Microwave stimulation of dislocations and the magnetic control of the earthquake core

Microwave irradiation transforms the elasticity of solids into plasticity by controlling the dislocation mobility via magnetic interactions within the electron spin pairs on the dislocations. In ionic crystals, microwaves cause dislocations to accelerate and increase their mean free path, thus leading to a release of elastic energy; in covalent crystals, microwaves keep dislocations in place, thereby accumulating elastic energy and increasing the crystal strength. Microwave pumping at resonant Zeeman frequencies (in the magnetic resonance regime) is firm evidence of the concepts of electron spin pairs and of the magnetoplasticity phenomenon itself. However, the dominant contribution to the macroscopic transformation of elastic energy into plastic flow comes from nonresonant microwaves. These can be used to control the mechanics of diamagnetic solids, including, importantly, the earthquake focus. The observed correlation between magnetic events (such as magnetic storms and hydrodynamically generated high-power magnetic pulses) and their seismic and tectonic consequences (earthquake frequency and magnitude and deformations) indicates unambiguously that magnetically controlling the earthquake focus provides a realistic means to prevent a catastrophe by transforming large-magnitude earthquakes into weak, low-magnitude events.