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Possible detection of the onset of flash flooding in Thessaly Greece by measurements of the Earth’s surface electric field

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  • Efthimios S. Skordas

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Nicholas V. Sarlis

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Panayiotis A. Varotsos

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

Abstract

Since the beginning of 1980s a telemetric network comprising 18 stations in Greece started to measure remotely the transient electric field changes at the Earth’s surface. This article investigates the observed variations of Earth’s electric field on 5 September 2023 when the flash flood event occurred at Thessaly Greece as result of storm Daniel. The analyses show that, during the runoffs, the geoelectric field changes abruptly. Such observations could possibly be used as a criterion to estimate the flash flood onset. Upon employing detrended fluctuation analysis at various time scales, we identify three stages corresponding to light (or no) rain, heavy rain, and flood. The distinctive behaviour during the first two stages of the phenomenon under investigation may be used as an early warning. We also show that all stages are governed by fractality.

Suggested Citation

  • Efthimios S. Skordas & Nicholas V. Sarlis & Panayiotis A. Varotsos, 2025. "Possible detection of the onset of flash flooding in Thessaly Greece by measurements of the Earth’s surface electric field," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(7), pages 8613-8629, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:121:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s11069-025-07145-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-025-07145-y
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    1. Stanley, H.E. & Amaral, L.A.N. & Goldberger, A.L. & Havlin, S. & Ivanov, P.Ch. & Peng, C.-K., 1999. "Statistical physics and physiology: Monofractal and multifractal approaches," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 270(1), pages 309-324.
    2. Telesca, Luciano & Pierini, Jorge O. & Scian, Beatrice, 2012. "Investigating the temporal variation of the scaling behavior in rainfall data measured in central Argentina by means of detrended fluctuation analysis," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(4), pages 1553-1562.
    3. Peng, C.-K. & Buldyrev, S.V. & Goldberger, A.L. & Havlin, S. & Mantegna, R.N. & Simons, M. & Stanley, H.E., 1995. "Statistical properties of DNA sequences," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 221(1), pages 180-192.
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