Theoretical Seismology

Institution:
ROSE School
Specialisation:
ES
Term:
Spring 2011
Teacher(s):
M. Cocco, S. Nielsen
Credits:
6
Date (from - to):
21/11/2011 – 16/12/2011

Motivations: to introduce the fundamental equations underlying the main theoretical and numerical approaches used in seismology.

Goals: to provide basic knowledge on mathematical and physical background on quantitative seismology.

Ambitions: to contribute in educating a new generation of engineering seismologists to collaborate with geophysicists and seismologists.

  • Class 1: General Introduction to the Course, Mathematical tools, Elements of mechanics, Practice
  • Class 2: Waves and Vibrations, Practice, Plane Waves, Practice
  • Class 3, Basic theorems and Source representation, Practice, Fundamental solutions, Practice
  • Class 4, Earthquake source kinematics: source parameterization & Green's functions, Seismic wave propagation: Asymptotic Ray theory, Practice
  • Class 5, The Eikonal equation, the Snell's law, reflection and transmission coefficients, Body waves in media with depth dependent properties, Practice
  • Class 6, Focal mechanisms from polarity data and waveform modeling, Anelastic attenuation, Practice
  • Class 7, Source parameters and Earthquakes statistics, Rupture directivity & source time functions, Practice
  • Class 8, Synthetic seismograms, Source spectra & radiated energy, Practice
  • Class 9, Peak ground motion & scaling relations, Ground motion prediction
  • Class 10, Spherical waves as sum of plane waves, Practice, Lamb's problem and Cagniard solution, Practice
  • Class 11, Surface waves and Haskell-Thompson propagator matrix, Practice, Dispersion, group and phase velocities, Practice
  • Class 12, The seismic source; dynamics, Practice, The seismic source; fault mechanics and models, Practice
  • Class 13, Revisiting previous lessons and exercise, Practice

Suggested readings:

  • Aki, K. and Richards, P.G. [2002] "Quantitative Seismology" 2. ed. ‐ Sausalito (California): University Science Books
  • Stein, S. and Wysession, M. [2003] "An introduction to seismology, earthquakes, and earth structure" Malden: Blackwell Science
  • Graff, K.F. [1991] "Wave motion in elastic solids" New York: Dover Publications