Evaluation of High-resolution Geomagnetic Field Observation System Using HTS-SQUID Magnetometer and its Application.

Abstract:

Magnetic field changes associated with earthquakes have been investigated previously (1964 Stacey, 1994 Johnston et al.). Our research group also reported successful observation of “co-faulting" Earth’s magnetic field changes due to piezomagnetic effects caused by earthquake rupturing in 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake of M7.2 (2011 Okubo et al.) using optoelectronic observation system with flux-gate magnetometers. This is an important finding; the electromagnetic fields originating from such sources satisfy the Maxwell equations and hence they propagate from the sources to the observation site at a speed of light in the crustal materials. Further efforts could lead us to a new system for super-early warning of destructive earthquakes with the magnetic measurements.

On the other hand, the observed result in 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake was suggested that the geomagnetic variation signal accompanying fault movement, whose sources are the piezomagnetic effects, is very small; therefore development of a high-sensitive magnetometer system is very important. To solve this problem, we introduce long-term precise geomagnetic observations using high-temperature-superconductor based superconducting-quantum-interference-device (HTS-SQUID) magnetometer system. That is, our research group developed the HTS-SQUID magnetometer system for high-resolution observation of Earth’s magnetic field. Since March 2012, we have observed the geomagnetic field using a HTS-SQUID magnetometer at Iwaki observation site (IWK) in Fukushima, Japan. The sampling interval of the magnetometer is 0.04 sec. The observation clock has been synchronized by use of GPS signals. An accelerometer is also installed at observation point. Additionally, in the next stage, we develop the HTS- SQUID magnetometer system Unit No.2 (mark II). In the present study, we show the results observed by our HTS-SQUID magnetometer system and make an evaluation of our geomagnetic field observation system.