Seismology

- From the Greek words Seismos and Logos, meaning earthquake and science respectively, is the
science of earthquake, being a branch of a more general science of Geophysics, which refers to
the Earth structure.

Seismologist

- are scientists who study earthquakes and planetary activities as well as their effects, such as
tsunamis. They use instruments to gather data and monitor the Earth's crust.

Seismic Wave

- is a mechanical disturbance or energy packet that can propagate from point to point in the
Earth. Seismic waves can be generated by a sudden release of energy such as an earthquake,
volcanic eruption, or chemical explosion.

Types of seismic waves:

 Body Waves
- which propagate through the volume of the Earth.
 Main Types of Body Waves
o Compressional Waves/Primary Waves
-  are compressional waves that are longitudinal in nature. P
waves are pressure waves that travel faster than other waves
through the earth to arrive at seismograph stations first.
o Shear Waves/Secondary Waves
-  are shear waves that are transverse in nature. Following an
earthquake event, S-waves arrive at seismograph stations after
the faster-moving P-waves and displace the ground
perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Depending on
the propagational direction, the wave can take on different
surface characteristics.
 Surface Waves
- waves travel along the Earth's surface. They can be classified as a form of mechanical
surface waves. They are called surface waves, as they diminish as they get further from
the surface. They travel more slowly than seismic body waves.
 Main Types of Surface Waves
o Rayleigh waves
- also called ground roll, are surface waves that travel as ripples
with motions that are similar to those of waves on the surface
of water.
o Love waves
- also known as Q waves are surface seismic waves that cause
horizontal shifting of the Earth during an earthquake.
 Stoneley Waves
- is a type of boundary wave (or interface wave) that propagates along a solid-fluid
boundary or, under specific conditions, also along a solid-solid boundary. Amplitudes of
Stoneley waves have their maximum values at the boundary between the two
contacting media and decay exponentially towards the depth of each of them.
 Free oscillations of the Earth
- are standing waves, the result of interference between two surface waves traveling in
opposite directions. Interference of Rayleigh waves results in spheroidal oscillation
S while interference of Love waves gives toroidal oscillation T.