Animal communication is a result of a long evolution of species. Generally, the complex synergy of sensory organs for each species potentiates the function which best solves the problems of survival. So the auditory communication can reach the recipients of the message also outside the visual range.

The terrestrial animals hold the primacy of the ability to emit sounds and noises compared to aquatic creatures. Even Insects can emit sounds: in the male cicadas, chirping is issued by denticulate skin formations located in their legs. Some Beetles vibrate a membrane.

But the evolutionary leap in the development of a complex language begins with the differentiation of the larynx (organ typical to Vertebrates) in Amphibians.

In the Anuros, two parallel creases at the edge of the glottis act as vocal cords, and are separated into the arytenoid and the cricoid cartilages. Reptiles also have a similar structure. Birds have a larynx, but phonation function depends on the “syrinx”.

In Mammals, the vocal cords are amidst the arytenoid cartilages and the thyroid gland, but there are two new cartilages, thyroid and epiglottis: this anatomic

structure permits mammals to have a better condition for developing an increasingly articulated language.

Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area are lacking in the brains of apes: the lower space between the epiglottis and soft palate limits the emission of sounds and the reduced mobility of the tongue limits the articulation of sounds and the resonances. In human individuals, Broca’s area governs the functions of language articulations, Wernicke’s area governs the functions of regulation of the sequences of sounds emitted and of the comprehension of language. Then, in the human body, the position of the larynx is very low, between the fourth and sixth cervical vertebra, a position that determines a wider space between the vocal cords and mouth, so a voice sounding board is possible [17] [18] . Evolution of the human species has also selected a reduction of the jawbone, behind the incisors, and an increased mobility of the tongue.

The reduction of the jawbone involves a different position of the facial and head muscles. These elements gave an important contribution to the evolution of human language [19] .

Vertebrate phonation is the process by which the vocal folds produce certain sounds through quasi-periodic vibration. It is the result of a complex synergy of inhalation and exhalation of muscles and cartilages of the larynx, and of the abdominal muscles for the sound support and of numerous rear lateral trunk muscles for the “appoggio” of the sound, for the dynamic of vocal communications and sound quality.

The “appoggio” is given by the expiratory control, through which the subject slows the ascent of the diaphragm, maintaining the contraction of the external inter-costal muscles and the upper rear toothed muscle. Sound support and the simultaneous “appoggio of voice” are a professional technique for singers and actors, aimed at an artistic controlling of spoken and sung phrases [20] [21] . So, this technique is learned, but a simultaneous synergy between two muscular systems in phonation is also instinctively created when certain situations request a high intensity of the sounds of the communication.

Obviously, this last vocal modality only has the finality of counteracting the reduction of sound intensity in the space. This is very evident in dog, cat, cow, sheep, and horse communications. This complexity forms a strength and intrinsic relation between the emotional state and an unavoidable communication.

The characteristic of the sound is also connected to the geometric structure of the body, to the position of the larynx, to the length of vocal cords, to vocal tract length, to the distance between the temporo-mandibular joints, to the width of the cranium and so on.

Then, during the phonation, the coordination of the various muscles also depends on body posture, on walking upright or on all four legs, and on the position of the pelvis. This is true for both humans and other animals.

Figure 1 shows Broca’s and Wernike’s areas in the human brain.

Figure 2 shows the human facial muscles and the skull, whose geometric structure reached in millennia of evolution has led man to develop an extremely complex and articulator vocal language, unlike the other Mammals, including the dog.

Figure 3 shows the laryngeal cartilages, present in the Mammals and false and true vocal cords.

The long selection of dog breeds by man has created numerous sizes and varied the geometrical relationships of the different parts of the skeletal system.

Similarly the characteristics of the human voice, according to a large size, (body weight and height of the legs) are associated to an increase of the average length of the vocal cords, of the tyro-arytenoids, arytenoids, cricothyroid, and lateral cricoarytenoid muscles. These muscles are the intrinsic muscles of the larynx and they adjust the pitch, during the phonation.

So dogs of big size can emit sounds with lower frequencies, while dogs of small size produce higher frequencies. Vocal frequencies of the dogs can have an interval between 50 - 658 Hz and mostly low frequencies are emitted during growling. Also for dogs, we can split the timbre of voices into low, medium, and high. We note a different phonation of vocal timbre and extension between

puppy and adult dogs. The differentiations between male and female voices of the adult are much smaller than we can observe in the context of sound frequency for human species.

In human species the larynx position of the newborn still six-seven months is very high. During breathing the soft palate and the epiglottis are in contact, the tongue is advanced and above the gum. When the newborn is sucking breast milk, the epiglottis is lifted and divides into two channels the isthmus of the jaws. This will allow baby breath and shallow at the same time. This is not possible for a human adult. This anatomy of breathing system of human babies is almost similar to those of the other Mammals, both puppies, both adults. Indeed, the other Mammals must breathe and shallow at the same time, because they must have always on nasal breathing for the defense. When the babies larynx alights and distances to soft palate, also the tongue modifies his position in relation to the jaws and it goes back. This new situation gives to human phonation a great possibility of articulations, this characteristic is only for human species.

Also for puppies there is a phase of hormonal changes, both for male, both for female, during which they pass from puberty to adolescence, similar to what happens for human adolescents. This period of dogs can last from six to fourteen months and it also involves psychological changes as well as physical changes, including variations in phonation.

Human sexual dimorphism poses considerable difficulty for the adolescent during this pubertal and post-pubertal phase. This “mute of the voice”, which is found in a minority for the girls, implies a considerable difficulty in the laryngeal muscles due to the rapid lengthening of the vocal cords, so the male teenager easily passes from a register of childish voice to an adult of lower register. This is not so evident in dogs, for whom the difference between the extension of sounds between male adolescents and adults is not so remarkable.

Furthermore, the differentiations between male and female voices of the adult are much smaller that we can observe in the context of sound frequency for human species.

The vocal range and the tone of voice of dogs differ in the adult for the size of the dog, given by the breed and not for the sex.

The distance between the temporo-mandibular joints and the width of cranium are important parameters for the geometric structure that influences the formation of resonators during phonation: the pharynx, the oral and the nasal cavities. Then the modification of the soft palate (very long for dogs) during the phonation can modify in the vocal tract the characteristic of sound emitted (the vocal formants) and the quality of communication.

The evaluation of the morpho-types of dogs as the cephalic index (the ratio between the width, side to side, and length, front to back, of the cranium, skull) and the craniofacial ratio (length of cranium-muzzle) is interesting for understanding vocal language from the point of view of phonation physiology [22] [23] .

On the other hand, the synergy between all sensorial organs gives the vocal communication a strength link with the psychological and ethological situation.

We can give a few examples.

The canine sense of smell is very developed, there are 120 - 300 millions of smell receptors. Dog’s sense of smell is the first sense in terms of superior ability to discern the quality of odours and their persistence in the environment.

If a dog feels some animal intruder by smell, but cannot see them (example 1) and the smell of intruder is new, a quizzical reaction follows: there can be anxiety, curiosity, and aggressiveness, but in every emotional situation, the dog raises its head a little, so it can sniff the air with a greater volume. This position of the head implies the action of cricothyroid and cricoarytenoid muscles, over all the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle, which lengthens the vocal cords. This anatomic situation favours a vocal emission of high sound.

An interesting research by Liancai Mu and Shilin Yang [24] experimentally confirms with electromyography that during the dog’s phonation, the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles are also contracted. So, in example 1, dogs often emit vocal sequences with two sounds; if ν₁ is the frequency of the fundamental of the first sound emitted and ν₂ of the second, we can have:

a]→ ν₂ = 3/2ν₁

The frequency ν₁ depends on the breed and on the agitation of the dog. The ratio

b]→ ν₂/ν₁= 3/2 → a perfect musical fifth

In this case the two sounds are emitted with discrete modality, with a breath between the two sounds or with a short break time.

If the aggression is too strong, (example 2) the time of transitional attack of the first sound is very short. The phonation energy is extremely intense and so it produces the sound that has a ratio with the first sound of a musical perfect fifth, and the body posture is of a dominant aggressive dog. In this case, between ν₁ and ν₂ there are numerous other frequencies and the higher sound is reached as the musical “glissando”, or vocal “portamento”. Different vocal sequences will be analysed in Chapter 4.

The lateral position of dog’s eyes gives him a larger eyesight corner than human eyesight, this is aimed at the vision of the movements of possible enemies. The frontal eyesight is less acute, so dogs compensate this with their other senses.

The dog’s hearing sense is the second to smelling sense in terms of discerning ability. The range of sound frequencies that humans can detect is including approximately between 20 - 12,000 - 20,000 hertz, depending on age. Dogs can hear the infra-sounds with lower limit of 3.5 - 7 hertz, while the upper limit can reach 40 - 60,000 hertz, also depending on age. This ability of sensory organs will give in chapters 5, 6, 7 an explanation to unusual dog behaviors before earthquakes.

Both non-verbal communications and both vocal-communications of dogs and wolves are strictly regulated by relationship rules in a group, with a rigid hierarchical scheme. The first rule, the leader rule, is won through struggles by group male members, the winner becomes the “alpha wolf” or the “alpha dog”, it has the privilege of eating first, of going ahead, of reproducing, of howling (or barking for dogs) first. However, it must always defend its role and the welfare of the group with a constant level of attention, with an intense stress [25] [26] .

When a dog enters a human family, a group is formed.

I have observed the following groups constituted thus:

1) an owner and one dog, that consider its owner as an “alpha dog”,

2) an owner and one dog, that consider itself as an “alpha dog”, due to a wrong course of the owner,

3) an owner, more human members of family and a dog, with owner as “alpha dog”, the dog is normally the last in the hierarchy,

4) an owner and many dogs, the owner is the “alpha dog”, in the group of dogs, a male dog becomes an “alpha dog” number two, so the hierarchy is constituted by human alpha 1, dog alpha 2, male dogs, female dogs,

5) an owner and many female dogs, also in the female group of dogs, there is an “alpha dog 2” subjected to owner, often the “alpha dog 2” mimics the male sexual act on female dogs of the group.

Furthermore, there are dog groups without owners. They are stray dogs and the group is strictly regulated by relationship rules similar to a wolf group. I have collected some testimonies from people living in the Cuneo area.

Sometimes, the group is not composed of stray dogs, but of dogs that have owners neglecting them. In 1995 in Torre Pellice, the dog Lulù (number 2 in Table 4), was seen many times by people while it was walking as an alpha dog of a group of four dogs or asking for food at the town’s butchers. For this purpose, he knocked on the windows of the shops with his paw. One day I met him, I gave him food and cuddles and I adopted him, so I become his alpha dog-owner.

However Lulù never forgot his female mate (female alpha dog), because many times he ran out of my house to meet his female. One day Lulù ran out of the house and people told me that he watched over his mate for several hours, on the road, while his mate was agonizingly hit by a car. Lulù came home the next day and he refused food for some days. Then he did not run any more. This case shows that the relations of dogs with a group can be very strong, even more than its relations with its owners. But the relation of Lulù with his female mate also shows a capacity of intense emotional relationship and not just of dominance.

If a group is formed by wild dogs, it behaves as a wolf group, but it does not fear human species as wolfs do. It is a group swaggering towards humans.

A few shepherds told me about a sighting of a similar group on high mountain pastures.

In this research, a domestic dog was observed, the “Canis familiaris”, that is a mammal of the “Canidi” family and Canis gender. With a phylogenetic analysis of ancestral relationships, the observations of group behaviors of dogs similar to those of a wolf group lead us to think that the Canis familiaris could have wolf origins. This hypothesis has been confirmed by recent studies on sequences of mtDNA mitochondrial.

Some researchers think that a few dog breeds could have been derived from jackals or coyotes, while the dog breeds of the North could have been derived from wolves, during the long process of breed selections by human, for the domestication of the primitive dog. But mtDNA mitochondrial sequences of dogs differ from those of wolves for 2%, while from those from coyotes for 7.5%. For a better understanding of the herd behaviour of dogs, we must also consider the relation between the character of every dog (due to the education received from owner and from its life situation), and it’s belonging to a certain breed. It is important to consider four modes of behaviours of dogs in relation to an ancestral memory of four developmental stages of wolves, as shown in Table 3. It is interesting to note that belonging to one group more than to another for dog breeds is due to the morphology of the dog that recalls that of the growth stage of the wolf [27] .

Table 4 shows number of dogs personally observed, or observed by their owners, dog breeds and distance between dog’s house and SPSC are added.

The dogs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are the dogs of the Author, with the exception of the dog No. 5, who was born at home, all the others were adopted.

Table 5 shows the number of dogs personally observed, their sex, breed, size, width of cranium and voice tone.

Table 6 shows the continuity of the observations by the author of the behaviour of his dogs, even in their alternation, the partial observations referred to the author by the other owners of the dogs considered and the partial ones made by the author regarding the other dogs.

The study of the structure of the ionosphere, the lithosphere, the atmosphere, the dynamics of fluids, the internal structure of the globe, that of earthquakes and volcanoes, geothermal, geomagnetic field, solar radiation, and so on, leads inevitably to the observation on how variations of some physical and chemical parameters in a certain area of the globe can interact with the complex synergistic system of the Earth.

Continuous monitoring of physical and chemical parameters can therefore give information on the performance of that parameter over time, offering the possibility of identifying any anomalies in short, medium or long periods, with mathematical criteria.

Then, the study of possible seismic precursors implies a multi-parametric and possibly continuous monitoring in order to evaluate “in retrospect” the possible occurrences of anomalies preceding seismic events. Ideally it would be possible to create multi-parameter monitoring Centers that can share data and for some parameters, such as variations of magnetic declination, to be able to make a triangulation. The literature is rich in observations of pre-seismic anomalies, such as variations on water reservoirs, pre-seismic and seismic lights, electrical and magnetic anomalies, even in swarms, significant emissions of radon, and unusual behaviour of animals. However, the non-continuity of the observations makes it very difficult if not impossible to attribute an anomaly to a given moment in the earthquake nucleation process.

If an anomaly precedes the seismic event by many hours or days, it can go unnoticed. For example, for the warnings of dogs, we remember those that immediately precede the earthquake (about 40 seconds before), that is the perception of the seismic waves “p”, but then they are not precursors. Those of a few hours before are not remembered, because they are confused with the normal barking of dogs. So after an earthquake important for its magnitude, the questionnaires proposing that people improve their knowledge on the precursors do not contain precise observations made by the people on the anomalies of the animals, observed a few hours before.

To evaluate any correlations between the anomalies of some monitored parameters, we proceeded to the chronological recording of a few parameters y(t), with monitoring that was not always uniform, in order to extend a background for each of them, on which to then apply statistical evaluation techniques.

To consider the behaviour of a variable y(t) observed experimentally during the continuous monitoring of a historical series y(t) anomalous, I considered the mean values in day, night, monthly, and seasonal time intervals, also considering the parameters of the weather, so as to be able to identify the “normal” behaviours of the considered parameter. I then made groupings, classifications, to be able to identify punctual, contextual, and possibly collective anomalies.

There are some parameters to be measured for the identification in the vocalizations of dogs: the frequencies of the sounds, the relationships between the intervals of the emitted sounds, the rhythmic sequences referred to a constant pulsation of time, allowing to parameterise the vocalization, with the consequent identification of anomalies in dog communications, referring to the contexts of other measured parameters.

The moderate seismicity of the zone allows to identify, with long periods of monitoring some parameters, the behaviour of the same in temporal intervals without earthquakes and in those with earthquakes. The same anomaly of a measured variable, which occurs experimentally several times within a certain time before an event, leads me to consider it to be a probable precursor of that event in the medium or short term.

Western Piedmont is an area with a variable magnetic variation from point to point, similar to the area surrounding the volcano Etna and Catania (in Sicily, Italy) and to that in front of the volcano Vesuvius, near Naples. This is visible in the geographical map of the image 4.

This feature makes the comparison between the geomagnetic anomalies recorded in Val Pellice and the vocal sequences of dogs contemporaneous to them, even more interesting. In fact, in the presence of such anomalies, dogs bark with specific sound frequencies and with distinguishable rhythmic characterization.

In a multi-parametric monitoring it is useful to know the instrumental typology and the data collection modality, as shown in Table 12 and in Table 13, in order to compare the possible physical anomalies with the unusual behaviors of the animals, in this case of the dogs. Mainly fundamental for the semantic detection of some vocal sequences is the possibility of temporally associating them with the appearance of physical anomalies, circumstances observed a very high number of times in order to rise to the semantic value.

Figure 4 shows the map of the magnetic declination anomalies recorded by the INGV of Rome, but the map is a reworking of the Author, taken from the INGV declination magnetic card (2015), revision to better highlight the isogonic lines and the area where the magnetic declination varies from point to point.

Looking at Figure 4 we can see how the SPSC Studies Center, in Torre Pellice, is included in the yellow area, where the magnetic declination changes from point to point. Similar areas are located near Vesuvius, Etna and in some other areas, including Sardinia. We can also note the isogonic lines with values of 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 arc minutes and three of the Italian INGV Observatories.

The colours, shown on the right of the map, correspond to the magnetic declination values, measured in arc minutes, placed to the right of the coloured column.

The INGV Observatories for analysis and collection of magnetic data are the following, in Italy:

- L’Aquila Observatory, IAGA Code AQU,

- Castello Tesino Observatory, IAGA Code CTS,

- Lampedusa Observatory, IAGA Code LMP,

- Duronia Observatory, IAGA Code, DUR.

Only three of the four Italian Observatories are visible on the map.

In Australia there are two of the other Observatories, with the related IAGA codes:

- Mario Zucchelli Observatory, IAGA Code TNB,

- Concordia Observatory, IAGA Code DMC.

The IAGA code is attributed by the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy, an international scientific organization, established in Rome in 1954.

During the nucleation phase of earthquakes, the magnetic field variations induce a magnetization orientation on magnetic domains of a ferromagnetic substance. The structure of the crystals influences the direction of magnetization of a

domain. The geologic morphology of the Pellice Valley is rich in quartzite and gneiss [28] , so in ferromagnetic rocks with iron crystals with a cubic structure (gneiss), the most immediate direction of magnetization is along the three axes of the cube. The magnetic variation of the domains tends to align in the direction of the field as the strength of the external magnetic field increases. If there are also piezoelectric crystals, (quartzite) in the rocks, a distribution of charges is created on crystal surfaces due to the elastic deformation, that can be acoustic, mechanical, and magnetic [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] . During the seismic nucleation, the deep rocks undergo a pressure that can change the intensity of the magnetic permeability B and the direction of magnetization of the magnetic domains can justify the sudden change I observe of the δ magnetic declination that I measure in minutes of arc. This precise moment is the sudden magnetic commencement and I have to separate it from periods of magnetic variations from solar storms. Magnetic intensity and declination angle values present a gradual peak reduction [34] .

So far, for each earthquake considered, with distance from the epicentrum of earthquakes from the SPSC less than 100 km and with magnitude even lower than ML = 1, I noticed that, from the moment of sudden commencement to the earthquake the variations in intensity of the geomagnetic field, magnetic declination, and temperature on the ground, measured half a meter beneath the floor of the SPSC cellar, until their almost zero decrease, there is the same interval of time, which is longer if the future earthquake is farther away. Obviously this is known “in retrospect”, with the comparison of the Italian seismic INGV list. Radon also has particular intervals of increase and decrease before earthquakes, but they do not always coincide with those of magnetism and temperature [35] - [40] . The comparative study of multiple anomalies of the physical parameters considered has led me to identify three pre-seismic moments, or phases, according to the following scheme, in Table 14, each of which presents recurring characteristics for the unusual behaviours of dogs.

Some clarifications will better explain the contents of Table 14: as regards box 1 of phase B, my instrument records values in μT and not in nT; for every earthquake studied, I have always observed the anomalies described in the boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 13 of phases A₁, A₂ and B.

So we can say that at least these anomalies can be considered seismic precursors, with a certain degree of forecast (not predictability) in the long or medium or short term. The anomalies described in phase A₁ may occur a few days, or weeks, before the first seismic shock and therefore present themselves as long-term temporal precursors. Only continuous multi-parametric monitoring can help to distinguish the various phases.

Having identified physical parameters concerning their vocal communication has made their barking semantic, thereby the observation of dogs is precious and fundamental, and very useful for the study of seismic precursors.

Having found that every time there is a magnetic anomaly of declination, even small, the dogs punctually state the marker with a particular language, has led me to think that even dogs, like many other animals, have some element of their body that is magneto-sensitive, not only to the variation of intensity, but above all, that of declination. In 2013, the researchers Petra Novákova, Erich Pascal Malkemper and others, proved the magnetic sensitivity in dogs. The conclusion of their paper states [41] : “magnetic sensitivity was proved in dogs, a measurable, predictable behavioural reaction upon natural MF fluctuations could be unambiguously proven in a mammal, and high sensitivity to small changes in polarity, rather than in intensity, of MF was identified as biologically meaningful”.

Christine Nießner and Leo Peichl from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt and other researchers from the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, the Goethe University in Frankfurt, and the Universities of Duisburg-Essen and Göttingen have conducted research on the Cryptochromes 1 in birds and in mammals [42] . These light-sensitive molecules exist in bacteria, plants, and animals and they are involved in the control of the body’s circadian rhythms. Cryptochrome 1a is located in photoreceptors in birds’ eyes and is activated by the magnetic field.

The research found Cryptochrome 1 only in a few species from the carnivore and primate groups. The active Cryptochrome 1 is found in the light-sensitive outer segments of the cone cells.

As is the case in birds, it is found in the blue-sensitive cones in dogs, wolves, bears, foxes, and badgers, but it is not found in cat-like carnivores such as cats, lions and tigers.

This scientific research gives me an anatomical-physiological explanation for the reactions of dogs to changes in the magnetic field (MF) that I have observed for years before the earthquakes.

As we can see in Table 13, the magnetic anomalies of both declination and intensity of the FM occur suddenly and frighten the dogs, who do not see the “enemy” as when they see an intruder in their territory, but perceive the magnetic change with their magneto-sensitive receptors and are disoriented, just as the birds are also disorientated, and which in these moments can “make mistakes” in the direction of flight and go slamming into plants. Dogs then raise their snouts to sniff better, as if this event even brings them their own smells.

Sometimes they get up on their hind legs and while spinning around, they look up and bark, but they do not know in what direction they have to bark to warn off the “enemy”. Stress involves a considerable energy of breath emission, so vocalizations are “pushed”, still using the musical jargon and so the interrogative sequences, like the sequence n. 6

6]→ [w*ó* ∪`a*, w*ó* ∪`a*, w*ó* ∪`a*]

no longer imply intervals of fourth just between the first and the second sound, but intervals of fourth excess (ʌ↑*), first, during phase A₁, with binary rhythms issued several times (sequence 8),

8]→ [w*ó* ∪ a↑*, pause, w*ó* ∪ a↑*, pause,…

and so on

then, as aggression increases, during phase A₂, following ternary rhythm and with an iambic accent of the sequence n. 9:

9]→ [w*ó* ∪`a↑*, w*ó* ∪`a↑*, w*ó* ∪`a↑*]

Preceded by the alpha dog of the super group observed, (see below) all the dogs bark together, each with their own rhythm, based on the intensity of agitation, and along with the dogs, the roosters and hens, blackbirds, magpies, and crows are also complaining.

As the compass needle returns to the damped harmonic oscillation of the previous values, the sequences of the type 9 diminish and overlap them with the sequence similar to that aimed at the intruder of the no longer aggressive injunction to leave:

10]→ [w* uː*, short pause, w* uː*, short pause,

1^th sound 2^nd sound

w* uː*, short pause, short pause, short pause,

3^rd sound

w* uː*, w* uː*, short pause w* uː

4^th sound, 5^th sound, 6^th sound

if we call v₁ the frequency of the fundamental of the first sound, v₂ of the second sound, and so on, the ratio between the frequencies are as follows:

c]→ ν₁/ν₂ = 9/8

d]→ ν₂/ν₃ = 10/9

e]→ ν₄/ν₁ = 10/9

f]→ ν₅ = ν₁

g]→ ν₆/ν₅ = 5/4

The sequence 10, with the first three sounds in descending scale, shows the sound ratio of a Pitagora’s scale. The alpha dog of the super group (see below) that I have studied always begins this sequence at the end of phase A₂, always from the note G₃, central in the piano, this intonation of sounds is astonishing. So the notes are: G₃, F₃, E₃(♭), A₃(♭), G₃, B₃.

On the basis of experience, I have observed that the shorter the epicentrum distance of an earthquake occurred from the SPSC center, the shorter the time intervals of phases A₁, A₂, B, especially of phase B, have been (with retrospective control) and even more numerous was the list of anomalies of the various parameters described in the boxes A₁ and A₂. The longer the distance of the epicentrum of an earthquake occurred from the SPSC Center, the longer the time interval of phase A₁.

If at sudden commencement the intensity values of the geomagnetic field are high (for example 0.40 - 50 μT) and the maximum amplitude angle of the declination variation is achieved over a time interval greater than 100 minutes, it is probable that a medium-high magnitude earthquake is being prepared with the area of nucleation at a distance of more than 200 km from the observation Center. If, on the other hand, together with high geomagnetic intensity values, the maximum amplitude angle of the declination variation is achieved over a time interval of less than 10 minutes, generally a medium-high magnitude earthquake could happen within approximately 50 km.

Now, in Table 15, I’ll give some examples regarding each of the earthquakes for which the dogs have sent vocal alarms both for the phase A₁ and A₂, while for the phase B, only the alpha dog of the super group has complained before each earthquake.

In an area that little populated, with scattered peasant houses with farm animals, there are also dogs of different races, often crossbreeds, and many guard dogs trained to manage the flocks: these, free to roam over a vast territory, create a super group, in defence of its territory and its “own” against wild boar, foxes, and wolves. This group therefore includes as subgroups the furthest areas of those dogs living in the villas, enclosed in the yard, without being able to go out except when they run away. The occasional escape creates the opportunity to relate to free dogs. Then latter often go to find the dogs after they’ve returned to being enclosed in the yards. The continuity of the relationship is subsequently based on vocal communication, which becomes more important than the binomial posture-vocal communication. So, the alpha dog of the super group also becomes the alpha dog of the sub-groups. Therefore, it has the right to raise the alarm for any enemies that may endanger all members of the super group, at simultaneous times and not as usually happens for intruders who upon their arrival to this or that area are reported by dogs in operation of the path that the intruder takes. The magnetic anomalies before the earthquakes are parameters that should be studied by several Centers of multi-parametric monitoring, in order to develop a deeper knowledge on the nucleation processes of earthquakes.

Table 16 shows the seismic list and then Graphic 1 shows the magnetic declination that occurred in August 2018.

We can observe in Graphic 1 that there is a remarkable ascending magnetic declination peak.

The values found in the morning of August 16 quickly went from 7˚E to 14˚E, with these variation times: at 8:25 the delta angle was at 7˚E, at 8:26 it was at 9˚E, at 8:27 it was still at 7˚E, at 8:45 it was at 14˚E.

My dogs, visually observed and paying attention to the others to discern the various dogs and their vocalizations acoustically, immediately manifested discomfort with their own barking that they emit at the moment of events that surprise them and that they cannot define, which will be discussed more deeply in the next chapter. At h. 20:07:13, an earthquake of ML = 2.1 occurred in France, at a distance in a straight line with the Center of 90.02 km. Fortunately, the earthquake that occurred came after the declination peak had a small magnitude, but I think that for dogs the discomfort is caused by the considerable variation of declination and by the variation in intensity of the magnetic field. In this case the values recorded at the sudden commencement were 0.20 μT and then they gradually fell.

Another example of the alarm of the dogs and other species as well, is given by the intense anomaly of declination and magnetic intensity registered suddenly on June 5, 2009, at h.10.30’. In the graph number 2 the A₁ phase is short, followed by a longer A₂ with regular peaks with the same values. The declination is toward West.

The declination values of Graphic 2 towards the West are considered positive. The variations of declination are to be referred to the position of the compass needle that the local North provides to me.

At the sudden commencement, some female blackbirds bumped into the wall of the SPSC and the dogs emitted multiple vocal alarms, which repeated every time the peaks were ascending and not descendants. The phase B, announced by the alpha dog of the super group, began in the morning of June 8 at 8:38 am, the earthquake occurred at 23:35:32, on the border with France less than 90 km away.

By June 28, it had been followed by 10 earthquakes, for which Torre Pellice was located in relation to the relative epicentres in the Center of a sunburst towards the south-west, with an area with a radius of less than 90k. The seismic sequence showed increasingly minor declining anomalies, always reported by the dogs. I have yet to observe that when registering zero values both for declination and intensity magnetic variables, there may be variations of degree lower than 0.5˚ for declination or intensity values in the nT scale, while I register in μT. The seism occurred on June 28, at 4:14:47 a.m., with ML = 2.6, the earthquake on June 28 had been announced by the alpha dog of the super group 4 hours earlier, at the beginning of phase B.

Graphic 1. x = t local time.

Graphic 2. Short A₁ and longer A₂.

Graphic 3 shows the variations of magnetic declination of phase A₁ 12 hours before the earthquake with epicentrum at Roaschia, occurred on September 1, 2003. The values of irregular ascending peaks, typical of phase A1 and not of phase A2, can be seen.

When Phase B begins, the super group alpha dog continues the sequence 10 alone, enriches it with other sounds of the Pythagorean scale and creates a “song” with ever-detached sounds, of ternary rhythm, but with a slower agogic. This barking is very creative, similar to the howling of the alpha wolf, when it howls alone, on the other hand, when the ululates are in a group, they have

Graphic 3. Magnetic declination: Phase A₁, 12 hours before the seism occurred on Sept. 1, 2003 at 7:28:11 p.m., in Roaschia (CN).

a very lively agogic. Therefore, there recognizably seems to be a growing weariness in the Phase B sequences of the alpha dog, since the intervals of silence between one sound and the other are always longer, while maintaining the ternary rhythm, in practice it sings with a “slowing down” of ever increasing music. On the other hand, the previous phases have excited them, and the alpha dog is more stressed than other dogs. These sequences are rich in associations of three, or four, then two descending sounds, interspersed with breaths and resumed above, then again three, then two then a single sound, which is finally repeated a few times, but the phoneme is very short. The last phonemes of a single “phono” are not w* u* but b*, a typical phoneme of a calm dog in its territory.

So, the last vocalizations of B can often be:

11]→[G₃, F₃, E₃(♭), pause, pause, A₃(♭), G₃, pause,

B₃, pause, pause, A₃(♭), G₃, pause,

A₃(♭), G₃, B_3, pause, pause, pause, A₃(♭), G₃pause,

B₃, pause, pause, B₃, pause, C₄, pause, pause, pause]…

The uppercase letters indicate the notes of the scale and the “Ut” is indicated with the A, while the lower apex 3 indicates the third octave of the piano, the ventral octave, the apex 4 indicates the fourth octave.

It is interesting to note that when the sound is a FA (F) followed by a SI (B), immediately afterwards, or after a few other sounds, the alpha dog emits a UT (C), almost to seek a spontaneous resolution of the tri-tone FA-SI (F-B), interval of the fourth excess. In medieval music this interval was called “diabolus in musica”, difficult to sing for the singers, so much so that the Si “bequadro”, or natural, was then lowered to B flat. The difficult intonation is due to a reluctance to take intervals that in the Pythagorean scale do not follow the pattern of the right ascendant wings, which turned into the lower octave become intervals of the correct fourth. All the excess intervals have the effect on humans and on dogs of reinvigorating attention, an example is the sirens of ambulances or the police, the two sounds are in relation to each other in excess ratio. When dogs howl at the ambulance sirens, they are extremely alert and frightened, since, on a semantic level, this range in their vocal language means danger. The dog howling, like the wolf howling, is an expression of a feeling of sadness and abandonment in view of danger. Dogs also moan when they hear bells, but even here the intervals are almost never a fourth or fifth, since the bells are often out of tune. In addition, bells have many harmonics and the ones highest in pitch are annoying since they are not consonants in relation to the fundamental sound; the dogs perceive them, given their extraordinary acoustic sensory apparatus.

We can resume in Table 17 body postures of the dogs personally observed, in relation to the three pre-seismic moments.

It is interesting to note the emotional situation of the alpha dog of the super group, the apparent sense of loneliness and sadness could be connected to the fact that in the pre-seismic phase B the birds and other animals of the wood are silent, even those of the farms. Also the declension anomaly that had destabilized the dogs ceased. It is not known if this return to normality of the declination and of the variations in intensity of the geomagnetic field brings the alpha dog to a relaxation after the previous state of stress, with consequent posture of the body similar to that assumed in depression.

Recent scientific literature has shown the relationship between seismic and volcanic activity with variations in natural electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic (EM) parameters. The magnitude of the pre-seismic variations is related to the intensity of the magnitudes of future earthquakes in preparation and to the distance of the places where such perturbations occur from the epicenters and also from the hypo-centers of the seismic nucleation zones. It should be noted that anomalies of behaviour and particular pre-seismic vocal sequences have always come true for local earthquakes, even of low magnitude. The difficulty is to discern which physical parameters of the anomalies influence the behaviour of dogs, in a pre-seismic phase both of local earthquakes of very low magnitude and of distant earthquakes of high magnitude, with a time interval of a few days. An interesting example of a complex synergy of anomalies can be the sequence of few local earthquakes within 90 km of SPSC and with very low magnitude that happened on May 16, 18, and 19, and the “earthquakes of Emilia” on May 20, 2012, which had the first shock of high magnitude ML = 5.9, with the epicenter in Finale Emilia and depth of 7 km. The earthquake was followed by others of high magnitude on May 29, with ML = 5.8, ML = 5.3, ML = 5.2. The swarm lasted for months. Finale Emilia is 320 km from SPSC, but the nucleation of a large magnitude earthquake inevitably leads to the presence of precursors on a larger area.

While Table 18 shows examples of local earthquakes, Table 19 shows the related phases A₁ and A₂ and B and magnetic declination, with the vocal sequences of the dogs associated with them.

Table 20 again shows the phase A₁, A₂, B, the magnetic declination and the related vocal sequences of the dogs, but related to the earthquake of Finale Emilia in 2012.

The aforementioned local earthquakes in Piedmont, some of which, of very low magnitude, are only instrumentally detected, are expression of a crustal deformation.

They were preceded by weak magnetic anomalies, punctually perceived by dogs and other magneto-sensitive animals, such as birds. It is interesting to note the concomitance of the radon emission peak two days before the earthquake in Finale Emilia, as can be seen in Graphic 4. The high values of radon emitted in a few days immediately damage small animals such as spiders, insects, snails or amphibians or reptiles; the dogs however, often raise their snouts to smell the strongly ionized air [4] .

Other anomalies were recorded during that period.

The ELF and VLF detector installed by the physicist Cristiano Fidani on the roof of SPSC has recorded anomalies before both local earthquakes and the earthquake in Emilia. A few examples of ELF and VLF monitoring will be commented regarding the responses of dogs [43] .

Figures 5-11 represent some examples taken from the continuous monitoring of ELF and VLF transmitted by the processing performed by the “Spectrum Lab” installed in SPSC for ELF and VLF anomalies, recorded on 18, 19 and 20 May 2012.

It is also useful to compare the weather data recorded in Pinerolo, at a distance of 10.58 km from SPSC, in the week of the earthquake of Finale Emilia, as shown in Table 21.

As can be seen from the table on the weather, the anomalies in temperature, gusts of wind, and rain characterized Piedmont in those days, and the images obtained with the Spectrum Lab show the effects of thunderstorms. Dogs, as well as cats, perceive weather variations well in advance, even 8 - 10 hours in advance. They respond to them not with particular vocalizations, but with postures typical of fear and with a search for a hiding place, especially from the wind: on that occasion, my dogs had dug a large den in the wooded part of the garden; even though they could hide in the house, they preferred their burrow in the earth, dug under branches. This method of wind protection had been taught to them by the bitch, mother wolf’s daughter. Before the arrival of the wind, other dogs observed by me or their owners had sought refuge in their kennel, or those who could, inside the stables.

Graphic 4. Radon²²² emission monitored into SPSC.