Hi Jerry,
Earthquakes generate P and S Waves directly. The further these have to travel through
the Earth, the more any components above about 2 Hz are attenuated. Local quakes may
generate P waves with frequencies up to over 10 Hz. Teleseismic quakes are likely to have
P wave frequencies of 1 to 2 Hz. The associated S waves have frequencies about half that
of the P waves and their velocity is lower. When either impact the surface, Love and
Rayleigh surface waves are generated. Check out the travel time graphs of time versus
Most Surface Waves have periods of about 20 seconds, so a Lehman with a period of
25 seconds senses them at their full amplitude. Surface waves with periods of ~40 seconds
would also be recorded, but at ~1/4 their true amplitude. The upper frequency limit depends
on the filters in the amplifier - often ~10 Hz.
A 1 Hz geophone / RShake will still respond to 20 second Surface Waves, but at ~1/400
their true amplitude - you may still see some from large quakes, since Surface Waves
have much larger amplitudes than the P or S waves anyway - but don't count on it ! The
RShake sensitivity is high, so your signals are most likely to be limited by environmental
noise.
Going back to your previous Email, you shouldn't use temperature control with a Lehman
- that tends to make air current movement signals worse - but you may fit a mildly heated
Aluminium plate inside the top of the insulated cover to ensure that no vertical air currents
are generated if the air temperature inside the case falls below the ground temperature
during a winter night.
Regards,
Chris
PKiKP, PKIKP, PKJKP, PKKP, PKKKP, PPP phases
Hi Gerald,
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