Preliminary investigation of earth tremors using total electron content: a case study in parts of Nigeria

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Abstract

Total electron content (TEC) was investigated using the Nigerian Global Navigation Satellite System Reference Network (NIGNET) global positioning system (GPS) station close to the two communities, known as oilfields, affected by the 11 July 2016 tremor in southeastern Nigeria. The oil-related activities are anthropogenic/seismogenic, which could trigger a tremor. Data from a station with code FPNO were obtained 10 days prior and 5 days after. The study revealed striking anomalies on the day of the tremor. However, to distinguish solar and geomagnetic activities from seismogenic activities, the planetarische Kennziffer (Kp) and disturbance storm time (Dst) indices were also checked within this time frame. The aim of this study was to check for the possible cause of a micro earthquake/tremor generally attributed to the passage of energy, in the form of a seismic wave, through the earth’s outer shell, or to anthropogenic activities, such as mining, construction of dams, exploration of oil and gas, groundwater extraction, geothermal energy production, etc., in an area. From the results it was found that the geomagnetic indices (Kp and Dst) showed no activity on the tremor day, and as a result, the strong variation observed in the TEC – evidence of perturbation – is a strong pointer to the micro-earthquake experienced on that day in the study area.

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NRIAG Journal of Astronomy and Geophysics
Volume 9, Issue 1
January 2020
Pages 220-225

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