Open AccessWave Propagation and a Secular Theory of Calculation Based on Hamilton‐Jacobi Theory
Author(s) -
Block Barry,
Gilbert Freeman
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1972.tb05819.x
Subject(s) - perturbation (astronomy) , wave propagation , classical mechanics , physics , wave mechanics , perturbation theory (quantum mechanics) , position (finance) , surface wave , mathematical analysis , mathematics , quantum mechanics , optics , finance , economics
Summary A Hamilton‐Jacobi method, often used in Astronomy, is outlined. It allows one to suppress secular terms in perturbation calculations. Noting the correspondence between classical mechanics and wave propagation, we use the method to treat the effect of small lateral variations in structure on the propagation of elastic surface waves. The basic result is that the horizontal wave vector is conserved, but the change in position, at which a particular spectral density is found, depends linearly on time.