The interaction of elastic waves with a solid-liquid interface,with applications to the core-mantle boundary

The paper discusses basic ideas and principles underlying methods, which have proved useful in the interpretation of diffraction and scattering phenomena by a smooth or slightly rough solid-liquid interface. Generally, the wave interaction may be formulated as an excitation problem; it involves (1) finding an equivalent dislocation or source distribution on the interface, and (2) evaluating the excited wave field. These steps are taken through perturbation theory and/or adopting the appropriate generalization of ray theory. In this context an explicit form of Green's function is also given. The methods have been applied to the core-mantle boundary, with a view toward the interpretation of recent data: (a) diffracted P and S waves around the core (in particular, their attenuation); (b) scattered short-period core phases (in particular, precursors to PKP and PKKP). Other types of wave interaction, and implications for models of the core-mantle boundary structure, are briefly mentioned.Paper presented at the EGS/ESC workshop on Generation and propagation of seismic waves in Neustadt, Federal Republic of Germany, August 1978.