Seismic constraints on Earth's interior
Wave travel, refraction and transmission constrain an interior model.
Key knowledge
Seismic travel times, refraction and shadow regions constrain Earth's layered interior. The transmission of both P and S waves through the mantle supports solid behaviour on seismic timescales; the absence of transmitted S waves through the outer core supports its liquid character.
Conditions and scope
- Wave speed depends on elastic properties and density; travel times do not uniquely identify chemical composition.
- Solid seismic behaviour does not exclude slow mantle deformation on geological timescales.
Sources · 1
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
Evidence and review
BGS documented P/S propagation, shadow-region and timescale evidence.
2026-10-10 · Checked observation-to-model scope; no new seismogram analysis or density-only speed rule.
Entry details
Permanent link to this entry ↗- Record identity
- earth-seismic-interior
- Revision
- university-reference.1
- Structured reference record
- University reference