polarisation of the s - phase of seismograms

In earthquakes recorded at moderate distances it lias been ohservedthat S phase appears first as SII, folloived some 10 to 14 seconds laterby SV. The object of tliis paper is to try to decide ichether doublérefraction is likely to be the explanation of tliis jìlwnomenon.A simpie model to consider ivould be a « transversely isotropie »material, symmetrical about the radiai direction. Formulae for thevelocities of SII and SV waves are available; tliese velocities dependon the angle that the ray makes ivi t li the norma!. It is unlikely thatthe Eartli could be as markedly anisotropie as the minerai beryl, whichis transversely isotropie; aceordingly, this material, of ivhich the fi veclastic constants are knoivn is taken as an extreme example, andthe velocities of SH and SV for different angles of incidence are« scaled down » so as to match the velocity of distortional ivaves ingranite. It is then possible to calcitiate the difference in the timo takenby ivaves from one point of the surface of the Earth to anotlier pointon the surface according as the S wave in the surface layer is of SHor SV type.