduces to 500–600 m/s. In contrast, toward Andaman in the north, the CID propagation velocity increases to 2–3.5 km/s. The zenith angle of the line of sight between the GPS receiver and satellite appears to influence the amplitude of the TEC fluctuations. The anomalous azimuthal variation of the Rayleigh wave radiation pattern best explains the observed N-S asymmetry of CID.