Making Waves: Seismic Waves

Activities and Demonstrations

Larry Braile, Purdue University

braile@purdue.edu,
web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile
Sheryl Braile, Happy Hollow School
West Lafayette, IN
CSTA Conference, October 2009
Palm Springs, CA

This PowerPoint file: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/new/SeismicWaves.ppt

Seismic Waves
Slinky P, S, Rayleigh, Love waves;
Reflection and transmission; energy carried by
waves; elastic rebound/plate motions and the
slinky; 5-slinky model waves in all directions,
travel times to different distances.
Human wave demo P and S waves in solids and
liquids.
Seismic wave animations P, S, Rayleigh, Love
waves; wave motion; wave propagation activity.
Seismograms Viewing seismograms on your
computer (AmaSeis software).
Seismic Waves software Wave propagation
through the Earth.
Why use several approaches for teaching
about seismic waves?
Fundamental concept (worth spending time on)
Different approaches for different settings or size of
group
Different learning styles
Reinforce with more than one approach
Demonstrations, animations and hands-on activities
Use one or more approach for authentic
assessment
 Elasticity a property of materials that results
In wave propagation and earthquakes
Measuring Elasticity of a Spring
Added Spring Spring
Mass Extension Extension
(g) (cm)* (cm)*
Standard (adding (removing
masses) masses)
Spring
Length
0 0.0 0.3
PVC Pipe

of
Spring
100 3.7 3.6
200 7.7 7.5
Mass
300 11.4 11.4
400 15.3 15.1
Wood

* Difference in length of spring before and after adding mass.

 Elasticity of a Spring
Stretching (length - original length, cm) 16

14 Adding mass:
Removing mass:
12

10

6
1. Deformation (stretching) is
4 proportional to applied force (mass).
2. Spring returns to its original shape
2 (length) when force is removed.

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Added Mass (grams)
Slinky and human wave demo and wave tank and
elasticity experiments:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.htm
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.doc
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky.pdf
 Characteristics of Seismic Waves
Table 2: Seismic Waves
Type (and Particle Motion Typical Velocity Other Characteristics
names)
P,Compressional Alternating VP ~ 5 7 km/s in P motion travels fastest in materials,
, Primary, compressions typical Earths so the P-wave is the first-arriving
Longitudinal (pushes) and dilations crust; energy on a seismogram. Generally
(pulls) which are >~ 8 km/s in smaller and higher frequency than
directed in the same Earths mantle and the S and Surface-waves. P waves in
direction as the wave is core; 1.5 km/s in a liquid or gas are pressure waves,
propagating (along the water; 0.3 km/s in including sound waves.
raypath); and therefore, air
perpendicular to the
wavefront
S, Shear, Alternating transverse VS ~ 3 4 km/s in S-waves do not travel through fluids,
Secondary, motions (perpendicular typical Earths so do not exist in Earths outer core
Transverse to the direction of crust; (inferred to be primarily liquid iron)
propagation, and the >~ 4.5 km/s in or in air or water or molten rock
raypath); commonly Earths (magma). S waves travel slower
polarized such that mantle; ~ 2.5-3.0 than P waves in a solid and,
particle motion is in km/s in (solid) therefore, arrive after the P wave.
vertical or horizontal inner core
planes
 Characteristics of Seismic Waves
L, Love, Transverse horizontal VL ~ 2.0 - 4.5 km/s Love waves exist because of the
Surface waves, motion, perpendicular to in the Earth Earths surface. They are largest at
Long waves the direction of depending on the surface and decrease in
propagation and frequency of the amplitude with depth. Love waves
generally parallel to the propagating wave are dispersive, that is, the wave
Earths surface velocity is dependent on frequency,
with low frequencies normally
propagating at higher
velocity. Depth of penetration of the
Love waves is also dependent on
frequency, with lower frequencies
penetrating to greater depth.

R, Rayleigh, Motion is both in the VR ~ 2.0 - 4.5 km/s Rayleigh waves are also dispersive
Surface waves, direction of propagation in the Earth and the amplitudes generally
Long waves, and perpendicular (in a depending on decrease with depth in the
Ground roll vertical plane), frequency of the Earth. Appearance and particle
and phased so that the propagating wave motion are similar to water waves.
motion is generally
elliptical either
prograde or retrograde
A simple wave
tank experiment
a ping pong
ball is dropped
onto the surface
of the water;
small floats aid
viewing of the
waves; distance
marks on the
bottom of the
container allow
calculation of
wave velocity.
Seismic waves and the slinky
(also, see the 4-page slinky write-up at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/slinky/slinky4.doc)

P and S waves
Love and Rayleigh waves
Wave reflection and transmission
Elastic rebound
Waves carry energy
The five slinky model (waves in all directions
and different travel times to different locations
the way that earthquakes are located)
Seismic waves
carry energy.
Observe the
shaking of the
model building
when P and S
waves are
propagated
along the slinky.
The 5-slinky model for demonstrating that seismic
waves propagate in all directions and the variation
of travel time with distance.
The human wave demonstration illustrating P and S
wave propagation in solids and liquids.
Wave animations

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html

Seismic Wave
animations
(Developed by L. Braile)

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.htm
Dan Russell animations The
people wave

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell,

Kettering University
http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html
Dan Russell animations Rayleigh
wave Direction of propagation

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell,

Kettering University
http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/demos.html
 Compressional Wave (P-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

compression and dilation. Particle motion is parallel to the
direction of propagation (longitudinal). Material returns to its
original shape after wave passes.
 Shear Wave (S-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

transverse motion. Particle motion is perpendicular to the direction of
propagation (transverse). Transverse particle motion shown here is
vertical but can be in any direction. However, Earths layers tend to
cause mostly vertical (SV; in the vertical plane) or horizontal (SH) shear
motions. Material returns to its original shape after wave passes.
 Rayleigh Wave (R-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of elliptical motions

(generally retrograde elliptical) in the vertical plane and parallel to the
direction of propagation. Amplitude decreases with depth. Material
returns to its original shape after wave passes.
 Love Wave (L-Wave) Animation

Deformation propagates. Particle motion consists of alternating

transverse motions. Particle motion is horizontal and perpendicular to
the direction of propagation (transverse). To aid in seeing that the
particle motion is purely horizontal, focus on the Y axis (red line) as the
wave propagates through it. Amplitude decreases with depth. Material
returns to its original shape after wave passes.
You can download the animations separately to run more efficiently:
(http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.htm).
A complete PowerPoint presentation on the Seismic wave animations is
also available at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.ppt

Demonstrate the AmaSeis software for displaying and analyzing

seismograms; software available at:
http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~ajones/
A tutorial on AmaSeis and links to seismograms that can be downloaded and viewed
in AmaSeis available at:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/as1lessons/UsingAmaSeis/UsingAmaSeis.htm

The IRIS Seismographs in Schools program:

http://www.iris.edu/hq/sis
 IRIS AmaSeis
Software

24-Hour Screen Display

Extracted Seismogram

The AS-1 Seismometer

(developed by Alan Jones,

SUNY Binghamton, NY)
Teaching Modules and Tutorials:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/as1lessons/as1lessons.htm
 The Seismic Waves
program
From Alan Jones, SUNY, Binghamton
http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~ajones/

Earthquake
Cross Section
Through Earth
* Wavefront

Ray Path
Stations for
Seismograms Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront