Learn about P waves, S waves, Love waves, and Rayleigh waves generated by an earthquake
Seismic waves travel in different patterns and at different speeds through the Earth. The most damaging are the surface types—the Love waves and the Rayleigh waves.
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Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: Earthquakes generate two main types of seismic, or shock, waves: body waves and surface waves. Body waves travel through the interior of the earth. The fastest of these are primary, or "P," waves. These compressional waves move faster in dense rock and slower in fluids. Thus, their speed and direction change. Because they are deflected by the earth's core, P waves are not seen in the so-called shadow-zone.
The slowest body waves are secondary, or "S" waves. S waves are elastic shear waves that move material sideways, at right angles to their direction of travel. Because secondary waves travel only through solids, they do not penetrate the earth's outer molten core. For this reason, there is also an S wave shadow-zone.
The slower seismic surface waves do not penetrate the earth's interior, but follow the surface. One type of surface wave, the Love wave, travels in a circular motion and causes damage by displacing materials horizontally. Love waves can be very damaging. This cracked pavement and these twisted railroad tracks clearly demonstrate their destructive power. Earthquake damage also results from Rayleigh waves, surface waves which deform materials vertically.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: Earthquakes generate two main types of seismic, or shock, waves: body waves and surface waves. Body waves travel through the interior of the earth. The fastest of these are primary, or "P," waves. These compressional waves move faster in dense rock and slower in fluids. Thus, their speed and direction change. Because they are deflected by the earth's core, P waves are not seen in the so-called shadow-zone.
The slowest body waves are secondary, or "S" waves. S waves are elastic shear waves that move material sideways, at right angles to their direction of travel. Because secondary waves travel only through solids, they do not penetrate the earth's outer molten core. For this reason, there is also an S wave shadow-zone.
The slower seismic surface waves do not penetrate the earth's interior, but follow the surface. One type of surface wave, the Love wave, travels in a circular motion and causes damage by displacing materials horizontally. Love waves can be very damaging. This cracked pavement and these twisted railroad tracks clearly demonstrate their destructive power. Earthquake damage also results from Rayleigh waves, surface waves which deform materials vertically.
[Music out]
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