Anomalous characteristics of geomagnetic vertical strength polarization before the 2017 Milin M_S6.9 earthquake in Tibet

Based on the second sampling data from 65 geomagnetic stations in Chinese mainland, we extracted the ultra-low frequency electromagnetic anomaly signals from the epicenter of the 2017 Milin M_S6.9 earthquake in Tibet and its vicinity using geomagnetic vertical strength polarization method, and analyzed their spatio-temporal evolution characteristics. The results show that a large range of geomagnetic vertical strength polarization high value anomalies appeared in the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau before the M_S6.9 earthquake, and the abnormal process lasted for nine days. The high value anomaly began on October 30, 2017. The high value lasted for three days, followed by a short period of decline, a turning point and an increase. Afterwards the high value anomaly appeared again and lasted for four days. In this process, the time-series curves of each high-value station show single peak or double peak. The spatial distribution map shows that high value anomalies occur repeatedly in the western part of Chinese mainland, especially at the junction of Bayankhara and Qiangtang blocks on the Tibetan Plateau. The anomaly appeared, expanded, contracted, disappeared, expanded and disappeared, and the abnormal area reached its maximum value on October 31. Ten days after the end of the abnormal process, the Milin M_S6.9 earthquake occurred, with its epicenter 5 km from the anomaly threshold line of October 31. Comprehensive analysis indicates that this anomaly has strong temporal and spatial correlation with the Millin earthquake and can be regarded as reliable seismic electromagnetic precursor.