Monitoring ULF magnetic disturbances, and schemes for recognizing earthquake precursors

Specific electromagnetic signals in the ULF range, which were observed in s eismoactive regions prior to some strong and moderate earthquakes, are disc ussed with respect to the earthquake prediction problem. Characteristic fea tures of such "seismogenic" ULF emissions are pointed out and compared with differential peculiarities of the ULF emissions of space origin. A new mag netometer technique for locating ULF emission sources is described. Methods are proposed for ULF data processing to investigate preparation activity w ithin the earthquake source region, and to distinguish seismogenic signals from the background of space pulsations. Possible generation mechanisms of the ULF electromagnetic signals in seismic hazard systems are discussed. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.