Whats seismology about?

Seismology is the study of the

generation, propagation and
recording of elastic waves in the
Earth (and other celestial bodies)
and of the sources that produce
them.
 Elastic Moduli
Youngs Modulus
Poisson Ratio
Bulk Modulus
Shear Modulus
Lambs constants
Vp, Vs.
 Youngs modulus
s = tensile stress = (F /A)
e = tensional strain = (DL /L) s
E=
for uniaxial tension or compression e
 Youngs modulus
s = tensile stress = (F /A)
e = tensional strain = (DL /L) s
E=
for uniaxial tension or compression e
Under a stress (sxx) along the x-axis,
DL
longitudinal strain = exx =
L
DW
and transverse strain = eyy = W
Then,
Poissons ratio = - (eyy / exx)
Bulk Modulus = (DP/Q)

where Q = dilatation = DV/V

and P = pressure
 L

shear modulus
shear stress = (DF /A)
shear stress
m = shear strain
shear strain = (Dl /L)
Elastic Moduli and Densities of Some Common Materials

From Lay & Wallace (1995)

From Lay & Wallace (1995)
 K + (4/3)m l + 2m
Vp = a = = r
r

m
Vs = b =
r

Where m,l are the Lam coefficients and l is

l = k - 2m
3 = (1+n E
n ) ( 1 - 2n )
Body Waves
compressions
P-wave

dilatations
S-wave

wavelength
Body wave
Amp ~ 1/x

Surface wave
Amp ~ x-1/2
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Body Waves
compressions
P-wave

dilatations
S-wave

wavelength
 Seismic Rays &
Geometric Ray Theory
Rays are defined as the normal to the wave
fronts and thus point in the direction of
propagation. Connecting the these
successive directions forms a ray paths. In
the case of plane wave, rays are a family of
straight lines; in the case of spherical wave,
rays are spokes radiating out from the
seismic source. They provide a convenient
means of tracking an expanding wave front.
The seismic rays corresponding to P and S
waves behave very much as light does in
traveling through materials of varying indices
of refraction. This leads to many parallels with
optics: rays bend, focus, and defocus
depending on the velocity distribution.
Although geometric ray theory is an
approximation, it, however, simplifies the
analysis and yet gives the correct answer or a
good approximation.
 Fermats Principle
Ray paths between two points are those
for which travel time is an extremum,
either a minimum or maximum, with
respect to the nearby possible paths.
Snells Law and Fermat Principle

Snells Law

sin i1 sin i2

v1 v2

Fermat Principle: T(x) is either minimum or maximum

Reynolds (1997)
Spherical Ray Parameter

R sin i
= constant = p
V
 What control reflection and
transmission?
Continuity of stress
Continuity of displacement
 I1 =

I2 =

Reynolds (1997)