Subsurface Propagation Characteristics of Medium-Wave Electromagnetic Fields Revealed by Measurements in the Nanatsuo-guchi Quarry: Conceptual Framework of the Subground Wave and the Rainfall Model

TL;DR

This study investigates medium-wave electromagnetic propagation in underground environments through field measurements in a quarry, revealing unique subsurface wave behaviors and proposing a new conceptual framework.

Contribution

The paper introduces experimental evidence of MW field behavior underground, challenging traditional models and proposing a new conceptual framework for subsurface electromagnetic propagation.

Findings

MW signals from local and distant stations can be received deep inside the quarry.

Vertical magnetic field component (Hz) increases with depth and affects wave behavior.

Conventional surface-wave models cannot fully explain the observed electromagnetic phenomena.

Abstract

This paper presents field observations of medium-wave (MW; 300 kHz-3 MHz) radio signals propagating in the subsurface rock environment of the Nanatsuo-guchi quarry, an underground Shakudani Ishi excavation site on Mt. Asuwayama in Fukui City, Japan. MW broadcast signals from a nearby local station (JOFG, 927 kHz, 5 kW), received mainly as a surface wave, and from a distant station (JOAB, 693 kHz, 500 kW), received via ionospheric reflection, were successfully received deep inside the quarry, whereas very-high-frequency frequency-modulated (FM) broadcast signals attenuated rapidly and became undetectable near the entrance. This contrasting behavior highlights the strong wavelength dependence of electromagnetic-wave propagation in subsurface environments. Two-axis rotation measurements were performed using loop antennas to analyze the arrival direction and angular dependence of the received signals. In addition to the horizontal magnetic field component (Hx), dominant near the ground surface, a vertical magnetic field component (Hz) was consistently observed inside the quarry. The relative contribution of Hz increased with depth and was accompanied by systematic variations in the apparent arrival direction. Inclination measurements further revealed a characteristic minimum in reception sensitivity near 40-50 degrees, suggesting a composite magnetic field structure involving both Hx and Hz. These observations cannot be fully explained by conventional surface-wave propagation models based on the Zenneck-Sommerfeld formulation, and instead suggest the formation of a characteristic electromagnetic field structure under subsurface boundary conditions. This study provides experimental evidence for previously unreported MW field behavior in underground spaces and offers new perspectives for subsurface communication and disaster-resilient information systems.