Geomagnetic response to the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023

The disturbances in the lower ionosphere during the strong earthquake in Türkiye and Syria and its strongest aftershock on February 6, 2023, are analyzed using data from ground-based magnetometers. The observation points are located at distances 700 to 1600 km from the epicenter of the seismic event. As a characteristic of the ionospheric response to these events, variations in the magnetic field have been analyzed at the İznik, Grocka, Panagjurishte, and Surlari magnetic observatories. Earthquake epicenter is known to be a source of both seismic Rayleigh waves and atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves. Using the difference in velocities, at which these waves propagate from the epicenter, and their spectral composition, we found the ionospheric responses to the events that are interpreted quite well in terms of acoustic waves (produced by seismic Rayleigh wave) and atmospheric internal gravity waves generated in the earthquake epicenter.