Seismic Wave Motions—4 waves animated

Novice

An earthquake generates seismic waves that penetrate the Earth as body waves (P & S) or travel as surface waves (Love and Rayleigh). Each wave has a characteristic speed and style of motion. The animations below illustrate both the propogation of the wave as well as the motion of particles as the wave passes. 

Keypoints:

Wave propogation and particle motion for...

  • Body Waves - Primary (P) & Secondary (S) Waves
  • Surface Waves - Rayleigh & Love Waves
P-wave Motion
P-wave:the primary body wave; the first seismic wave detected by seismographs; able to move through both liquid and solid rock. 
Animation Novice
S-wave Motion
S Wave—secondary body waves that oscillate the ground perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. They travel about 1.7 times slower than P waves. Because liquids will not sustain shear stresses, S waves will not travel through liquids like water, molten rock, or the Earth’s outer core. S waves produce vertical and horizontal motion in the ground surface.
Animation Novice
Rayleigh-wave Motion
 Rayleigh Waves—surface waves that move in an elliptical motion, producing both a vertical and horizontal component of motion in the direction of wave propagation.  
Animation Novice
Love-wave Motion
Love Waves—surface waves that move parallel to the Earth’s surface and perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation..
Animation Novice