Abstract
HIGH phase velocity seismic waves recorded by arrays of short-period vertical seismometers at the Montana LASA and the Vela Observatories from large earthquakes and underground nuclear explosions have now been clearly identified as steeply incident inner core reflexions of the type PKiKP. These new data allow the precise determination of the inner core radius and may provide important constraints on physical conditions at the boundary.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bolt, B. A., O'Neill, M., and Qamar, A., Geophys. J. Roy. Astro. Soc., 16, 475 (1968).
Bolt, B. A., and O'Neill, M. E., Geophys. J. Roy. Astro. Soc., 9, 223 (1965).
Caloi, P., Geophys. J. Roy. Astro. Soc., 4, 139 (1961).
Jeffreys, H., and Bullen, K. E., Seismological Tables (Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Gray-Milne Trust, 1958).
Bolt, B. A., Bull. Seism. Soc. Amer., 54, 191 (1964).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ENGDAHL, E., FLINN, E. & ROMNEY, C. Seismic Waves reflected from the Earth's Inner Core. Nature 228, 852–853 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/228852a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/228852a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Small-scale layered structures at the inner core boundary
Nature Communications (2023)
-
Seismological evidence for a localized mushy zone at the Earth’s inner core boundary
Nature Communications (2017)
-
Complex inner core boundary from frequency characteristics of the reflection coefficients of PKiKP waves observed by Hi-net
Progress in Earth and Planetary Science (2015)
-
Notes on the variability of reflected inner core phases
Earthquake Science (2014)
-
Sharp and seismically transparent inner core boundary region revealed by an entire network observation of near-vertical PKiKP
Earth, Planets and Space (2006)