The coupling and attenuation of nearly resonant multiplets in the Earth's free oscillation spectrum

Abstract

Summary. The effect of attenuation on the coupling of nearly resonant multiplets in the Earth's free oscillation spectrum is investigated and numerical results are presented for several of the most strongly coupled low frequency multiplet pairs. The coupling influences considered are those of the Coriolis forces due to rotation and of the Earth's hydrostatic ellipticity of figure. It is found that the effects of attenuation (in particular the difference in Q−1 for the two multiplets) can significantly change the splitting diagrams and the degree to which coupling takes place. The Q values for the coupled singlets are, in general, all different and lie between the two Q values of the uncoupled multiplet pair. In addition it is shown that the diagonal sum rule may be readily extended to sets of coupled multiplets. Copyright © 1980, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved