Effect of surface wave propagation in a four-layered oceanic crust model

Dispersion of Rayleigh type surface wave propagation has been discussed in four-layered oceanic crust. It includes a sandy layer over a crystalline elastic half-space and over it there are two more layers—on the top inhomogeneous liquid layer and under it a liquid-saturated porous layer. Frequency equation is obtained in the form of determinant. The effects of the width of different layers as well as the inhomogeneity of liquid layer, sandiness of sandy layer on surface waves are depicted and shown graphically by considering all possible case of the particular model. Some special cases have been deduced, few special cases give the dispersion equation of Scholte wave and Stoneley wave, some of which have already been discussed elsewhere.     

Simultaneous measurement and inversion of surface wave dispersion and attenuation curves

Surface wave tests are non-invasive seismic techniques that have traditionally been used to determine the shear wave velocity (i.e. shear modulus) profile of soil deposits and pavement systems. Recently, Rix et al. [J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Engng 126 (2000) 472] developed a procedure to obtain near-surface values of material damping ratio from measurements of the spatial attenuation of Rayleigh waves. To date, however, the shear wave velocity and shear damping ratio profiles have been determined separately. This practice neglects the coupling between surface wave phase velocity and attenuation that arises from material dispersion in dissipative media. This paper presents a procedure to measure and invert surface wave dispersion and attenuation data simultaneously and, thus, account for the close coupling between the two quantities. The methodology also introduces consistency between phase velocity and attenuation measurements by using the same experimental configuration for both. The new approach has been applied at a site in Memphis, TN and the results obtained are compared with independent measurements.     

Spatial dispersion of surface waves at the free surface of a general anisotropic elastic medium

A new technique relates the wave velocity of the surface waves in anisotropic elastic medium to its elastic constants. Anisotropic propagation of surface waves is studied in a half-space occupied by a general anisotropic elastic solid. The phase velocity expressions of quasi-waves, in three-dimensional space, are used to derive the secular equation of surface waves. The complex secular equation is resolved, analytically, into real and imaginary parts and is then solved, numerically, for phase velocity along a given phase direction on the surface. The complete procedure is thus analogous to the one used for conventional Rayleigh waves in isotropic medium. A non-linear equation relates the ray direction of the surface waves to its phase direction on the (plane) surface of the medium. The analytical differentiation of secular equation yields the directional derivative of phase velocity. This derivative is used to calculate the wave velocity of surface waves. Spatial variations of phase velocity, wave velocity and ray direction over the free plane surface are plotted for the numerical models of crustal rocks with orthorhombic, monoclinic and triclinic anisotropies.     

Spatial behaviour of Rayleigh waves in layered half‐spaces under active surface sources

In the free state, Rayleigh waves are assumed to travel in the form of planar wavefronts. Under such an assumption, the propagation behaviour of the modes of Rayleigh waves in layered half‐spaces is only frequency dependent. The frequency behaviour, which is often termed as dispersion, is determined by the shear wave velocity profile of layered soils within the depth related to wavelength (or frequency). According to this characteristic, the shear wave velocity profile can be back‐analysed from the dispersion. The technique is widely used in the surface wave testing. However, the wavefronts of Rayleigh waves activated by the surface sources are non‐planar. The geometric discrepancy could result in Rayleigh waves manifesting distance‐dependent behaviour, which is referred to as spatial behaviour in this paper. Conventional analysis ignoring this spatial behaviour could introduce unexpected errors. In order to take the effects of sources on the propagation behaviour into account, a new mathematical model is established for Rayleigh waves in layered elastic media under vertical disc‐like surface sources using the thin‐layer method. The spatial behaviour of the activated modes and the apparent phase velocity, which is the propagation velocity of Rayleigh waves superposed by the multiple modes, are then analysed. Aspects of the spatial behaviour investigated in this paper include the equilibrium path, the particle orbit, and the geometric attenuation of the activated Rayleigh waves. The results presented in this paper can provide some guidelines for developing new inverse mathematical models and algorithms.     

Propagation of guided waves in a fluid layer bounded by two viscoelastic transversely isotropic solids

The analysis of Stoneley wave propagation in a fracture is essential for the identification and evaluation of fracture parameters from the borehole Stoneley wave. Also, it is important for many geophysics considerations, e.g. for tremor and long-period events observed in volcanoes and geothermal areas. In this paper, we investigate the guided waves propagation in a fluid layer lying between two viscoelastic vertically transversely isotropic media. The viscoelastic mechanism models the attenuation due to the presence of fluid saturation in the rock. A model based on the superposition of three inhomogeneous partial plane waves: one in the fluid and two heterogeneous waves in the solid is developed. The dispersion equation is obtained for this case. A numerical solution is carried out to obtain the guided wave velocity and attenuation coefficient. The results of this investigation show that there is a strong correlation between the velocity dispersion and attenuation of Stoneley wave and the anisotropic parameters of the medium especially in a sandstone (fast) medium.     

Surface waves in a micropolar elastic solid containing voids

The present paper investigates the effect of voids on the propagation of surface waves in a homogeneous micropolar elastic solid medium which contains a distribution of vacuous pores (voids). The general theory for surface wave propagation in micropolar elastic media containing voids has been presented. Particular cases of surface waves (Rayleigh’s, Love’s and Stoneley’s) in micropolar media which contain vacuous pores have been deduced from the above general theory. Discussions have been made in each case to highlight the effect of voids and micropolar character of the material medium separately. Their joint effect has also been studied in details. Modulation of Rayleigh wave velocity has been studied numerically. It is observed that Love waves are not affected by the presence of voids.     

Magneto-elastic waves and disturbances in initially stressed conducting media

Summary The object of the present paper is to investigate magneto-elastic waves and disturbances in initially stressed conducting media. Firstly, the theory of magneto-elastic surface waves in a conducting medium under an initial uniaxial tension has been deduced and then it has been employed to investigate the particular cases of surface waves such as Rayleigh, Love and Stoneley waves. Secondly, propagation of waves in an elastic layer has been considered using the fundamental equations of motion for magneto-elastic waves in conductors under an initial uniaxial tension or compression. This is followed by the case of plane Lamb's problem in a magneto-elastic semi-space under the same initial tension. The final results obtained in the above cases are in agreement with the corresponding classical problems when the initial tension is zero and the magnetic field is absent.     

Surface waves in magneto-elastic initially stressed conducting media

Summary The object of the present paper is to investigate the magneto-elastic surface waves in an initially stressed conducting medium. The theory of magneto-elastic surface waves in an initially stressed conducting medium has firstly been deduced and then it has been employed in investigating the particular cases of surface waves such as (i) Rayleigh waves (ii) Love waves and (iii) Stoneley waves. The wave-velocity equations obtained in different cases are in agreement with the corresponding classical results when the solid is initially unstressed and the magnetic field is absent or the material is non-magnetic.     

Viscoelastic representation of surface waves in patchy saturated poroelastic media

Wave-induced flow is observed as the dominated factor for P wave propagation at seismic frequencies. This mechanism has a mesoscopic scale nature. The inhomogeneous unsaturated patches are regarded larger than the pore size, but smaller than the wavelength. Surface wave, e.g., Rayleigh wave, which propagates along the free surface, generated by the interfering of body waves is also affected by the mesoscopic loss mechanisms. Recent studies have reported that the effect of the wave-induced flow in wave propagation shows a relaxation behavior. Viscoelastic equivalent relaxation function associated with the wave mode can describe the kinetic nature of the attenuation. In this paper, the equivalent viscoelastic relaxation functions are extended to take into account the free surface for the Rayleigh surface wave propagation in patchy saturated poroelastic media. Numerical results for the frequency-dependent velocity and attenuation and the time-dependent dynamical responses for the equivalent Rayleigh surface wave propagation along an interface between vacuum and patchy saturated porous media are reported in the low-frequency range (0.1–1,000 Hz). The results show that the dispersion and attenuation and kinetic characteristics of the mesoscopic loss effect for the surface wave can be effectively represented in the equivalent viscoelastic media. The simulation of surface wave propagation within mesoscopic patches requires solving Biot’s differential equations in very small grid spaces, involving the conversion of the fast P wave energy diffusion into the Biot slow wave. This procedure requires a very large amount of computer consumption. An efficient equivalent approach for this patchy saturated poroelastic media shows a more convenient way to solve the single phase viscoelastic differential equations.     

Rayleigh waves in a medium with an undulated surface

A numerical method is developed which can be used to determine the characteristics of Rayleigh wave propagation in a homogeneous medium where, at each surface point, the radius of curvature is large compared to the wavelength of Rayleigh waves. This method is deduced from experimental results on seismic modeling of some simple cases.In the general case we compute two effects of surface topography on the Rayleigh waves: a dispersion and attenuation of the waves due to the whole path and a local modulation of the displacement components depending on the local curvature. Therefore, both effects are not to be neglected in the case of precise measurement of the velocities and of the amplitudes from which the attenuation factor is carried out.     

含流体孔隙介质中面波的传播特性及应用

基于单相介质中地震波理论的高频面波法已广泛应用于求取浅地表S波的速度.然而水文地质条件表明,普遍的浅地表地球介质富含孔隙.孔隙中充填的流体会显著地影响面波在浅地表的传播,进而造成频散和衰减的变化.本文研究了地震勘探频段内针对含流体孔隙介质边界条件的面波的传播特性.孔隙流体在自由表面存在完全疏通、完全闭合以及部分疏通的情况.孔隙单一流体饱和时,任何流体边界条件下存在R1模式波,与弹性介质中的Rayleigh波类似,相速度稍小于S波并在地震记录中显示强振幅.由于介质的内在衰减,R1在均匀半空间中也存在频散,相速度和衰减在不同流体边界下存在差异.Biot固流耦合系数(孔隙流体黏滞度与骨架渗透率之比)控制频散的特征频率,高耦合系数会在地震勘探频带内明显消除这种差异.介质的迂曲度等其他物性参数对不同流体边界下的R1波的影响也有不同的敏感度.完全闭合和部分疏通流体边界下存在R2模式波,相速度略低于慢P波.在多数条件下,如慢P波在时频响应中难以观察到.但是在耦合系数较低时会显现,一定条件下甚至会以非物理波形式接收R1波的辐射,显示强振幅.浅表风化层低速带存在,震源激发时的运动会显著影响面波的传播.对于接收点径向运动会造成面波的Doppler频移,横向运动会造成面波的时频畸变.孔隙存在多相流体时,中观尺度下不均匀斑块饱和能很好地解释体波在地震频带内的衰减.快P波受到斑块饱和显著影响,R1波与快P波有更明显关联,与完全饱和模型中不同,也更易于等效模型建立.频散特征频率受孔隙空间不同流体成分比例变化的控制,为面波方法探测浅地表流体分布与迁移提供可能性.通常情况孔隙介质频散特征频率较高,标准线性黏弹性固体可以在相对低频的地震勘探频带内等效表征孔隙介质中R1波的传播特征,特别在时域,可在面波成像反演建模中应用.     

Magneto-elastic love waves

Summary The propagation of Love waves under the influence of an externally applied magnetic field is studied. The general phase velocity equation is derived and two special cases when the magnetic field is aligned with and transverse to the direction of wave propagation are discussed. in these cases, it is found that the magneto-elastic problem in hand can be reduced to the corresponding problem in pure elasticity.     

BOREHOLE STONELEY WAVE PROPAGATION ACROSS PERMEABLE STRUCTURES1

This study investigates the propagation of borehole Stoneley waves across permeable structures. By modelling the structure as a zone intersecting the borehole, a simple 1D theory is formulated to treat the interaction of the Stoneley wave with the structure. This is possible because the Stoneley wave is a guided wave, with no geometric spreading as it propagates along the borehole. The interaction occurs because the zone and the surrounding formation possess different Stoneley wavenumbers. Given appropriate representations of the wavenum-ber, the theory can be applied to treat a variety of structures, including a fluid-filled fracture. Of special interest are the cases of permeable porous zones and fracture zones. The results show that, while Stoneley wave reflections are generated, strong Stoneley wave attenuation is produced across a very permeable zone. This result is particularly important in explaining the observed strong Stoneley wave attenuation at major fractures where it has been difficult to explain the attenuation in terms of the single planar fracture theory. In addition, by using a simple and sufficiently accurate theory to model the effects of the permeable zone, a fast and efficient method is developed to characterize the fluid transport properties of a permeable fracture zone.     

3-D surface wave group velocity distribution in Central-Southern Africa

Group velocities estimated from fundamental mode Love and Rayleigh waves are used in a tomography process in central-southern Africa. The waves were generated by eighteen earthquakes, which occurred along the East African Rift and recorded at BOSA, LBTB and SLR seismic stations in southern Africa. The group velocities from Love and Rayleigh waves were isolated using the Multiple Filter Technique (MFT) at the period range of 10 to 50 seconds. The tomography method developed by Ditmar and Yanovskaya (1987) and Yanovskaya and Ditmar (1990), was applied to calculate the lateral distribution of surface wave group velocities in central-southern Africa. The results of the tomographic inversion were plotted as distribution maps. In addition to the maps, I also produced two velocity cross-sections across the area of study. The velocity distribution maps show the regional tectonic units, though with poor resolution. The azimuthal bias of the surface wave paths is reflected in the distribution of the group velocities. The Moho depth appears to correlate with velocities at a period of about 30 s. A low velocity feature observed beneath the Zimbabwe craton implies a thickening upper asthenosphere and lithospheric thinning beneath the Zimbabwe craton. Also estimated was a shear wave velocity model beneath the Zimbabwe craton.     

黏弹性介质瑞雷波有限差分模拟与特性分析

本文通过数值模拟研究了介质黏弹性对瑞雷波传播的影响.模拟采用结合了交错Adams-Bashforth时间积分法、应力镜像法和多轴完美匹配层的标准交错网格高阶有限差分方案.通过模拟结果和理论结果对比,测试了方法的精度,验证了结果的正确性.在均匀半空间模型中,分别从波场快照、波形曲线及频散能量图三个角度,对黏弹性介质瑞雷波衰减和频散特性进行了详细分析.两层速度递增模型被用于进一步分析瑞雷波在黏弹性层状介质中的特性.结果表明：由于介质的黏弹性,瑞雷波振幅发生衰减,高频成分比低频成分衰减更剧烈,衰减程度随偏移距增大而增强;瑞雷波相速度发生频散,且随频率增大而增大,频散能量的分辨率有所降低;黏弹性波动方程中的参考频率,不会影响瑞雷波振幅衰减和相速度频散的程度,但决定了黏弹性和弹性介质瑞雷波相速度相等的频率位置.本研究有助于人们更好地理解地球介质中瑞雷波的行为,并为瑞雷波勘探的应用和研究提供了科学和有价值的参考.     

弹性介质中瑞雷面波有限差分法正演模拟

为研究瑞雷面波的形成机理及传播规律，促进瑞雷面波资料处理方法的发展，本文根据弹性波方程，采用交错网格有限差分数值求解算法，对浅层各向同性弹性介质进行了包括瑞雷面波和体波在内的全波场模拟. 提出了变系数吸收边界条件并将之应用于正演模拟，使边界条件的处理简单而高效，同时给出了角点的处理方法. 对工程勘察中常见的连续和层状介质模型进行了模拟，获得了更加接近实际情况的地震记录. 结合模拟记录，探讨了瑞雷面波的形成条件，同时讨论了震源埋深对面波能量的影响.     

Determining Q of near-surface materials from Rayleigh waves

High-frequency (≥2 Hz) Rayleigh wave phase velocities can be inverted to shear (S)-wave velocities for a layered earth model up to 30 m below the ground surface in many settings. Given S-wave velocity (V_S), compressional (P)-wave velocity (V_P), and Rayleigh wave phase velocities, it is feasible to solve for P-wave quality factor Q_P and S-wave quality factor Q_S in a layered earth model by inverting Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients. Model results demonstrate the plausibility of inverting Q_S from Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients. Contributions to the Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients from Q_P cannot be ignored when Vs/V_P reaches 0.45, which is not uncommon in near-surface settings. It is possible to invert Q_P from Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients in some geological setting, a concept that differs from the common perception that Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients are always far less sensitive to Q_P than to Q_S. Sixty-channel surface wave data were acquired in an Arizona desert. For a 10-layer model with a thickness of over 20 m, the data were first inverted to obtain S-wave velocities by the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method and then quality factors were determined by inverting attenuation coefficients.     

Quasi-Rayleigh Waves in Transversely Isotropic Half-Space with Inclined Axis of Symmetry

A method for determination of characteristics of quasi-Rayleigh (qR) wave in a transversely isotropic homogeneous half-space with inclined axis of symmetry is outlined. The solution is obtained as a superposition of qP, qSV and qSH waves, and surface wave velocity is determined from the boundary conditions at the free surface and at infinity, as in case of Rayleigh wave in an isotropic half-space. Though the theory is simple enough, a numerical procedure for calculation of surface wave velocity presents some difficulties. The difficulty is caused by necessity to calculate complex roots of a non-linear equation, which in turn contains functions determined as roots of non-linear equations with complex coefficients. Numerical analysis shows that roots of the equation corresponding to the boundary conditions do not exist in the whole domain of azimuths and inclinations of the symmetry axis. The domain of existence of qR wave depends on the ratio of the elastic parameters: for some strongly anisotropic models the wave cannot exist at all. For some angles of inclination qR-wave velocities deviate from those calculated on the basis of the perturbation method valid for weak anisotropy, though they have the same tendency of variation with azimuth. The phase of qR wave varies with depth unlike Rayleigh wave in an isotropic half-space. Unlike Rayleigh wave in an isotropic half-space, qR wave has three components - vertical, radial and transverse. Particle motion in horizontal plane is elliptic. Direction of the major axis of the ellipsis coincides with the direction of propagation only in azimuths 0° (180°) and 90° (270°).     

Simulation and analysis of point-source surface wave fields

The complexity of near surface intensifies the diversity of seismic wave fields, which makes study on near surface wavefields important in many aspects. The strong absorption of low velocity layer can affect the resolution of seismic data, and free boundary can cause surface wave. Considering the above problems, we focus on the Rayleigh wavefields simulation using finite-difference wave equation of higher-order staggered grids and PML boundary conditions. Free boundary, buried source and overlying low velocity layer are taken into consideration and point explosion source is adopted. Through some numerical simulation with different parameters, we quantitatively analyze relationship between wave intensity and source depth, as well as the energy variation with propagation and obtain some practical knowledge and conclusions.