Spatio-temporal changes of seismicity of the Earth and solar activity

Kharin E.P.1, Belov S.V.2, Shestopalov I.P.1
  1. Geophysical Center RAS
  2. Vernadsky State Geological Museum RAS

Data on seismic energy and solar activity for the period from 1680 to 2007 were analyzed in comparison to
11-year cycles of solar activity and geomagnetic disturbances. “Century cycles” of solar activity and Earth’s
seismicity were determined. Each cycle was divided into three (approximately for 33 years) periods, each period
comprised three 11-year cycles. A correlation between solar and seismic activity was mainly negative, under
the influence of powerful solar proton events the correlation between them could be positive. The strongest
earthquakes occured in the beginning of a new “century cycle”. In the second half of the 90s of the last century a
new “century cycle” began. In the beginning of it solar cycles will be observed with a small number of Sunspots
characteristic to the beginning of “century cycles” and with strong seismic activity which will remain within
tens of years. Earthquakes on 26.12.2004 with magnitude М=9 and on 28.03.2005 with М=8.7 in Indonesia,
and also 6 earthquakes with M>8 in 2006 and 2007 confirm this conclusion. The quantitative spatio-temporal
features of seismicity during the last “century cycle” were also shown.