Seismic Body Waves

Wave Type Particle Motion Other Characteristics

(and names)
P, Alternatingcompressions Pmotiontravelsfastestinmaterials,
Compressional, (pushes)anddilations sotheP-waveisthefirst-arriving
Primary, (pulls)whicharedirected energyonaseismogram.Generally
Longitudinal inthesamedirectionasthe smallerandhigherfrequencythan
Dilatational waveispropagating(along theSandSurface-waves.Pwaves
theraypath);andtherefore, inaliquidorgasarepressure
perpendiculartothe waves,includingsoundwaves.
wavefront.
S, Alternatingtransverse S-wavesdonottravelthrough
Shear, motions(perpendicularto fluids,sodonotexistinEarths
Secondary, thedirectionof outercore(inferredtobeprimarily
Transverse propagation,andthe liquidiron)orinairorwateror
raypath);commonly moltenrock(magma).Swaves
approximatelypolarized travelslowerthanPwavesina
suchthatparticlemotionis solidand,therefore,arriveafterthe
inverticalorhorizontal Pwave.
planes.
 Seismic Surface Waves
Wave Type Particle Motion Other Characteristics
(and names)
L, Transversehorizontal LovewavesexistbecauseoftheEarths
Love, motion,perpendicularto surface.Theyarelargestatthesurfaceand
Surface thedirectionof decreaseinamplitudewithdepth.Lovewaves
waves,Long propagationand aredispersive,thatis,thewavevelocityis
waves generallyparalleltothe dependentonfrequency,generallywithlow
Earthssurface. frequenciespropagatingathighervelocity.
DepthofpenetrationoftheLovewavesisalso
dependentonfrequency,withlower
frequenciespenetratingtogreaterdepth.

R, Motionisbothinthe Rayleighwavesarealsodispersiveandthe
Rayleigh, directionofpropagation amplitudesgenerallydecreasewithdepthin
Surface andperpendicular(ina theEarth.Appearanceandparticlemotionare
waves,Long verticalplane),particle similartowaterwaves.Depthofpenetration
waves, motionisgenerally oftheRayleighwavesisalsodependenton
Groundroll ellipticalandretrograde frequency,withlowerfrequenciespenetrating
anddiesout togreaterdepth.Generally,Rayleighwaves
exponentiallywithdepth. travelslightlyslowerthanLovewaves.
3-D Grid for Seismic Wave Animations

No attenuation (decrease in amplitude with distance due to

spreading out of the waves or absorption of energy by the material)
dispersion (variation in velocity with frequency), or anisotropy
(velocity depends on direction of propagation) is included.
 Comparison of wave animations with wave motion recorded
on seismograms
Map of west
central South
America showing
historical
seismicity (M6+,
1990-1999),
epicenter of
M6.5 earthquake
off the west
coast of Chile,
and location of
GSN
seismograph
station NNA
(Nana, Peru)
Three-component seismograms for the M6.5 west coast
of Chile earthquake recorded at NNA
 Earth cross section and approximate ray path for direct
P- and S-waves for a propagation distance of ~18 degrees
 Particle motion diagrams for specific wave arrivals for the
NNA seismograms (arrows show approximate propagation [ray path]
direction; numbers indicate successive times in the wave arrival)
3-D particle motion
diagram for the first P
wave arrival for the
NNA seismograms
(arrow shows
approximate
propagation direction
[ray path]; numbers
indicate successive
times in the wave
arrival)