The objective of this paper is to apply a newly developed wavelet-based semblance filtering and eigenvalue analysis to investigate the geomagnetic variations in some micro-earthquakes that had occurred in the Korean Peninsula. The wavelet-based filtering showed improved results in delineating the geomagnetic variations in relation to earthquake events from their background field. In addition, the eigenvalues analysis was also useful for the interpretation of three components geomagnetic fields during the earthquake events. The wavelet-based semblance analysis showed a prominent result for short-term geomagnetic variation related to the earthquake event, and the eigenvalue analysis was feasible to long-term geomagnetic variation. Considering the fact that the basement rock of the Korean Peninsula has a highly resistive electrical structure, it seems to be possible for small magnitude earthquakes to generate some distinguished geomagnetic variations.

2009년 5월 2일 규모 4.0의 안동 지진이 발생한 시기에 기상청 청양 지자기 관측소에 기록된 자료를 이용하여 지자기 변동성을 분석하였다. 먼저 지자기 관측자료의 주성분을 이용하여 지자기 예측을 수행하고, 지진이 발생한 전후로 예측한 지자기장과 실제 관측된 지자기장 사이에 유의미한 변화량이 있는지 분석하였다. 두 번째로, 지진 발생일과 다른 날의 지자기장을 웨이블릿 셈블런스 기법을 통해 상호 비교하였다. 이 결과에서는 자기장의 수직성분에서 차이가 있음을 발견하였다. 마지막으로 3성분 자료에 대한 고유값 분석을 통해 지진 발생 시기 부근에 고유값의 변화가 발생하였는지 분석하였다. 청양 관측소의 위치가 지진 발생지점과 매우 많이 떨어져 있고 규모가 작아서 명확한 전조 현상을 발견할 수는 없었으나, 지진과 상관성이 높은 지자기 변동성을 발견하였다. 본 연구에서 개발된 다양한 지자기 신호처리 기술은 향후 전조현상 탐지를 위해 유용하게 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대 한다.

The length of solar cycle 23 has been prolonged up to about 13 years. Many studies have speculated that the solar cycle 23/24 minimum will indicate the onset of a grand minimum of solar activity, such as the Maunder Minimum. We check the trends of solar (sunspot number, solar magnetic fields, total solar irradiance, solar radio flux, and frequency of solar X-ray flare), interplanetary (interplanetary magnetic field, solar wind and galactic cosmic ray intensity), and geomagnetic (Ap index) parameters (SIG parameters) during solar cycles 21-24. Most SIG parameters during the period of the solar cycle 23/24 minimum have remarkably low values. Since the 1970s, the space environment has been monitored by ground observatories and satellites. Such prevalently low values of SIG parameters have never been seen. We suggest that these unprecedented conditions of SIG parameters originate from the weakened solar magnetic fields. Meanwhile, the deep 23/24 solar cycle minimum might be the portent of a grand minimum in which the global mean temperature of the lower atmosphere is as low as in the period of Dalton or Maunder minimum.

The geomagnetic activity shows the semiannual variation stronger in vernal and autumnal equinoxes than in summer and winter solstices. The semiannual variation has been explained by three main hypotheses such as Axial hypothesis, Equinoctial hypothesis, and Russell-McPherron Effect. Many studies using the various geomagnetic indices have done to support three main hypotheses. In recent, Oh & Yi (2011) examined the solar magnetic polarity dependency of the geomagnetic storm occurrence defined by Dst index. They reported that there is no dependency of the semiannual variation on the sign of the solar polar fields. This study examines the solar magnetic polarity dependency of quiet time geomagnetic activity. Using Dxt index (Karinen & Mursula 2005) and Dcx index (Mursula & Karinen 2005) which are recently suggested, in addition to Dst index, we analyze the data of three-year at each solar minimum for eight solar cycles since 1932. As a result, the geomagnetic activity is stronger in the period that the solar magnetic polarity is anti-parallel with the Earth’s magnetic polarity. There exists the difference between vernal and autumnal equinoxes regarding the solar magnetic polarity dependency. However, the difference is not statistically significant. Thus, we conclude that there is no solar magnetic polarity dependency of the semiannual variation for quiet time geomagnetic activity.