Turkey earthquake lights: USGS and NASA study rare luminous EQL phenomenon

Key facts

• A 4.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Turkey on April 2.
• Glowing lights appeared in the sky shortly after the quake and are being studied as earthquake lights (EQL).
• The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) classifies EQL as luminous events resembling sheet lightning, glowing spheres, or flickering streams.
• Research presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) shows intense crustal pressure releases electrically charged particles called p-holes that ionize air to produce visible light.
• NASA and other space agencies now track EQL using satellite sensors.
• Studies from the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) indicate earthquakes generate strong electrical fields extending into the ionosphere via energetic coupling.
• Nearly 97% of recorded EQL cases occur near rift zones where tectonic plates separate.