Regional Seismic Wave Propagation

Abstract

In a review of studies on the seismic phase Lg, we describe its particle motion, dispersion, spectral content, mode of propagation, and magnitude-scale; we also tabulate the regional velocity, attenuation, and propagation efficiency for this seismic phase. The characteristics of Lg-wave propagation in the eastern and western United States are compared with those in different regions of the Soviet Union. Possible discriminants such as (1) Lg vs. P amplitudes, (2) Lg/P amplitude ratios as a function of distance, (3) group velocities of Lg at amplitude maxima, and (4) Lg energy ratios are found, similar to attenuation and group velocity, to be highly dependent on the propagation path. The valid application of these quantities to the problem of earthquake-explosion discrimination will therefore require regional studies more detailed than previously assumed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 30, 1980
Accession Number
ADA094644

Entities

People

  • Paul W. Pomeroy
  • Thomas C. Chen

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Central Asia
  • Doppler Effect
  • Explosions
  • Geography
  • Group Velocity
  • Love Waves
  • New York
  • North America
  • Nuclear Explosions
  • Rayleigh Waves
  • Seismic Waves
  • Surface Waves
  • Underground Explosions
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waveforms

Readers

  • Seismology