Analysis of seismo-ionospheric irregularities using the available PRNs vTEC from the closest epicentral cGPS stations for large earthquakes.

The occurrence of earthquakes, which can strike suddenly without any warning, has always posed a potential threat to humanity. However, researchers worldwide have been diligently studying the mechanisms and patterns of these events in order to develop warning systems and improve detection methods. One of the most reliable indicators for predicting large earthquakes has been the examination of electron availability in the ionosphere. This study focuses on analyzing the behavior of the Total Electron Content (TEC) in the ionosphere during the 30-day period leading up to the three most devastating earthquakes of the past decade. Specifically, the data were examined from the cGPS stations closest to the epicenters: MERS for the Turkey earthquake with 7.8Mw on 02-06-2023, CHLM for the Nepal earthquake with 7.8Mw on 04-25-2015, and MIZU for the Japan earthquake with 9.1Mw on 03-11-2011. Notable positive and negative anomalies were observed for each earthquake, and the vertical Total Electron Content (vTEC) for each PRN (pseudo-random noise) was plotted to determine the specific time of the TEC anomaly. The spatial distribution of vTEC for the anomalous specific time revealed that the anomalies were in close proximity to the earthquake epicenters, particularly within denser fault zones.