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Subject 3: The Seismic waves

Lecturer: Dr. Bakhtiar Q. Aziz
Objective: For a while the students review wavelength, Amplitude, frequency and
period of a wave and then they get information about different types of the waves
and how the particle motions are different for each type? Here the students will
learn to identify and recognize different type of waves depend of the particle
motion. In addition the distinguished characteristics of each wave will explain to
them.
Scientific contents
1- Classification of waves to Body and Surface waves.
2- Direction of the wave propagation and their particles motion.
3- Relation between Wave velocity and Elastics modulus.

References
1.
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Seismic Wave

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Type of the seismic waves

Seismic waves are of two types:
1- Body waves: Propagate in homogenous media that has no any surface
2- Surface waves: Propagate in homogenous media that has free surface
1- Body wave: It is of two types
A- Primary, Longitudinal, Compression, Ir-rotational, P-wave.
B- Secondary, Transverse, Shear, Rotational, S-wave.
A- Primary, P-Wave: Characterize by:
1-The first wave received to the recorder
2-The motion of the particles is in the direction of the wave propagation
3- The particles are in a state of condensation and rarefaction
4- Propagate in both solid and Liquid media
Zone of Rarefaction
Zone of Condensation
Zone of normal case
Direction of wave propagation

B- Secondary, S-Wave: Characterize by:

1-The second wave received to the recorder
2-The motion of the particles is at normal of the direction of the wave
propagation
3- The particles are in two states :
A- In horizontal plane
B- In vertical plane
Direction of wave propagation
4- Propagate in solid only

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2- Surface wave: It is of two types

A- Rayleigh wave, R-wave.
B- Love wave, L-wave.
A- Rayleigh wave, R-wave.: Characterize by:
1- Travel only along free surface
2- The particle motion is in a vertical plane , they are elliptical and retrograde
3- Amplitude decrease with depth
4- It is slower than body wave (VR= 0.92 Vs)

B- Love wave, L-wave.: Characterize by:

1234-

Travel only along free surface

The particle motion is in a horizontal plane .
It is not recorded in seismic work
It is faster than rayleigh wave

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P-wave

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S-wave

Rayleigh
wave

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Love wave

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Seismic Noise:
comprise all unwanted events record in the seismic work

They are of two types

1- Coherent noise, characterize by:
a- Low range of frequency, less than 20 Hz
b- Velocity and arrival time are known
c- Not dangerous
Example
Surface wave, Ground roll, Air wave

Seismic Record Without Noise

2- In-Coherent noise, characterize by:

a- Wide range of frequency
b- Velocity and arrival time are unknown
c- It is dangerous
Example
Ambient wave, Instrument noise

Seismic Record With Noise