Seismic activity can impact different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere; however, our understanding of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling mechanism still remains limited and is challenging. Previous studies predominantly feature seismo-ionospheric changes associated with large earthquakes/tsunamis. Seismic-induced changes in the Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region have not been properly addressed and are limited to a few reports. We present, here, rare observations of anomalies in the temperature and airglow of the MLT region using Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument on board Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft measurements for 2025 Mw 8.8 Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake. Beginning with the Mainshock at 23:24:52 UT on 29 July 2025, over a hundred aftershocks (with a majority exceeding intensity-scale of Mw 5.0) occurred near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Severo-Kuril’sk in Russia and activity continued beyond 31 July. We found an increase in temperature in the 73–83 km range on 30 July. However, the temperature decreased in the ~ 87–97 km range on 30 and 31 July. Further, we noted a minor increase and distinct decrease in the volume emission rate of OH airglow on 30 July over the height range of 76–82 km and 83–90 km, respectively. Comparatively, significant decrease in OH airglow was seen on 31 July in the 81–96 km height range. Unusual gravity wave (GW) activity was, also, noted with predominant presence of waves with vertical wavelength of ~ 18 km. Similar anomalous temperature enhancement and pronounced decrease in OH airglow was seen during the 2011 Mw 9.1 Tohoku-Oki earthquake as well.
Parihar et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: