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Detection of S Waves in the Earth's Inner Core

Abstract

A THEORETICAL calculation by one of us1 shows that, if the earth's inner core has a rigidity comparable with its incompressibility, then the seismic phase PKJKP would, on present available knowledge, be most likely to be detected over a range of epicentral distance Δ given by 130° Δ 155°, the expected energy and amplitude in this phase being about 0.04 and 0.2, respectively, of that in the companion phase PKIKP. The phase PKJKP appears, therefore, to be on the border of observability and, if the solidity of the inner core is to be established, it becomes important to investigate the practical question of detecting a phase of such low amplitude.

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References

  1. Bullen, K. E., Mon. Not. Roy. Ast. Soc., Geophys. Supp., 6, 163 (1951).

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  2. Bullen, K. E., Mon. Not. Roy. Ast. Soc., Geophys. Supp., 6, 125 (1950).

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  3. Bullen, K. E., “Introduction to the Theory of Seismology”, 209 (Camb. Univ. Press, 1947).

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BULLEN, K., BURKE-GAFFNEY, T. Detection of S Waves in the Earth's Inner Core. Nature 170, 455 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1038/170455a0

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