Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Synthetic seismogram modelling of the oceanic Pn phase

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The seismic oceanic Pn phase is characterized by low spatial attenuation, a high-frequency wavetrain of extremely long duration and an onset velocity near 8.0 km s−1. In an effort to explain these properties, models have been proposed for the mode of propagation of this phase which include energy entrapment within a low-velocity channel1,2, propagation within an extremely low-attenuation lithosphere waveguide3,4 and forward-scattering from local heterogeneity within the oceanic crust5,6. Through synthetic seismogram modelling, we have generated realistic oceanic Pn phases for an oceanic lithosph¨re model that did not contain any of these intrinsic properties. The synthetic Pn phase can be explained rather simply as a set of refractions from the lower lithosphre with subsequent reverberations within the oceanic water column and sediment layer. Many of the spectral properties associated with layer reverberation observed in the synthetic Pn phase are revealed in data collected in the south-west Pacific. Complicated oceanic lithosphere models are not required to explain the gross characteristics of Pn propagation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fuchs, K. & Schulz, K. J. Geophys. 42, 175–190 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Talandier, J. & Bouchon, M. J. geophys. Res. 84, 5613–5619 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sutton, G., McCreery, C., Duennebier, F. & Walker, D. Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 745–747 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Walker, D., McCreery, C., Sutton, G. & Duennebier, F. Science 199, 1333–1335 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Menke, W. & Richards, P. J. geophys. Res. 85, 5416–5422 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Menke, W. & Chen, R. Bull. seism. Soc. Am. 74, 1605–1621 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Apsel, R. thesis, Univ. California, San Diego (1979).

  8. Fuchs, K. & Müller, G. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 23, 417–433 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gettrust, J. & Frazer, L. Geophys. Res. Lett. 8, 749–752 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Spudich, P. & Orcutt, J. J. geophys. Res. 85, 1409–1433 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Aki, K. & Richards, P. W. Quantitative Seismology: Theory and Methods (Freeman, San Francisco, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Luco, E. & Apsel, R. Bull. seism. Soc. Am. 73, 909–929 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Adair, R., Orcutt, J. & Jordan, T. Init. Rep DSDP 91 (in the press).

  14. Kim, I., Smith, D., Orcutt, J., Jordan, T. & Menard, H. Init. Rep. DSDP 91 (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA

    T. J. Sereno & J. A. Orcutt

Authors
  1. T. J. Sereno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. A. Orcutt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sereno, T., Orcutt, J. Synthetic seismogram modelling of the oceanic Pn phase. Nature 316, 246–248 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/316246a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/316246a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

Search

Navigation