Methodology for Short-term and Impending Earthquake Prediction

A method of short-term and impending earthquake prediction, comprising the steps of:

• a) using an extreme orbit satellite, a stationary meteorology satellite, and small satellite groups equipped with infrared wave scanners, receivers, and image processors to detect thermal infrared temperature brightness anomalies in geographic areas;
• b) integrating oceanic potential heat volume and data obtained from the satellites and the satellite remote sensing brightness temperature which has been processed by the image processors;
• c) utilizing the satellite receivers and image processors to grade different color density of the satellite thermal infrared imaging to obtain an atmospheric model;
• d) applying the grading of color density to different seasons and different latitudes to determine the satellite thermal infrared temperature brightness anomaly, wherein the color density, or the temperature brightness, usually stands between 0.5° K and 5.0° K;
• e) obtaining the grayness value after modification of the atmospheric model to obtain the real temperature by adding or subtracting 1° K according to the real situation in different regions, thereby determining whether the temperature increase or decrease is caused by an earthquake or by the climate based on the shape of the region and the shape of clouds above the region, therefore excluding the interference of the terrain and the weather;
• wherein:
• the three elements of short-term and impending earthquake and the relationship between the pre-earthquake thermal infrared temperature anomaly and its change are:
• (1) time:
• 10 to 20 days before an earthquake of magnitude 5 or greater (M≧5), the area of the temperature anomaly can reach 100,000 to 600,000 square kilometers, in a region with a thicker rock layer the temperature anomaly appears 30 to 120 days before the earthquake, and the earthquake usually takes place within 10 days after the sub-sound wave anomaly appears;
• (2) epicenter:
• in a first type of epicenter the temperature anomaly appears in the future epicenter and in a surrounding area and as the temperature increase expands in the outer area and encroaches upon the epicenter, the two temperature increase anomaly areas converge and the verge where the temperature anomaly moves forward is the future epicenter, or a leading edge of a forward arm-shaped anomaly becomes the future epicenter;
• and in a second type of epicenter the temperature anomaly appears as an outer ring and moves inward as time goes by, wherein the future epicenter is where the temperature increase zone is moving forward or converges with the structure belt or an earthquake belt for that geographic area and in which the anomaly enters;
• and
• (3) magnitude:
• an earthquake of magnitude 5 or greater (M≧5) usually covers an area of 100,000 square kilometers, an earthquake of magnitude 6 or greater (M≧6) usually covers an area of 400,000 square kilometers, and an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater (M≧7) usually covers an area of 700,000 square kilometers;
• wherein:
• before the occurrence of an earthquake the temperature anomaly might appear as a ring of temperature decrease above an earthquake-pregnant area, strange-shaped clouds might appear above the earthquake-pregnant area, and the temperature anomaly might appear in a low-lying river valley in an inland area, and by linking the temperature increase areas certain stress heat lines can be seen to converge at the future epicenter, thereby providing an indication of the future epicenter.