A note on the approximate determination of the dispersion of Love waves in a laterally nonhomogeneous layer lying over a homogeneous half-space

Rayleigh's principle and the concept of the local wave number have been utilised for the approximate determination of the dispersion of Love waves propagating in a laterally heterogeneous layer lying over a homogeneous half-space. The shear wave velocity and the rigidity in the surface layer have been assumed to decrease with the increase of the lateral distance from the origin. The range of validity of the dispersion equation obtained by this method has been examined critically. It was found that: (a) for existence of Love waves the minimum value of shear wave velocity in the layer must be less than that in the matter below, and (b) the phase velocity of Love waves decreases with the increase of the lateral distance from the origin.