🌍 Seismic Wave Effects in Sedimentary Layers

Harvard EPS55

Wave Angle
--°
Amplitude
--
Current Layer
--
Velocity
--
Sediments (Low Velocity)
Basement Rock (High Velocity)
Earthquake Source
Normal Waves
Amplified/Trapped Waves
📈 Amplitude Increase

Watch the wave size dramatically increase when entering sediments! Waves become 3-4x larger due to impedance contrast. The slower velocity concentrates energy, creating much stronger ground motion.

📐 Vertical Bending (Refraction)

See the wave path bend sharply toward vertical when hitting the boundary! Angles can change by 30-50 degrees. This refraction follows Snell's law and focuses seismic energy upward.

🔒 Wave Trapping

Energy bounces between layers, creating prolonged shaking. Trapped waves (yellow) show how sedimentary basins can shake much longer than bedrock sites during earthquakes.