Relationship between anomalous changes in magnetotelluric impedance and strong earthquakes in Kamchatka

Monitoring of magnetotelluric impedance gives the opportunity to obtain information about the dynamics of electrical conductivity of the lithosphere at different levels. The modulus of magnetotelluric impedance is highly sensitive to the presence of local geoelectrical inhomogeneities. However, the imped ance phase is not affected by such inhomogeneities; therefore, monitoring of the impedance phase allows changes in the electrical conductivity of the lithos phere to be obtained in a clearer form. This approach was used for interpreting the multiannual electromag netic monitoring in Kamchatka. This work helped reveal the anomalous effect in the behavior of the mag netotelluric impedance phase due to strong seismicity in the zone of transverse deep fault in Kamchatka. This phenomenon is what will be discussed in the present communication.