The feasibility of short-term prediction of earthquakes through the observation of subhertz electromagnetic waves generated as precursory phenomena of earthquakes is surveyed. First, for the observational evidence, some typical examples of precursory subhertz electromagnetic waves observed prior to particular earthquakes are illustrated. Then, after clarifying one of the most probable mechanisms for subhertz electromagnetic waves to be generated in the earth's crust before major earthquakes, it is reviewed how those subhertz electromagnetic waves emitted around the hypocenter propagate through the earth's crust up to the earth-atmosphere interface, finally transmitted to various points on the earth's surface at a distance from the epicenter. Finally, long-term and mid-term predictions of earthquakes are compared with short-term prediction, with emphasis on the importance of the latter.%阪神・淡路大震災、東日本大震災等の大災害をもたらした巨大地震に相次いで見舞われた我国では、中長期的な種々の防災対策とともに、地震予知の対策の確立が喫緊の課題であると考えられる。従来の地震予測では、地震学の立場から、主として、中長期的な予測が行われてきた。
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