Elastic Properties

Seismic surveys are sensitive to the velocities of seismic waves in the earth. The velocity of a seismic wave depends only on the elastic properties and density of the material it is travelling through and not on the energy source that generated the wave. You can find more detailed information on the elastic properties of materials, how they relate to parameters of interest to geologists and engineers, as well as the velocities of some common earth materials in the physical properties section of this website.