Seismic Pulses before the February 27, 2010, M = 8.8 Chile Earthquake

Abstract

The study analyzes the records of vertical velocity of the Earth’s surface motions near broadband seismic stations located on the west coast of South America and in the adjacent region of the Pacific Ocean where the Mw 8.8 earthquake occurred on February 27, 2010. Starting from 2009, asymmetric seismic pulses lasting several hundred seconds have been detected in the records of some stations. These pulses appeared under quiet weather conditions and geomagnetic activity. It is believed that the earthquake was preceded by tectonic movements in the oceanic and continental lithosphere.