Detecting Global Atmospheric Oscillations by Seismic
Instruments

G. M. Shved^a, S. I. Ermolenko^a, N. V. Karpova^a, S. Wendt^b, and Ch. Jacobi^c

^a Atmospheric Physics Department, Faculty of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia

e-mail: shved@pobox.spbu.ru

^b Institute for Geophysics and Geology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

^c Institute for Meteorology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

Received January 24, 2012; in final form, July 16, 2012

Abstract—We briefly overview the periodic atmospheric motions in the period range from 1 h to a few dozen
days. It is shown that many oscillations recorded by vertical seismometers, gravimeters, strainmeters, and tilt-
meters reflect these motions, namely, the harmonics of the thermal atmospheric tide, free waves in the atmo-
sphere, and Madden–Julian oscillation in the atmosphere–ocean system. The state of the art in studying the
effects of these motions on seismic activity is described. On the basis of yearlong measurements by a three-
channel Streckeisen STS2 seismometer at Collm (51.3N, 13.0E), susceptibility of the horizontal movements
of the seismometer’s pendulum to the periodic atmospheric motions with periods exceeding 2 days is explored
for the first time. The wavelet and Fourier spectra of the signals recorded by both horizontal channels and the
vertical channel of the seismometer demonstrate common features which coincide with the spectral traits of the
simultaneous variations in the surface air pressure. These features are associated with the atmospheric plane-
tary-scale Rossby waves and Madden–Julian oscillation.

DOI: 10.1134/S1069351313010138

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