Abstract: Based on the mean daily values of vertical component of the geomagnetic field at Jingyang, Qianling and Zhouzhi geomagnetic stations in Guanzhong region during 1996~1998 and the relationship between their variations and Jingyang M_S4.8 earthquake occurred on January 5, 1998, the geomagnetic information related to seismicity extracted using Higher-Order Statistics (HOS) method is discussed. At three stations, 3 months before the earthquakes, the magnitudes of the anomalies of Third Order Moment and Third Order Cumulant range 10 to 20, the magnitudes of the anomalies of Fourth Order Moments is over 120, up to 260, the magnitudes of the anomalies of Fourth Order Cumulant is 80~105. Comparing these results with those of the loading-unloading response ratio method, we find that HOS method has certain superiorities in standing out the secular to medium-term anomalies of geomagnetic field, and present the necessity of introducing the HOS method into the statistic study of seismomagnetic effect as well as the potential and prospect of HOS method in predicting earthquakes.

Key words: Seismomagnetic effects, Geomagnetic variation, Higher-Order Statistics, Jingyang earthquake