Inefficient propagation of Sn under south-eastem China

Summary. Records of 21 earthquakes with ray paths crossing south-eastern China have been examined to establish the nature of propagation of the seismic wave S_n . S_n is seen at stations within 1500km of earthquakes, but not beyond 1500km. No single localized region of attenuation can account for all the missing or weak S_n waves. The inefficient propagation of S_n through south-eastern China is surprising in light of efficient S_n propagation in other continental platforms which, like south-eastern China, appear to have been stable throughout the Cenozoic.