SEISMIC WAVES

Prepared by: Teacher Donna

 History
 Around 132 AD, Chinese scientist Chang
Heng invented the first seismoscope, an
instrument that could register the occurrence
of an earthquake.

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 What is wave…?
 A wave can be described as
a disturbance that travels
through a medium from one
location to another location. 
What is seismic
waves??
 Seismic waves are the waves

of energy caused by the

sudden breaking of rock within
the earth or an explosion. They
are the energy that travels
through the earth and is
recorded on seismographs.
 There are several different

kinds of seismic waves, and

they all move in different
ways. The two main types
of waves are body waves
and surface waves.
 Types of seismic Waves

Body waves
 Primary waves
 Secondary waves
Surface waves
 Love waves
 Rayleigh waves
Body waves:
Body waves travels through the interior(body) of earth as they
leave the focus. Body waves are further divided into following
types:
Primary (P) waves
Secondary(S) waves
 Body wave

P Waves (compression wave)

 The first kind of body wave is the P wave
or primary wave. This is the fastest kind
of seismic wave. The P wave can move
through solid rock and fluids, like water
or the liquid layers of the earth. It pushes
and pulls the rock it moves through just
like sound waves push and pull the air.
 Body Waves
 S wave (transverse wave)
 The second type of body wave is the S wave or secondary
wave, which is the second wave you feel in an earthquake. An
S wave is slower than a P wave and can only move through
solid rock. This wave moves rock up and down, or side-to-side.

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 `
Body Waves
Secondary
Primary Waves Waves

push and pull side to side

 Secondary Waves `

Secondary waves travel slower than primary waves. Also called

“shear waves "or “Transverse Waves”.
They create a side to side motion in the rocks through which they
are traveling.
 Whysecondary
waves cannot pass
through liquid ?
 S-waves are shear waves, which move
particles perpendicularly to their direction
of propagation. They can propagate
through solid rocks because these rocks
have enough shear strength. The shear
strength is one of the forces that hold the
rock together, and prevent it from falling
into pieces.
 Liquids do not have the same shear
strength: that is why, if you take a glass of
water and suddenly remove the glass, the
water will not keep its glass shape and
will just flow away. In fact, it is just a
matter of rigidity: S-waves need a
medium rigid enough to propagate.
Hence, S-waves do not propagate through
liquids.
 Traveling….

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 Primary Waves (P-waves)
High frequency
Short Wavelength
Longitudinal waves
Pass trough both solids and
liquids
Move forwards and
backwards as it compressed
and decompressed
P-wave is faster
First P-wave arrive
Secondary Waves(S-wave)
High frequency
Short Wavelength
Transverse waves
Can not move through liquids
Move in all direction from
their source
S-wave is more slower than P-
wave
After P-wave,S-wave is arrive
 `

Surface Waves(L-Waves)
Moves along the surface of the earth’s surface.
Raleigh Waves
They move up and down. Love Waves
Surface Wave:
Surface waves travels parallel to the earth’s surface and these
waves are slowest and most damaging. Surface wave are divided
into following types:
Love waves
Rayleigh waves
 Surface Waves(L-Waves) `

Land waves only move along the surface of the earth.

Their speeds vary depending on the material, rock or soil,
forming the surface. These waves cause the surface to
move up and down. These are the waves that cause
The to buildings and other structures
during an earthquake.
 Surface waves
 Surface waves are those waves which travels
through the surface of the earth.

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 Love Waves `

Named after A.E.H. Love, a British

mathematician who worked out the
mathematical model for this kind of
wave in 1911. 

Love waves travel with a lower velocity

than P or S waves, but faster than
Rayleigh waves. These waves travels in
lithosphere only.
 Surface waves
1. Love waves
 A type of seismic surface wave in which
particles move with a side-to-side motion
perpendicular to the main propagation of the
earthquake. The amplitude of this motion
decreases with depth. Love waves cause the
rocks they pass through to change in shape.
They travel faster than Rayleigh waves.
  
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 Diagram

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 2. Rayleigh waves
A type of seismic surface wave
that moves with a rolling motion
that consists of a combination of
particle motion perpendicular and
parallel to the main direction of
wave propagation.
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 Rayleighwaves travel
slower than Love waves.
 Diagram

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 How they travels??
 The Rayleigh waves "roll" along the surface,
described as "up and over backwards roll." 

These surface waves do most of the damage to

structures. The Love waves shake us from side
to side and the Rayleigh waves shake us up
and down

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 Love Waves Rayleigh wave

Guided waves Guided waves

Displacement is parallel to the free Displacement is perpendicular to

surface love-wave displacement

Love wave is faster Rayleigh wave is slower

Causes horizontal shifting of the Ground move in circular motion.

earth surface.
 Uses of seismic waves
 On the basis of seismic waves we differentiate
different layers of earth
 On the basis of seismic waves we sub
classified the layers.

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 Strength Of Earthquake
The intensity and strength of an earthquake is measured on
Richter scale,the scale invented by Charles Richter
California ,USA in 1935.which categories earthquake on the
basis of energy released.
Defintion:
“the logarithm to base ten of the maximum seismic-wave
amplitude recorded on a standard seismograph at a distance of
100 kilometers from the earthquake epicenter.”

Scientists measure the strength of earthquakes using

machines known as seismographs.
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the
propagation of elastic waves through the Earth.
 Seismometers-The measurement of
earthquake
Seismometers are instruments
that measure motions of the
ground, including those
of seismic waves generated
by earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and otherseismic
sources.

Seismometers may be
deployed at Earth's surface, in
shallow vaults, in boreholes, or
underwater.
 Earthquake Prediction
Earthquake prediction is usually defined as the specification of
the time , location , and magnitude of a future earthquake within
stated limits.
But some evidence of upcoming Earthquake are following:

 Unusual animal behavior

Water level in wells
Large scale of fluctuation of oil flow from oil wells
Foreshocks or minor shocks before major earthquake
Temperature change
Uplifting of earth surface
Change in seismic wave velocity
 Effect Of Earthquake
Loss of life and property
Damage to transport system i.e. roads, railways, highways,
airports, marine
Damage to infrastructure.
Chances of Floods – Develop cracks in Dams
Chances of fire short-circuit.
Communications such as telephone wires are damaged.
Water pipes, sewers are disrupted
Economic activities like agriculture, industry, trade and transport
are severely affected.
 Cont…

Landslides

Shaking and
ground rapture
 Fires

Soil liquefaction
Tsunami

Floods
 Earthquake Safety Rules
If you are in house;
• Don’t use lift for getting down from building.
• Be prepared to move with your family.

If you are in shop ,school or office;

• Don’t run for an exit.
•Take cover under a disk/table.
•Move away from window glass.
•Do not go near electric point and cable. Keep away from weak portion of
the building and false ceiling.
If you are outside;
• Avoid high buildings , walls , power lines and other objects
that could fall and create block.
• Don’t run through streets.
• If possible , move on to an open area away from hazard
including trees.

If you are in vehicle;

• Stop in a safe open place.
• Remain inside vehicle.
• Close window , doors and vents.
 After An Earthquake
Keep calm, switch on the transistor radio and obey
instructions.
Keep away from beaches and low banks of river. A huge
wave may sweep in
Do not re enter badly damaged buildings and do not go
near damage structures.
Turn off the water, gas and electricity.
Do not smoke, light match or use a cigarette lighter
Do not turn on switches there may be gas leak or short
circuit
If there is any fire, try to put it out or call fire brigade.
 Cont..

Do not drink water from open containers without having

examined it.
If you aware of people have been buried, tell the rescue team.
Do not rush and try not to worsen the situation.
Avoid places where there are loose electric wires and do not
come in contact with any metal object.

Eat something. You will better and more capable of helping

other.

Do not walk around the streets to see what is happening. Keep

the streets clear so rescue vehicles can access the roads easily.
Picture Of Search And Rescue Phase Of Latur
Earthquake 1993
Helpless man being trapped under debris
disaster picture from Kashmir earthquake
2005
Damage to high rise building in Bhuj