Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Body-wave traveltime and amplitude shifts from asymptotic travelling wave coupling

January 1, 2006

We explore the sensitivity of finite-frequency body-wave traveltimes and amplitudes to perturbations in 3-D seismic velocity structure relative to a spherically symmetric model. Using the approach of coupled travelling wave theory, we consider the effect of a structural perturbation on an isolated portion of the seismogram. By convolving the spectrum of the differential seismogram with the spectrum of a narrow window taper, and using a Taylor's series expansion for wavenumber as a function of frequency on a mode dispersion branch, we derive semi-analytic expressions for the sensitivity kernels. Far-field effects of wave interactions with the free surface or internal discontinuities are implicitly included, as are wave conversions upon scattering. The kernels may be computed rapidly for the purpose of structural inversions. We give examples of traveltime sensitivity kernels for regional wave propagation at 1 Hz. For the direct SV wave in a simple crustal velocity model, they are generally complicated because of interfering waves generated by interactions with the free surface and the Mohorovic??ic?? discontinuity. A large part of the interference effects may be eliminated by restricting the travelling wave basis set to those waves within a certain range of horizontal phase velocity. ?? Journal compilation ?? 2006 RAS.

Publication Year 2006
Title Body-wave traveltime and amplitude shifts from asymptotic travelling wave coupling
DOI 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03095.x
Authors F. Pollitz
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geophysical Journal International
Index ID 70028647
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse