ELMOS : Electric and Magnetic field Observation Satellite

The Japanese ELMOS satellite outlook (Ionospheric Precursors of Earthquakes)
Keywords: ELMOS, small satellite, seismo-electromagnetics, recurrent period

The first concept of ELMOS was created as a small satellite mission for J-1 solid rocket in 1994. After that, several satellite projects have realized such as Kompass, Quakesat, DEMETER and Sich-1M.

The satellite system is basically similar to that of DEMETER, but ELMOS aims "more focused" seismo-electromagnetics observation. For instance, if ELMOS is operated in sun-synchronous orbit, its recurrent period should be a few days (or even 1 day) for effective event collection. If ELMOS is operated in non sun-synchronous orbit, its inclination will be around 50 degree of "1 day" recurrent orbit for concentrated observation of earthquake zone. (ex. Kamchatka-Japan-Taiwan line)

From 2003, we are analyzing relationship between earthquake and electron temperature anomaly observed by Hinotori satellite. As its result, it seems clear that electron temperature decreases few days before earthquake but numbers of seismic event are not enough for statistical analysis. Thus ELMOS should be required "focused" observation.

A candidate of the launch system is H-IIA dual launch. It means that the launch cost will be a half but the orbit selection is affected by another satellite.


References

Kodama, The Concept of Recurrent Orbit Earth Observation Satellite, Small Satellites Systems and Services, 1994, Biarritz, France

Kodama and Igarashi, The Concept of Electric and Magnetic field Observation Satellite, Small Satellites Systems and Services, 1996, Annecy, France

Kodama, Molchanov and Hayakawa, NASDA Earthquake Remote Sensing Frontier Research - Feasibility of Satellite Observation of Seismoelectromagnetics, COSPAR 1998

Oyama, Kutiev, Kamogawa, Kodama and Izumida, Data Analysis of Hinotori Electron Temperature associated with Global Earthquakes, IEICE Technical Report, vol. 105, no. 158, SANE2005-36, pp. 97-98, June 2005

Kodama, ELMOS: Electric and Magnetic field Observation Satellite, 25th ISTS, 2006