Scattering and dissipation of seismic waves in the presence of nonlinearity

The processes of seismic wave scattering and dissipation are examined in a medium that, in addition to being inhomogeneous and anelastic, is nonlinear and seismically active (seismic emission). In such a medium, there is a complex interrelation between the effects of nonlinearity, scattering and dissipation. Thus, nonlinear interactions between the various components (primary, scattered and induced) of a developing wavefield cause nonlinear (or wave-on-wave) scattering and, by transferring part of the wave energy to the high-frequency region, contribute to its scattering and dissipation. On the other hand, whereas dissipation opposes the accumulation of nonlinear effects by reducing the wave amplitudes, scattering assists it by increasing the propagation distance (and hence the interaction time).Estimates based on results of field experiments involving vibrators indicate that, as a rule, scattering on inhomogeneities is much stronger than nonlinear scattering, and that nonlinear effects may often dominate dissipative ones.The nonlinearity of the transmitting medium explains observedQ-value anomalies, and its seismic activity explains the existence ofP coda and the temporal changes in codaQ.