Search for earthquake precursors in multidisciplinary data monitoring of geophysical and biological parameters

Abstract. Short-term variations in sets of geophysical and biological parameters that were monitored at the Garm research site for a long time are considered in relation to an earthquake of magnitude M = 5.3. Daily average data of electrical resistivity, electrototelluric field, electrochemical potential, water conductivity and hourly average data of electrical activity of weakly electric fishes were used. All the data, including bioindicators activity, were obtained by high precision instrumental methods. Contemporary disturbances of all the geoelectrical parameters were discovered when observations were carried out directly in the epicentral zone of the impending earthquake. At the distance of about 20–30 km from the epicenter short-term precursors were not found.