The coupling processes among the lithosphere, atmosphere, and ionosphere (LAI) during the earthquake preparation phase are still an open scientific debate. Comprehensive LAI coupling effects around the 2022 Ms6.8 Luding earthquake in China are investigated with a multi-parameter and multi-layer approach, including the b-value, revised accelerated moment release, Earth resistivity, ELF magnetic field emissions, atmospheric electric field, surface temperature, foF2 from ionosonde, GNSS TEC, Ne and magnetic field from CSES and Swarm satellites, and energetic electrons from CSES and NOAA satellites. It is found that the anomalies start from the lithospheric parameters as Earth resistivity and b-values 1–2 years before to reflect the local stress loading in the seismic region, then the ionospheric and atmospheric disturbances occur and accelerate −50 days before and −15 days before, and finally the electrons precipitate a few days before. The simultaneous perturbations in LAI illustrate the thermodynamic coupling channel, such as on 24 August, −12 days before. Meanwhile, the abundant developed ionospheric anomalies without atmospheric disturbances demonstrate the electromagnetic coupling way from the lithosphere to the ionosphere directly. Finally, the results demonstrate a two-way model of LAIC: one way is characterized by a slow chain of processes, of thermodynamic nature, starting from the ground and proceeding to the above atmosphere and ionosphere, showing an exponential trend in the cumulative number of anomalies; the second way is characterized by oscillating electromagnetic coupling between the lithosphere and ionosphere, showing intermittent fluctuations in the corresponding cumulative number of anomalies.

This study reports the atmospheric electric field (AEF) anomalies associated with seismic-geological activity recorded by the monitoring network in the Sichuan–Yunnan region of China during the 15–30 days prior to the Yangbi earthquake in Yunnan Province, China, on 21 May 2021. Based on the real-time AEF data from continuous observation, this study summarized the characteristics of the anomalous interference of different meteorological factors on the AEF, compared the simultaneous meteorological data of the AEF anomalies, and ruled out the influence of precipitation, wind, fog, and other weather factors on the AEF anomalies in Yangbi County prior to the Yangbi Ms 6.4 earthquake. The AEF anomalies were identified and extracted from the two-month data from 1 April to 1 June, which were from multiple days, stations, and rupture zones near the 100 km radius from the epicenter of the Yangbi Ms 6.4 main earthquake. Using time series and wavelet transform analysis methods, the obvious common features of the anomalies were summarized, and the homology of the anomalies was verified. The main outcome of the investigation in this study will be used to distinguish and characterize the AEF anomalies associated with pre-seismic geologic activity of non-meteorological elements in the near future.

The multi observations from the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) were presented and analyzed during the biggest magnetic storm on 25–26 August in the quiet solar activity year of 2018, together with the Swarm satellite and GNSS TEC (Global Navigation Satellite System, Total Electron Content). The whole tempo-spatial evolutional process was demonstrated in electromagnetic fields and in-situ plasma parameters within the whole magnetic storm time period of three phases, the main phase with quick decrease in SYM-H, the quick recovery phase, and the slow recovery phase. Strong correlations were revealed in time and space between electric fields and electron density. During the main phase, the penetrated electric field was the major factor to induce the injection of electric fields to low latitudes even to the equator and contribute to constructing the double peaks of Ne at altitudes above 500 km of CSES in daytime. In the quick recovery phase, Ne depletion was found in low middle and low latitudes in the daytime, associated with a quick decrease in solar wind dynamic pressure, but in the nightside Ne maintained or increased. Due to the high solar wind speed following the quick recovery phase, it controlled the enhancements in an electric field below 1125 Hz at medium and low latitudes in daytime and produced similar structures in a 225 Hz electric field with the mid-latitude trough of Ne in local nighttime and maintained their equator-ward movements in this time period. Ne/TEC showed typical local time-dependence in this magnetic storm, which illustrated that although the electron density in the ionosphere was mainly caused by this solar activity event, local background environments must also not be ignored for their final evolutional modes.

Anomalous ionospheric disturbances have been observed as potential precursors to earthquakes. This study utilized data from the CSES satellite to investigate anomalies in the ULF band ionospheric electric field and electron density preceding earthquakes with magnitudes of Ms ≥ 6.0 in China and neighboring regions from 2019 to 2021. Comparative analysis with a randomly generated earthquake catalog indicated that these anomalies were spatially concentrated over the epicenter and temporally clustered on specific dates prior to the events. To assess the global relevance of these findings, the analysis was extended to earthquakes with Ms ≥ 7.0 worldwide during the same period, revealing consistent spatiotemporal patterns of ionospheric anomalies in both regional and global datasets. Furthermore, by combining the two earthquake catalogs and classifying events into oceanic and continental categories, additional statistical analyses were conducted to identify distinct ionospheric disturbance patterns associated with these different tectonic environments. These results provide a solid foundation for future research aimed at identifying and extracting ionospheric anomalies as potential pre-earthquake indicators.

The VLF-induced ionospheric heating events from the powerful transmitter NWC are collected at extremely low solar activity years of 2008–2009, and their spatial and temporal distribution features are investigated. The spatial distribution of heating signals exhibits clear north-direction inclination of 2–3°, and covering area within 300 km radius in longitude and latitude. Plasma parameters show the obvious negative correlations between decreasing N_e and increasing T_e, and positive correlations of the increasing ion density and ion temperature during the VLF heating time. The ions move upwards to cause the perturbations in ULF electric field due to $$\mathop{V}\limits^{\rightharpoonup} \times \mathop{B}\limits^{\rightharpoonup}$$V ⇀ × B ⇀ . The VLF heating events easily occur at seasons with low plasma density, which illustrates that low plasma environment plays an important role in VLF-induced ionospheric heating. Typical three enhanced VLF signals are obtained, one at 19.8 kHz with the largest amplitude, one at the broadened frequency band of 19.8 ± 300 Hz with one order of amplitude decreasing, and one between 19.5 kHz and lower hybrid frequency with at least two orders of amplitude reductions relative to that at 19.8 kHz but still one order increasing relative to non-heating region. These quasi electrostatic waves during VLF heating may not be from the VLF whistler conversion, but the lightning-whistler waves are enhanced when they pass through the plasma cavity formed during VLF heating process.

Wildfires pose significant hazards to ecosystems and socioeconomic systems. The rapid growth of forest resources in China has led to an increase in fuel load, while the combined effects of climate change, human activities, and the impacts of cross-border wildfires have further heightened wildfire risks. Therefore, establishing efficient monitoring and early warning systems is of paramount importance. This study comprehensively reviews the research progress of satellite remote sensing-based wildfire monitoring and early warning in China, focusing on four core directions: fuel parameter estimation, smoke area identification and fire spot localization, dynamic tracking and monitoring of fire spots, and post-fire assessment. It emphasizes the analysis of the application of multi-source satellite data and multi-technology integration methods. The results indicate that the accuracy of active fire detection in China’s satellite-based wildfire monitoring system has been continuously improved. The application of GF-series satellites has effectively enhanced the precision of smoke area identification and fire spot detection, while multi-scale early warning models, dynamic monitoring technologies, and post-fire assessment technologies have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in their application. However, current challenges include systematic deficiencies in key technologies, low efficiency in achievement transformation, and outdated operational systems. In the future, China needs to enhance the precise prevention and control capabilities for wildfires and safeguard forest ecological security by means of establishing space-air-ground integrated systems, strengthening technology R&D and transformation, and upgrading operational systems.