Abstract: Pulse response of a seismometer coupled with a galvanometer is studied theoretically and using the results of numerical computation, the fundamental characteristics of the pulse response of the Kirnos type seismograph analysed. For this seismograph, an analytical expression of the pulse response for certain forms of the displacement function has been derived. Characteristics of the initial motion of the Kirnos type seismograph are obtained by using the results of numerical computation. They show that a large difference between the characteristics of the initial motion and the steady state actually exists.