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Transcript

Waves

Seismic

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What are they?

Seismic waves are vibrations generated by earthquakes, explosions, or other energetic sources, propagating through the Earth. They provide critical insights into the Earth's interior structure, tectonic plate movements, and even resource exploration like oil and gas.

Main Types

Seismic waves are generally categorized into two main groups: Body Waves and Surface Waves, each with distinct characteristics:

Body Waves:These travel through the Earth’s interior and are further divided into:

  • Primary Waves (P-Waves): These are compressional waves and the fastest seismic waves, traveling at speeds between 5-8 km/s in the Earth's crust. They move in the same direction as the wave propagation, compressing and expanding material as they pass. P-waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, making them the first to be detected during an earthquake​.
  • Secondary Waves (S-Waves): These are shear waves that move material perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Slower than P-waves, S-waves travel at 2-5 km/s in the crust and can only pass through solids. This limitation means S-waves are blocked by the Earth's liquid outer core, providing key insights into its composition​.

Surface Waves:Travel along the Earth’s exterior and typically cause more damage during earthquakes:

  • Love Waves: These are the fastest surface waves, with a side-to-side, horizontal motion. They do not affect vertical structures much but are responsible for significant horizontal shaking during quakes​.
  • Rayleigh Waves: These waves roll along the Earth's surface in an elliptical motion, affecting both vertical and horizontal ground movements. Their rolling effect can cause substantial damage to buildings.

Applications

The speed of seismic waves depends on the Earth's material composition, density, and elasticity. P-waves are the fastest, followed by S-waves. Surface waves, while slower than body waves, usually cause the most destruction because they occur at the Earth's surface and decay more slowly with distance​.

Speed and Propagation

Seismic waves are not just vital for understanding earthquakes but are also used in fields like resource exploration (for identifying oil and gas deposits) and civil engineering (for assessing). By studying how these waves interact with the Earth's layers, scientists can map out the planet's internal structure and better predict seismic events.