Photographic evidence of luminescence during faulting in granite

• DOI: 10.5047/eps.2010.02.004
• Publication Date: 2010-07-12T11:07:42Z
• Authors: Mamoru Kato; Yuta Mitsui; Takashi Yanagidani
• Keywords: Thermoluminescence dating; Brittleness

Reports on the sky being brightly illuminated before, during, or after large earthquakes have existed for many centuries. Physical processes behind this phenomena, however, has not been fully explained despite public interest in phenomena. In report, we present photographic evidence that visible light is emitted from faults. We observe luminescence occurs simultaneously with brittle faulting, and spatial distribution of coincides faulting pattern. This consists several colors recordable commercial digital cameras. our experimental setting, it was observed only during fracture granite, postulate piezoelectricity quartz granite plays a major role its occurrence.