Seismic waves
Seismic waves are the waves
Body Waves
Sub types
P – Waves or
Primary Waves
- Can move through
solid, liquid and gas.
- Called a longitudinal
wave because of its
energy transfer and
wave propagation is
directly along its line.
- They shake the
ground back and forth
in their travel direction.
that travel through the
earth’s surface.
Main types
Surface waves
Sub types
S – Waves or Love Waves Rayleigh Waves
Secondary Waves
- Can only travel - Love waves exist due - Rayleigh waves are
through solids. to the earth surface. dispersive and the
- Called a transverse - Largest at the surface amplitudes generally
wave because its and decrease in altitude decrease with depth in
method of propagation with depth. the Earth.
is like an “s”. - Named after Augustus - Longitudinal and
- Shakes the ground Edward Hough Love, transverse motions that
back and forth are horizontally looks like water ripples.
perpendicular to the polarized waves. - An undulating wave
direction the wave is - The most destructive that travels with a
moving. kind of waves. speed of independent
wavelength.