Seismological Problem, Seismic Waves and the Seismic Mainshock

The elastic wave equation with seismic tensorial force is solved in a homogeneous and isotropic medium (the Earth). Spherical-shell waves are obtained, which are associated to the primary P and S seismic waves. It is shown that these waves produce secondary waves with sources on the plane surface of a half-space, which have the form of abrupt walls with a long tail, propagating in the interior and on the surface of the half-space. These secondary waves are associated to the seismic mainshock. The results, previously reported, are re-derived using Fourier transformations and specific regularization procedures. The relevance of this seismic motion for the ground motion, the seismographs' recordings and the effect of the inhomogeneities in the medium are discussed.

Automated summary

The elastic wave equation with seismic tensorial force is solved in a homogeneous and isotropic medium to obtain spherical-shell waves associated with primary P and S seismic waves. These waves generate secondary waves with abrupt walls and long tails on the plane surface of a half-space, propagating in the interior and on the surface. The study discusses the relevance of this seismic motion for ground motion, seismographs' recordings, and the effect of inhomogeneities in the medium.