Seismic Anisotropy and Wave Propagation in Crustal Rocks
Summary
Seismic anisotropy arises when elastic waves travel at different speeds depending on their direction through the Earth’s crust. This directional dependence reflects the internal fabric of crustal rocks, which is controlled by aligned minerals, microstructures such as foliation and fractures, and the presence of partial melt or fluid phases. Compressional (P) waves and shear (S) waves respond differently to these fabrics: P-wave velocities can vary by several per cent, while S-wave anisotropy often reaches double-digit values under high strain. Such variations underpin modern geophysical imaging and help to infer deformation history, tectonic stresses and compositional layering. Advances in laboratory measurements, thermodynamic modelling and field-based observations have refined our understanding of how magmatic fabrics, mineral phase transitions and high-pressure metamorphism impart characteristic seismic signatures. As a result, seismic anisotropy has become a critical tool for mapping subduction interfaces, identifying zones of crustal melting and constraining the evolution of mountain belts worldwide.
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Seismic Anisotropy and Wave Propagation in Crustal Rocks publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in seismic anisotropy and wave propagation in crustal rocks across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Seismic anisotropy: Variation in seismic wave speed with propagation direction, reflecting internal rock fabrics and mineral alignment.
Compressional wave (P wave): A seismic wave that propagates by particle compression and dilation, sensitive to bulk and shear moduli of rocks.
Shear wave (S wave): A seismic wave in which particle motion is perpendicular to the propagation direction, highly sensitive to fabric and anisotropy.
Foliation: Planar arrangement of minerals or structural features in metamorphic rocks, often producing directional dependence in seismic velocities.
Crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO): Alignment of mineral crystallographic axes in a rock, a primary control on seismic anisotropy.
References
- Confronting Solid‐State Shear Bias: Magmatic Fabric Contribution to Crustal Seismic Anisotropy. Geophysical Research Letters (2023).
- Modification of the Seismic Properties of Subducting Continental Crust by Eclogitization and Deformation Processes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2019).
- Cross‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Analysis in Metamorphic Rocks From the COSC‐1 Borehole in the Scandinavian Caledonides. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (2021).
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