The phenomenon of neutron emission from earthquakes

Recent neutron emission detections have led to consider also the Earth’s crust, in addition to cosmic rays, as a relevant source of neutron flux variations. Neutron emissions measured at seismic areas in the Pamir region (4200 m a.s.l.) exceeded the usual neutron background up to three orders of magnitude in correspondence to seismic activity and rather appreciable earthquakes, greater than or equal to the 4th degree in the Richter scale magnitude. The Authors present improved analysis with respect to that carried out by other research groups. The studies start from recent data acquired by Zanini et al. at the “Testa Grigia” Laboratory of Plateau Rosa, Cervinia, during an experimental campaign on the evaluation of neutron radiation from cosmic rays. Further data refer to a similar experimental campaign carried out in 1997 at Chacaltaya Laboratory in La Paz, Bolivia. The assessment of the neutron radiation at an environmental level could help to make a clear distinction between cosmic origin (cosmic rays) and the component from the Earth's crust (piezonuclear reactions). Moreover, taking into account the analogy between acoustic, electromagnetic emissions and seismic activity and also considering gas radon emission –that appears to be one of the most reliable seismic precursors– it will be possible to set up a sort of alarm systems that could be at the base of a regional warning network. This kind of warning system could combine the signals from other alarm stations to prevent the effects of seismic events and to identify the epicentre of an earthquake. Similar networks, only based on seismic accelerations, are being utilized all over the World in locations like Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey, Romania and Japan. Furthermore, neutron flux variations, in correspondence to seismic activity, may be an evidence of changes in the chemical composition of the crust, as a result of piezonuclear reactions.