Peculiarities of the Earth’s Free Oscillations after the Sea of Okhotsk Deep-Focus Earthquake of May 24, 2013

Abstract

A description of the initial excitation of spheroidal mode ₀S₂ initiated by the 2013 Sea of Okhotsk earthquake (M_w = 8.3) is presented. It is based on the newly revealed fact of the origination of a standing P-wave in the epicenter of the Sea of Okhotsk earthquake and excitation of the traveling surface P-waves on the Earth’s surface by this wave. A new interpretation of the nature of the Earth’s free spheroidal oscillations in the case of a strong earthquake (M ≥ 7.5) is proposed. The spheroidal mode ₀S₂ is interpreted as a combination of standing and traveling P-waves, transferring the energy of Earth’s deformations.