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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Earthquakes & Seismology

Seismic wave

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, seismic wave means: A wave of energy that travels through the Earth or along its surface, produced by an earthquake, an explosion or another sudden ground movement.

In Turkish: sismik dalga, deprem dalgası

How it is used

Students learn three main types: P waves (fastest, compress the rock), S waves (shear the rock and cannot cross liquids) and surface waves (slowest and usually the most damaging). Seismic waves travel, arrive, are recorded and are reflected.

Example sentences

  1. Seismic waves from the earthquake reached stations around the world within minutes.

  2. Seismic waves slow down and grow larger when they pass through soft sediment.

Common collocations

  • P wave
  • S wave
  • surface waves
  • seismic wave velocity
  • travel time
  • earthquakeA sudden shaking of the ground caused by rocks breaking and slipping along a fault, which releases energy as seismic waves.
  • seismographAn instrument that detects and records ground movement caused by earthquakes and other vibrations. The record it produces is called a seismogram.
  • coreThe central part of the Earth, made mainly of iron and nickel. The outer core is liquid and creates the magnetic field; the inner core is solid.
  • hypocenterThe point underground where an earthquake rupture starts, also called the focus. Its depth below the surface is called the focal depth.

More terms: Earthquakes & Seismology

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