Open AccessRAYLEIGH WAVES IN A MEDIUM WITH TWO SURFACE LAYERS
Author(s) -
Stoneley R.
Publication year - 1954
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1954.tb03044.x
Subject(s) - rayleigh wave , love wave , surface wave , mechanical wave , longitudinal wave , rayleigh scattering , surface (topology) , mechanics , lamb waves , wave propagation , physics , classical mechanics , optics , mathematics , geometry
Summary The propagation of waves of Rayleigh type in a uniform semi‐infinite elastic medium with two uniform surface layers is discussed. The waves are dispersive, and the wave velocity equation is obtained as a determinant of the tenth order. By making infinite the thickness of the surface sheet one can derive the velocity equation for waves in an internal stratum. By making the thickness of either sheet zero one can retrieve the known equation for the velocity of Rayleigh waves in a medium with a single surface layer. If the wave‐length is very small the determinant reduces to the product of three determinants which, equated in turn to zero, are the velocity equations of very short Rayleigh waves at the free surface and of very short waves of Rayleigh type at the two interfaces. The results of a numerical solution of the wave equation and the application to the surface waves of earthquakes will be communicated in a later paper.