Seismic waveA seismic wave is a mechanical wave of acoustic energy that travels through the Earth or another planetary body. It can result from an earthquake (or generally, a quake), volcanic eruption, magma movement, a large landslide, and a large man-made explosion that produces low-frequency acoustic energy. Seismic waves are studied by seismologists, who record the waves using seismometers, hydrophones (in water), or accelerometers.
Surface waveIn physics, a surface wave is a mechanical wave that propagates along the interface between differing media. A common example is gravity waves along the surface of liquids, such as ocean waves. Gravity waves can also occur within liquids, at the interface between two fluids with different densities. Elastic surface waves can travel along the surface of solids, such as Rayleigh or Love waves.
Augustus Edward Hough LoveAugustus Edward Hough LoveFRS (17 April 1863, Weston-super-Mare – 5 June 1940, Oxford), often known as A. E. H. Love, was an English mathematical physicist famous for research on elasticity. He also studied wave propagation. He won the Adams Prize in 1911 for his work on the structure of the Earth in Some Problems of Geodynamics, in which he developed a mathematical model of surface waves known as Love waves.
SeismologySeismology (; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (seismós), meaning 'earthquake', and -λογία (-logía), meaning 'study of') is the scientific study of earthquakes (or generally, quakes) and the generation and propagation of elastic waves through planetary bodies.
EarthquakeSudden movement of the Earth's crustEarthquake epicenters occur mostly along tectonic plate boundaries, especially on the Pacific Ring of Fire.An earthquake, also called a quake, tremor, or temblor, is the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves.
P waveIn continuum mechanics, a P wave (primary wave or pressure wave) is one of the two main types of elastic body waves or seismic waves. P waves travel faster than other seismic waves and hence are the first signal from an earthquake to arrive at any affected location or at a seismograph. P waves may be transmitted through gases, liquids, or solids.
Polarization (waves)Circular polarization of oscillations of rubber thread, converted to linear polarizationPolarization, or polarisation, is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. One example of a polarized transverse wave is vibrations traveling along a taut string, for example, in a musical instrument like a guitar string.
Solid mechanicsBranch of mechanics concerned with solid materials and their behaviors Solid mechanics (also known as mechanics of solids) is the branch of continuum mechanics that studies the behavior of solid materials, especially their motion and deformation under the action of forces, temperature changes, phase changes, and other external or internal agents.
S waveIn solid mechanics, S waves, secondary waves, or shear waves (sometimes called elastic S waves) are a type of elastic wave and are one of the two main types of elastic body waves, so named because they move through the body of an object, unlike surface waves. S waves are transverse waves, meaning that the direction of particle movement of an S wave is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation, and the main restoring force comes from shear stress.
Wave interferenceIn physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two coherentwaves are combined by adding their intensities or displacements with due consideration for their phase difference. The resultant wave may have greater amplitude (constructive interference) or lower amplitude (destructive interference) if the two waves are in phase or out of phase, respectively.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.