Abstract
<jats:p>The objective of this study is to establish and validate the Unified Theory of Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling via Acoustic-Gravity Waves (LAIC-AGW). By directly coupling real-time time-series big data (28,879 records of barometric pressure P , temperature T , and relative humidity RH) obtained from an ultra-dense crowdsourced IoT weather station array (Netatmo) across Japan with earthquake focal mechanism moment tensors Mij , we quantitatively capture pre-seismic thermal and micro-barometric anomalies as well as postseismic atmospheric wave propagations. The specific roles and physical mechanisms of the Netatmo observational parameters are formulated as follows: (1) Barometric Pressure (P ): Measures micro-barometric residual anomalies ∆P (Acoustic-Gravity Waves, AGWs) generated when crustal vertical/horizontal movements dynamically drive the atmospheric boundary layer, capturing post-seismic wave propagation patterns and decay profiles. (2) Temperature (T ) and Relative Humidity (RH): Directly detect thermodynamic anomalies in the near-surface atmosphere caused by latent heat transport and water vapor condensation linked to radon ionization released from micro-cracks in fault asperities prior to earthquakes. (3) Integration via Equivalent Potential Temperature (θe): By feeding P , T , and RH into Bolton’s (1980) thermodynamic state equations, we derive the equivalent potential temperature θe at 1-minute intervals, establishing a dual monitoring system: capturing wave dynamics via pressure residuals and capturing pre-seismic thermal spikes (∆θe = 27.99 K prior to the M7.1 Kumamoto event) hours before shaking. Empirical analysis across four major earthquake events (2016 Fukushima M7.4 normal faulting, 2018 Osaka M6.1 strike-slip, 2018 Hokkaido M6.7 reverse faulting, and 2026 Kumamoto M7.1 strike-slip) combined with Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and spatial array delayand-sum beamforming (+18 dB S/N ratio improvement) demonstrates that all three preregistered Popperian falsifiability gates (Gate 1: residual SNR ≥ 5.0, Gate 2: phase velocity vagw ∈ [250, 360] m/s, Gate 3: focal radiation correlation Rfocal ≥ 0.70) are 100% satisfied. This research shifts the earthquake paradigm from reactive post-seismic alerts to proactive, pre-seismic preventative risk management.</jats:p>