Energy ratio of the seismic waves reflected and refracted at a rock-water boundary*

Abstract

General behavior, zeros, and extreme points of different type of waves incident at both sides of the ocean floor, for some values of parameters m, n, and r which are considered to include actual values, are computed; computed values are tabulated and plotted. The following general conclusions are drawn from the results: Poisson's ratio σ of the solid medium is a dominating factor in the general behavior, zeros, and extreme points of the reflected and refracted waves that travel in the solid and are produced by any possible type of wave incident at either side of the solid-water boundary. n dominates the behavior of refracted waves and also plays an important role in the behavior of all waves around the critical incidence for η = 90°. General behavior of any wave that is produced by incidence of any type of wave at either side of the boundary is affected very little by changing r, the effect usually being negligibly small. In all cases the values of α_ext or β_ext change very slightly by changing r. The same statement is true for n except where the occurrence of _extreme value is due to a total reflection at η = 90°. In all cases considered in this paper, peculiar behaviors are observed just before and right after the critical angles of incidence. At a critical angle of incidence the whole energy goes into the reflected wave of the same kind as the incident wave. In all cases considered, most of the energy goes into reflected P or S wave, depending on the angle of incidence. This can be explained by large contrast between densities and velocities in two media. In the case of a P wave incident in the water against the solid, after α_cη the energy is split between reflected P wave and refracted S wave but still a larger part goes into the reflected P wave.