faultstroms

Faultstroms are a hypothesized atmospheric disturbance linked to fault movement. They are described as short-lived luminous or electromagnetic phenomena observed above fault zones during or after earthquakes. The concept remains debated in geophysics and is not part of standard seismology.

Proposed mechanisms include piezoelectric or triboelectric charging on fractured rocks, seismic waves altering atmospheric conductivity, and stress-induced electric fields that trigger ionization in a localized region. The evidence is inconclusive, and many reports are anecdotal or lack independent verification.

Observations are sporadic and difficult to verify. Some ground-based photographs and limited satellite data have reported brief glows near major faults, but results are not reproducible and may be confounded by weather, optical phenomena, or observer bias.

Relation to earthquake lights is common in discussions of faultstroms; earthquake lights refer to a broader and controversial set of reports of luminescence during seismic activity. Faultstroms would denote a specific atmospheric signature associated with fault processes, but consensus remains elusive.

Research continues intermittently, with some teams proposing sensor networks along fault zones to capture electromagnetic and optical signals. At present, faultstroms are considered speculative, and no operational monitoring or prediction framework relies on them. See also Earthquake lights; Seismology; Atmospheric electricity.