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State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications...
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State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications (Second Edition)

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Satellite Missions for Earth and Planetary Exploration".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 2711

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xuemin Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Earthquake Forecasting, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100036, China
Interests: seismo-electromagnetics; electromagnetic satellite; plasma physics; radio wave propagation; seismo-ionospheric physics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chieh-Hung Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: magnetic field; GNSS system; LAI coupling; seismo-anomalies; geophysics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yongxin Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
Interests: seismic; electromagnetics; numerical modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Katsumi Hattori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Science, Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
Interests: seismo-electromagnetics; geophysics; ionospheric disturbances; tectonics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many events can help to induce geomagnetic disturbances, such as solar activity, magnetic storms, volcano eruptions, and earthquakes. As a major physical property of the Earth, the geomagnetic field is also a direct medium which acts to connect the lithosphere, atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. Partial geomagnetic disturbances cause malfunctions in global satellite navigation systems, radar systems, and communication systems. In recent years, with global coverage using dedicated satellites, such as the Swarm constellation and China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES), the scientific community has achieved long-term data integration. This provides an important method for researchers to study electromagnetic monitoring and its near-Earth space dynamics on different time scales and to illustrate the coupling processes among different geospheres during the significant events in outer space and on the Earth. Artificial intelligence technologies such as computer vision and deep learning can also be combined to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of abnormal signals, as well as to distinguish between them and improve prediction efficiency for natural hazards.

It is our pleasure to announce the launch of a new Special Issue of Remote Sensing. Our goal in doing so is to gather research contributions related to ground-based and space-borne geomagnetic and electromagnetic observations, in order to deepen our understanding of global geomagnetic events, space plasma physics, the lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling mechanism, and the core dynamics of the lithospheric and ionospheric magnetic fields.

Prof. Dr. Xuemin Zhang
Prof. Dr. Chieh-Hung Chen
Prof. Dr. Yongxin Gao
Prof. Dr. Katsumi Hattori
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • electromagnetic satellite
  • geomagnetic field disturbances
  • ionospheric perturbations
  • space weather
  • natural hazards
  • lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling model
  • artificial intelligence technology

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 4070 KiB  
Article
Automated Plasma Region Classification and Boundary Layer Identification Using Machine Learning
by Jiye Wang, Xuan Liu, Fanzhuo Dai, Rui Zheng, Yuanlin Han, Yang Wang, Andi Liu, Xinhua Wei, Lingqian Zhang, Hui Li, Chi Wang, Tieyan Wang, James L. Burch and Wolfgang Baumjohann
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(9), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17091565 - 28 Apr 2025
Viewed by 202
Abstract
The accurate classification of plasma regions is a critical challenge in space science, with identifying dynamic boundary layers (BLs) being particularly complex. This study introduces a novel wavelet-decision tree classifier (WDTC) designed to automate BL detection. Unlike conventional machine learning methods that rely [...] Read more.
The accurate classification of plasma regions is a critical challenge in space science, with identifying dynamic boundary layers (BLs) being particularly complex. This study introduces a novel wavelet-decision tree classifier (WDTC) designed to automate BL detection. Unlike conventional machine learning methods that rely on raw satellite measurements, the WDTC utilizes processed parameters derived from wavelet analysis as inputs to the decision tree algorithm. For each in situ measurement, including magnetic field strength (B), plasma density (n), velocity (V), and temperature (T), the wavelet analysis generates two features: wavelet energy and wavelet entropy. This results in a total of eight input parameters (two for each of the four in situ measurements) for the decision tree. By incorporating these distinctive wavelet-derived features, the WDTC enhances its ability to accurately and efficiently identify BLs within complex plasma environments. The model was applied to data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, focusing on the dayside region, and successfully differentiated between the solar wind, bow shock, magnetosheath, magnetopause, and magnetosphere. From September 15 to December 31, 2015, the WDTC identified 711 BL crossings, including 295 bow shock events and 416 magnetopause crossings. Beyond its scientific applications, the WDTC provides high-quality training datasets and a reliable data labeling tool, contributing to neural network training efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications (Second Edition))
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13 pages, 3745 KiB  
Communication
Seismo-Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances from the 2024 Hualien Earthquake: Altitude-Dependent Propagation Insights
by Zhiqiang Mao, Chieh-Hung Chen, Aisa Yisimayili, Jing Liu, Xuemin Zhang, Yang-Yi Sun, Yongxin Gao, Shengjia Zhang, Chuanqi Teng and Jianjun Zhao
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(7), 1241; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17071241 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 324
Abstract
The propagation of seismo-traveling ionospheric disturbances (STIDs) is generally observed at one specific altitude layer. On 2 April 2024, a Mw 7.4 earthquake struck Hualien, which was the biggest earthquake since the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in the Taiwan region. In this study, a [...] Read more.
The propagation of seismo-traveling ionospheric disturbances (STIDs) is generally observed at one specific altitude layer. On 2 April 2024, a Mw 7.4 earthquake struck Hualien, which was the biggest earthquake since the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in the Taiwan region. In this study, a co-located vertical monitoring system combined with the observation of two horizontal layers in the ionosphere was utilized to study the STIDs associated with the Hualien earthquake. The vertical monitoring system can capture disturbances from the ground surface up to a height of ~350 km. In addition, changes in electric currents and the TEC (total electron content) at two horizontal layers, ~100 km and ~350 km, were monitored by permanent geomagnetic stations and a ground-based GNSS (global navigation satellite system) receivers network, respectively. The observations from this four-dimensional (4D) monitoring network show that the STIDs at a height of ~100 km associated with Rayleigh waves can propagate as far as 2000 km from the epicenter, while at an altitude of ~350 km, they can only propagate to about 1000 km. At an altitude of about 200 km, STIDs were also captured by a high-frequency Doppler sounder in a vertical monitoring system, which was consistent with the results in the geomagnetic field. The results from the 4D monitoring network suggest that the STIDs associated with Rayleigh waves exhibit different propagation ranges at various altitudes and prefer to propagate at low ionosphere layers. The vertical propagating waves typically only reach the bottom of the ionosphere and struggle to propagate to higher regions over long distances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications (Second Edition))
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27 pages, 4025 KiB  
Article
Vertical Total Electron Content Enhancements and Their Global Distribution in Relation to Tectonic Plate Boundaries
by Paweł Wielgosz, Wojciech Jarmołowski, Stanisław Mazur, Beata Milanowska and Anna Krypiak-Gregorczyk
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(4), 614; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17040614 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 672
Abstract
Atmospheric responses to earthquakes or volcanic eruptions have become an interesting topic and can potentially contribute to future forecasting of these events. Extensive anomalies of the total electron content (TEC) are most often linked with geomagnetic storms or Earth-dependent phenomena, like earthquakes, volcanic [...] Read more.
Atmospheric responses to earthquakes or volcanic eruptions have become an interesting topic and can potentially contribute to future forecasting of these events. Extensive anomalies of the total electron content (TEC) are most often linked with geomagnetic storms or Earth-dependent phenomena, like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or nuclear explosions. This study extends rarely discussed, but very frequent, interactions between tectonic plate boundaries and the ionosphere. Our investigations focus on the very frequent occurrence of TEC enhancements not exclusively linked with individual seismic phenomena but located over tectonic plate boundaries. The objective of this study is to provide a review of the global spatiotemporal distribution of TEC anomalies, facilitating the discussion of their potential relations with tectonic activity. We apply a Kriging-based UPC-IonSAT quarter-of-an-hour time resolution rapid global ionospheric map (UQRG) from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) IonSAT group for the detection of relative vertical TEC (VTEC) changes. Our study describes global relative and normalized VTEC variations, which have spatial and temporal behaviours strongly indicating their relationship both with geomagnetic changes and the tectonic plate system. The variations in geomagnetic fields, including the storms, disturb the ionosphere and amplify TEC variations persisting for several hours over tectonic plate boundaries, mostly over the diverging ones. The seismic origin of the selected parts of these TEC enhancements and depletions and their link with tectonic plate edges are suspected from their duration, shape, and location. The changes in TEC originating from both sources can be observed separately or together, and therefore, there is an open question about the directions of the energy transfers. However, the importance of geomagnetic field lines seems to be probable, due to the frequent common occurrence of both types of TEC anomalies. This research also proves that permanent observation of global lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling (LAIC) is also important in time periods without strong earthquake or volcanic events. The occurrence of TEC variations over diverging tectonic plate boundaries, sometimes combined with travelling anomalies of geomagnetic origin, can add to the studies on earthquake precursors and forecasting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications (Second Edition))
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Graphical abstract

17 pages, 10602 KiB  
Article
A Study of Lithosphere–Ionosphere Seismic Precursors from Detecting Gamma-Ray and Total Electron Content Anomalies Prior to the 2018 ML6.2 Hualien Earthquake in Eastern Taiwan
by Ching-Chou Fu, Hau-Kun Jhuang, Yi-Ying Ho, Tsung-Che Tsai, Lou-Chuang Lee, Cheng-Horng Lin, Ching-Ren Lin, Vivek Walia and I-Te Lee
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17020188 - 7 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 970
Abstract
This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of observations related to the ML6.2 Hualien earthquake that struck eastern Taiwan on 6 February 2018, focusing particularly on gamma-ray emissions and total electron content (TEC) as earthquake precursors. Prior research has shown that significant [...] Read more.
This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of observations related to the ML6.2 Hualien earthquake that struck eastern Taiwan on 6 February 2018, focusing particularly on gamma-ray emissions and total electron content (TEC) as earthquake precursors. Prior research has shown that significant gamma-ray enhancements are frequently detected at the YMSG (Yangmingshan gamma-ray) station prior to major earthquakes in eastern and northeastern Taiwan, suggesting that gamma-ray anomalies may serve as reliable indicators for identifying seismic precursors in this area. Our findings reveal a significant rise in gamma-ray emissions at the YMSG station from 19 January to 4 February 2018, which corresponds to a precursor period of approximately 18 days before the Hualien earthquake. Positive and negative TEC anomalies were observed in Taiwan on 20–21 January and 5 February, respectively, and may be considered as ionospheric precursors to the earthquake. Additionally, deep-learning techniques applied to TEC data facilitate the detection of ionospheric precursors associated with the Hualien earthquake, enabling forecasts of an approaching seismic event. Collectively, these observations indicate that all identified anomalies are regarded as short-term precursors, explicable through the theoretical framework of lithosphere–ionosphere coupling (LIC). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Geomagnetic/Electromagnetic Satellites: Science and Applications (Second Edition))
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