| In a seismically
active zone in the near Almaty area (Kazakhstan) since 1996 observations
of variations of a natural neutron flux have been conducted. Sometimes the
neutron flux rises sharply within the one-hour interval in comparison with
the background. It occurs on the eve of activation of seismic processes.
Increase of the neutron flux level had taken place from 1 h to 10 days
prior to earthquakes. It is also indicated a tendency of growth of the
anomaly level in accordance with the growth of energetic class of the
subsequent earthquake.
A character of connection between the neutron flux and
earthquakes is still not clear. It is proposed that the neutron flux
anomalies caused by variations of cosmic radiation intensity under action
of fluxes of solar material, which is burst into interplanetary space
(solar wind) during solar flares. Energy of the solar wind transferred to
Earth puts into action a trigger mechanism of the process of initiation of
earthquakes at those places where conditions have already been prepared
for them.
The neutron flux anomalies can be used as substantial
additional information for classical geophysical methods of short-term
earthquake prediction. |