Making Waves: Seismic Waves

Activities and Demonstrations

Larry Braile, Purdue University

braile@purdue.edu,
web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile
Sheryl Braile, Happy Hollow School
West Lafayette, IN
sjbraile@gmail.com
NSTA Conference,
March 2012
Indianapolis, IN

This PowerPoint file: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/SeismicWaves.ppt     

 Seismic Waves
 Slinky – P, S, Rayleigh, Love waves;
Reflection and transmission; energy carried by waves;
elastic rebound/plate motions and the slinky; 5-slinky
model – waves in all directions, travel times to different
distances.
 Human wave demo – P and S waves in solids and
liquids.
 Seismic wave animations – P, S, Rayleigh, Love waves;
wave motion; wave propagation activity.
 Seismograms – Viewing seismograms on your computer
(AmaSeis software).
 Seismic Waves software – Wave propagation through
the Earth.
Why use several approaches for teaching
about seismic waves?
 Fundamental concept (worth spending time on)
 Different approaches for different settings or size of
group
 Different learning styles
 Reinforce with more than one approach
 Demonstrations, animations and hands-on activities
 Use one or more approach for authentic
assessment
 Elasticity – a property of materials that results
In wave propagation and earthquakes
Measuring Elasticity of a Spring
Added Spring Spring
Mass Extension Extension
(g) (cm)* (cm)*
Standard (adding (removing
Spring
masses) masses)
Length
0 0.0 0.3
PVC Pipe

of
Spring
100 3.7 3.6
200 7.7 7.5
Mass
300 11.4 11.4
400 15.3 15.1
Wood

* Difference in length of spring before and after adding mass.

 Elasticity of a Spring
Stretching (length - original length, cm) 16

14 Adding mass:

Removing mass:
12

10

6
1. Deformation (stretching) is
4 proportional to applied force (mass).
2. Spring returns to its original shape
2 (length) when force is removed.

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Added Mass (grams)
Slinky and human wave demo and wave tank and
elasticity experiments:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.htm
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.doc
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.pdf
 Characteristics of Seismic Waves
Table 2:  Seismic Waves
Type (and Particle Motion Typical Velocity Other Characteristics
names)
P,Compressional Alternating VP ~ 5 – 7 km/s in P motion travels fastest in materials,
, Primary, compressions (“pushes”) typical Earth’s so the P-wave is the first-arriving
Longitudinal and dilations (“pulls”) crust; energy on a seismogram.  Generally
which are directed in the     >~ 8 km/s in smaller and higher frequency than
same direction as the Earth’s mantle and the S and Surface-waves.  P waves in
wave is propagating core;  1.5 km/s in a liquid or gas are pressure waves,
(along the raypath); and water; 0.3 km/s in including sound waves.
therefore, perpendicular air
to the wavefront

S,   Shear, Alternating transverse VS ~ 3 – 4 km/s in S-waves do not travel through fluids,
Secondary, motions (perpendicular typical Earth’s so do not exist in Earth’s outer core
Transverse to the direction of crust; (inferred to be primarily liquid iron)
propagation, and the     >~ 4.5 km/s in or in air or water or molten rock
raypath); commonly Earth’s mantle;  ~  (magma).  S waves travel slower
polarized such that 2.5-3.0 km/s in than P waves in a solid and,
particle motion is in (solid) inner core therefore, arrive after the P wave.
vertical or horizontal
planes
 Characteristics of Seismic Waves
L,  Love, Transverse horizontal VL ~  2.0 - 4.5 km/s Love waves exist because of the
Surface waves, motion, perpendicular to in the Earth Earth’s surface.  They are largest at
Long waves the direction of depending on the surface and decrease in
propagation and frequency of the amplitude with depth.  Love waves
generally parallel to the propagating wave are dispersive, that is, the wave
Earth’s surface velocity is dependent on frequency,
with low frequencies normally
propagating at higher velocity. 
Depth of penetration of the Love
waves is also dependent on
frequency, with lower frequencies
penetrating to greater depth.

R,   Rayleigh, Motion is both in the VR ~  2.0 - 4.5 km/s Rayleigh waves are also dispersive
Surface waves, direction of propagation in the Earth and the amplitudes generally
Long waves, and perpendicular (in a depending on decrease with depth in the Earth. 
Ground roll vertical plane), and  frequency of the Appearance and particle motion are
“phased” so that the propagating wave similar to water waves.
motion is generally
elliptical – either
prograde or retrograde
A simple wave
tank experiment
– a ping pong
ball is dropped
onto the surface
of the water;
small floats aid
viewing of the
waves; distance
marks on the
bottom of the
container allow
calculation of
wave velocity.
Seismic waves and the slinky
(also, see the 4-page slinky write-up at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky4.doc)
 P, S, Love and Rayleigh waves
 Wave reflection and transmission
 Elastic rebound
 Waves carry energy
 The five slinky model

Seismic waves carry

energy. Observe the
shaking of the model
The 5-slinky model for demonstrating that seismic building when P and S
waves propagate in all directions and the variation waves are propagated
of travel times to different locations – the along the slinky.
way that earthquakes are located).
The human wave demonstration illustrating P and S
wave propagation in solids and liquids.
 Additional PPTs (resonance model, slinky and model building,
iPhone accelerometers):
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/Resonance.ppt
Resonance impulse video: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN0215.avi
Resonance frequencies: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN0112.avi
Shaking of model building: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN0220.avi
(Place videos in same folder as the PPT)
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/Accelerometer.ppt
Resonance frequencies: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN0112.avi
iPhone accelerometer: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN2846.avi
iPhone accelerometer 2: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN2844.avi
iPhone accelerometer 3: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN2845.avi
iPhone accelerometer 4: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/DSCN2849.avi
(Place videos in same folder as the PPT)
 Wave animations

Direction of propagation

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/
edumod/waves/WaveDemo.htm

The “people wave” (Dan Russell):

Rayleigh wave

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering Univ.

http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html
 Compressional Wave (P-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

compression and dilation. Particle motion is parallel to the
direction of propagation (longitudinal). Material returns to its
original shape after wave passes.
 Shear Wave (S-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

transverse motion. Particle motion is perpendicular to the direction of
propagation (transverse). Transverse particle motion shown here is
vertical but can be in any direction. However, Earth’s layers tend to
cause mostly vertical (SV; in the vertical plane) or horizontal (SH) shear
motions. Material returns to its original shape after wave passes.
 Rayleigh Wave (R-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of elliptical motions

(generally retrograde elliptical) in the vertical plane and parallel to the
direction of propagation. Amplitude decreases with depth. Material
returns to its original shape after wave passes.
 Love Wave (L-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

transverse motions. Particle motion is horizontal and perpendicular to
the direction of propagation (transverse). To aid in seeing that the
particle motion is purely horizontal, focus on the Y axis (red line) as the
wave propagates through it. Amplitude decreases with depth. Material
returns to its original shape after wave passes.
You can download the animations separately to run more efficiently:
(http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.htm).
A complete PowerPoint presentation on the Seismic wave animations is
also available at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.ppt
Demonstrate the AmaSeis software for displaying and analyzing
seismograms; software available at:
http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~ajones/
A tutorial on AmaSeis and links to seismograms that can be downloaded and
viewed in AmaSeis available at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/as1lessons/UsingAmaSeis/UsingAmaSeis.htm

IRIS Seismographs in Schools program: http://www.iris.edu/hq/sis

IRIS Wave Visualizations (highly recommended) :
http://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach/visualizations
USGS/SCEC SAF EQ Simulations:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/simulations/shakeout/
USGS EQ Simulations (Brad Aagaard): http://profile.usgs.gov/baagaard
(highly recommended)
The Quake Catcher Network
http://qcn.stanford.edu/

Time  MEMS Accelerometer

Acceleration (m/s2) 

Z (vertical) Screen shot of 3-

component
accelerometer
records
Y (horizontal)
(accelerograms or
acceleration
seismograms)
X (horizontal)
 IRIS AmaSeis
Software

24-Hour Screen Display

Extracted Seismogram

The AS-1 Seismometer

(developed by Alan Jones,

SUNY Binghamton, NY)
Teaching Modules and Tutorials:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/as1lessons/as1lessons.htm
 The Seismic Waves
program
From Alan Jones, SUNY, Binghamton
http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~ajones/

Earthquake
Cross Section
Through Earth
* Wavefront

Ray Path
Stations for
Seismograms Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront
 Earthquake Time T1
Cross Section
Through Earth
* Wavefront

Ray Path
Stations for
Seismograms Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront

Earthquake Time T2
Cross Section
Through Earth
* Wavefront

Stations for Ray Path

Seismograms Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront
Earth’s
interior
structure and
seismic
raypaths that
are used to
determine the
Earth
structure.
http://www.iris.edu/hq/
files/programs/educati
on_and_outreach/less
ons_and_resources/i
mages/ExplorEarthPo
ster.jpg