On a possible seismomagnetic effect in the topside ionosphere

•The seismo-ionospheric electrostatic coupling is theoretically examined.•Penetration of the seismogenic electric fields into the ionosphere is inefficient.•We predict a seismomagnetic effect in the topside ionosphere. In this paper we present the results of the computation of the electric and magnetic fields produced in the ionosphere by the near-earth seismogenic disturbance in the vertical atmospheric electrostatic field under different ionospheric conditions. It is shown that in the nighttime ionosphere during solar minimum and inside large-scale plasma bubbles, the magnitude of the transverse electric field can attain ∼0.2 and 1.0mV/m, respectively. The seismomagnetic effect with the magnitude of ∼13pT is predicted in the topside daytime and nighttime ionosphere at any solar activity.