What is Seismic Surface Waves

Whenever the earth is suddenly struck or disturbed  due to earthquake vibration are produced. These vibrations are setup or start from a limited area and are propagated outward in all directions. Thus an earthquake may be defined as the passage of these vibrations in the earth.

Surface Waves

These waves travel along the earth's surface having similarity in behavior with sea waves.These waves also known as Long waves (L-waves).

Surface waves consist of two waves. These are

a) Love Waves

b) Rayleigh Waves

a) Love Waves

Love waves cause surface motions similar to that by S-waves, but with no vertical component. S-waves in associated with effects of Love waves cause maximum damage to structure by their racking motion on the surface in both vertical and horizontal directions.


 


b) Rayleigh Waves

Rayleigh Wave makes a material particle oscillate in an elliptic path in the vertical plane (with horizontal motion along direction of energy transmission).