Solar-driven ionosphere charges may nudge stressed faults toward rupture

Solar-driven ionosphere charges may nudge stressed faults toward rupture

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Feb 08, 2026 Researchers at Kyoto University have outlined a new physical model in which disturbances in the ionosphere can generate electrostatic forces inside Earths crust that may help trigger large earthquakes when faults are already critically stressed. The work focuses on how space weather events such as intense solar flares alter ionospheric charge distributions and, through capacitive coupling, trans