The paper describes results of studying effects of total electron content (TEC) variations triggered by the Chelyabinsk meteoroid airburst as inferred from unique data of a dense GPS network located around the final part of the meteoroid atmospheric path. Well‐pronounced TEC disturbances with an average period of about 10 min and amplitude of 0.07–0.5 TECU (total electron content unit, 1 TECU = 10¹⁶ el m⁻²) were detected. These disturbances were initiated by an ionospheric source activated about 5–6 min after the airburst. The disturbance velocity damping with time and distance from the airburst was revealed using a GPS interferometric technique. Several modes of TEC disturbances with propagation velocities ranging from 250 to 660 m/s were distinguished through the distance‐time diagram analysis. The estimated position of ionospheric source of TEC disturbances is shifted 36 km southwestward from the airburst, which is most likely to be associated with the conjoint influence of TEC data errors, damping and anisotropy of TID propagation velocity.

Coseismic gravity changes stem from (1) vertical deformation of layer boundaries with density contrast (i.e., surface and Moho) and (2) density changes of rocks at depth. They have been observed in earthquakes with M_w exceeding ~8.5 by Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, but those of M8 class earthquakes have never been detected clearly. Here we report coseismic gravity change of the 24 May 2013 Okhotsk deep earthquake (M_w8.3), smaller than the detection threshold. In shallow thrust faulting, factor (2) is dominant, while factor (1) remains secondary due to poor spatial resolution of GRACE. In the 2013 Okhotsk earthquake, however, factor (2) is insignificant because they occur at depth exceeding 600 km. On the other hand, factor (1) becomes dominant because the centers of uplift and subsidence are well separated and GRACE can resolve them. This enables GRACE to map vertical ground movements of deep earthquakes over both land and ocean.

Summary. The present tectonics of Northeast Asia has been extensively investigated during the last 12 yr by using GPS techniques. Nevertheless, crustal velocit

The recent geodynamics of the Far East region of Russia is considered, where three large tectonic plates converge—Eurasian, North American, and Pacific, as well as several microplates—Okhotsk, Bering, and Amurian—have been hypothesized to exist. The available data on the position of the plate boundaries, the relative plate rotation poles, and the regional seismicity were analyzed, and parameters of plate motion models for northeastern Russia were determined in this study. The regional deep structure was investigated, using data obtained by different geophysical methods. The results of observations of the Magadan–Vrangel Island profile by deep seismic sounding (DSS), common-depth point (CDP) method, and correlation refraction method (CRM) are presented.