On the aftershocks of the Great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake

Abstract: Analysis of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on 26.12.2004 (M = 9) has allowed us to identify two non- trivial properties of the dynamics of aftershocks. First, the strongest aftershock (M = 7.2) was likely triggered by the round-the-world seismic echo of the main shock. The idea is that the surface waves propagating outwards from the main shock return back to the vicinity of the epicenter after having made a complete revolution around the Earth and induce there the aftershock. The second property is the modulation of the aftershock sequence by the fundamental oscillation of the Earth 0S2 excited by the main shock. Both results are supported by analysis of the Tohoku earthquake (11.03.2011, M = 9), as well as by the statistical analysis of the USGS earthquake catalog.