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
sjbraile@gmail.com
NSTA/CSTA Conference,
December 2014
Long Beach, CA

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
Mass
(g)

Spring
Extension
(cm)*
(adding
masses)

Spring
Extension
(cm)*
(removing
masses)

0.0

0.3

100

3.7

3.6

200

7.7

7.5

300

11.4

11.4

400

15.3

15.1

Standard
Spring
PVC Pipe

Length
of
Spring

Mass

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
8
6

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

4
2
0

50

100

150

200

250

Added Mass (grams)

300

350

400

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
names)

Particle Motion

Typical Velocity

Other Characteristics

P,Compressional, Alternating
Primary,
compressions (pushes)
Longitudinal
and dilations (pulls)
which are directed in the
same direction as the
wave is propagating
(along the raypath); and
therefore, perpendicular
to the wavefront

VP ~ 5 7 km/s in
typical Earths
crust;
>~ 8 km/s in
Earths mantle and
core; 1.5 km/s in
water; 0.3 km/s in
air

P motion travels fastest in materials,

so the P-wave is the first-arriving
energy on a seismogram. Generally
smaller and higher frequency than
the S and Surface-waves. P waves in
a liquid or gas are pressure waves,
including sound waves.

S, Shear,
Secondary,
Transverse

VS ~ 3 4 km/s in
typical Earths
crust;
>~ 4.5 km/s in
Earths mantle; ~
2.5-3.0 km/s in
(solid) inner core

S-waves do not travel through fluids,

so do not exist in Earths outer core
(inferred to be primarily liquid iron)
or in air or water or molten rock
(magma). S waves travel slower
than P waves in a solid and,
therefore, arrive after the P wave.

Alternating transverse
motions (perpendicular
to the direction of
propagation, and the
raypath); commonly
polarized such that
particle motion is in
vertical or horizontal
planes

Characteristics of Seismic Waves

L, Love,
Surface waves,
Long waves

Transverse horizontal
motion, perpendicular to
the direction of
propagation and
generally parallel to the
Earths surface

VL ~ 2.0 - 4.5 km/s

in the Earth
depending on
frequency of the
propagating wave

Love waves exist because of the

Earths surface. They are largest at
the surface and decrease in
amplitude with depth. Love waves
are dispersive, that is, the wave
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,
Surface waves,
Long waves,
Ground roll

Motion is both in the

direction of propagation
and perpendicular (in a
vertical plane), and
phased so that the
motion is generally
elliptical either
prograde or retrograde

VR ~ 2.0 - 4.5 km/s

in the Earth
depending on
frequency of the
propagating wave

Rayleigh waves are also dispersive

and the amplitudes generally
decrease with depth in the Earth.
Appearance and particle motion are
similar to water waves.

A simple wave tank

experiment a ping pong
ball is dropped onto the
surface of the water; small
floats aid viewing of the
wave energy. Distance
marks on the bottom of the
container allow calculation of
wave velocity. A stopwatch
can be used to time the
wave travel time to each
distance calculate wave
velocity. Repeat
measurements can improve
accuracy and allow
estimation of measurement
error. Slow motion video can
also be used to improve time
measurements.

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
Seismic Wave
animations
(L. Braile)

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/waves/WaveDemo.htm

The people wave (Dan Russell):

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering Univ.

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

Dan Russell animations Rayleigh

Direction
of
propagation
wave

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

IRIS Seismographs in Schools program: http://www.iris.edu/hq/sis

IRIS Wave Visualizations:
http://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach/visualizations
USGS/SCEC SAF EQ Simulations:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/simulations/shakeout/

IRIS AmaSeis
Software
24-Hour Screen Display
Extracted Seismogram

The AS-1 Seismometer

(developed by Alan Jones,

SUNY Binghamton, NY)

Stream View- The helicorder screen now has the flexibility to display up to three
streams of data simultaneously. These can include a local educational seismometer,
a remote educational seismometer over the jAmaseis network (in true real-time), or
research-quality seismometers stored at the IRIS Data Management Center (in near
real-time).

http://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach/software/jamaseis

Teaching Modules and Tutorials for educational seismographs:

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/as1lessons/as1lessons.htm
(in module 13, you can download real seismic data from past years and use
with the AmaSeis program on your computer even if you do not have a
seismograph)
IRIS educational seismographs web page:
http://www.iris.edu/hq/sis/resources/seismometers
The AS-1 is a portable effective classroom tool for teaching about earthquakes
and the instruments that record them. The AS-1 has been loaned to many
teachers through the Seismographs in Schools program. The AS-1 electronics
have recently been redesigned and production is currently underway!
EQ-1 Seismograph:
http://wardsci.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_IG0018602_A_Vertical+School+Seis
mometer
TC-1 Slinky Seismograph: http://cgiss.boisestate.edu/bsu-network/
http://cgiss.boisestate.edu/construction-of-the-tc1/
http://tc1seismometer.wordpress.com/

The Seismic Waves

program
From Alan Jones, SUNY, Binghamton
http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~ajones/
Earthquake

Cross Section
Through Earth
Stations for
Seismograms

Wavefront

Ray Path
Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront

Earthquake

Cross Section
Through Earth

Time T1

Wavefront

Ray Path

Stations for
Seismograms

Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront
Earthquake

Cross Section
Through Earth
Stations for
Seismograms

Time T2

Wavefront

Ray Path
Seismograph

Ray Path is perpendicular

to wavefront

Earths
interior
structure and
seismic
raypaths that
are used to
determine the
Earth
structure.
http://www.iris.edu/hq/
files/programs/educati
on_and_outreach/less
ons_and_resources/i
mages/ExplorEarthPo
ster.jpg

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
sjbraile@gmail.com
NSTA/CSTA Conference,
December 2014
Long Beach, CA

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