Electromagnetic Phenomena Related to Earthquake Prediction

Researchers have reported about twenty candidate phenomena as precursors to earthquakes, and in recent years electromagnetic phenomena, especially in the radio wave range, have attracted keen interest from earthquake and volcanic eruption prediction research groups. Several international symposia or workshops devoted to anomalous electromagnetic phenomena have been organized, but so far there have been no well organized ones restricted to this particular subject. So, we decided to organize the International Workshop on Electromagnetic Phenomena Related to Earthquake Prediction, in Chofu at the University of Electro-Communications from September 6th to the 8th, 1993:The aim of the workshop was to assemble observational evidence ofprecursory electric and magnetic phenomena in different frequency ranges (DC, ULF, ELF/ VLF, LF, and HF) and present new experimental results. The generation mechanism of these electromagnetic phenomena and the propagation path to the observation point near the ground surface was another important subject of the workshop. We intended to promote interaction between researchers in the electromagnetic fields and those who are working in other areas such as: (1) seismic patterns, seismic wave propagation, and crustal deformation, (2) geochemical changes, and (3) ionospheric and magnetospheric effects. We hope this will lead to extensive future collaboration. When we were organizing the workshop, Prof. M. B. Gokhberg (Institute of Physics ofthe Earth, Moscow, Russia), Prof. T. Yoshino (The University of Electro¬Communications), and Prof. S. Uyeda (Tokai University and Texas A&M University,U. S.A.), gave us many useful suggestions as honorary organizers. Without their help, we could not have made the workshop as successful as it was. We also thank the overseas members of the organizing committee; Dr. E. Blanc (France), Prof. A. C. Fraser-Smith (U.S.A.), Dr. M. Johnston (U.S.A.), Dr. S. P. Kingsley (U.K.), Dr.V. Larkina (Russia), Prof. O. A. Molchanov (Russia), Dr. S. Park (U.S.A.), Dr. M. Parrot (France), Prof. O. A. Pokhotelov (Russia), Dr. T. Ralchovsky (Bulgaria), Prof. P. Varotsos (Greece) and Prof. M. Wyss (U.S.A.), as well as the Japanese members Dr. K. Hamada, Prof. K. Oike, and Prof. Y. Honkura, for their useful comments.