RAYLEIGH WAVE PARTICLE MOTION AND CRUSTAL STRUCTURE

Abstract

Feasibility study was made concerning the use of the ellipticity of the Rayleigh wave particle motion for determining earth structures. Variational parameters were computed empirically for both the ellipticity and phase velocity of Rayleigh waves in the period range T equals 10 to 50 sec. In general, the ellipticity and phase velocity are about equally sensitive to structural perturbations, but near-surface low- velocity sedimentary layers influence the ellipticity much more strongly than they do the phase velocity. Both ellipticity and Rayleigh-and Love- wave phase velocities were measured and the results interpreted in terms of a crustal structure.