In geophysics, a P wave (primary wave) is a type of body seismic wave characterized by longitudinal particle motion parallel to the direction of propagation, making it the fastest seismic phase traveling through the Earth. It involves alternating compressions and rarefactions of the medium and can propagate through solids, liquids, and gases, with velocity controlled by the medium’s elastic moduli (bulk and shear) and density. P waves are crucial for seismic tomography, Earth structure studies, and earthquake source characterization, as their arrival times and amplitude patterns constrain subsurface velocity distributions and discontinuities such as the Mohorovičić discontinuity and core–mantle boundary.
Scientists have discovered a new way to determine how big an earthquake may become just seconds after it begins. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Cal ...
Earth Sciences
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As earthquakes struck from California to Venezuela to Japan, millions of people received warnings on their mobile phones, providing critical seconds to seek protection.
Earth Sciences
Jun 26, 2026
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As seismic waves travel through Earth, they gradually lose energy, a process called attenuation. That energy loss doesn't happen uniformly—some features in the crust sap far more energy from seismic waves than others. Researchers ...
Earth Sciences
May 11, 2026
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Mantle plumes beneath volcanic hotspots, like Hawaii, Iceland, and the Galapagos, seem to be anchored into a large structure within the core-mantle boundary (CMB). A new study, published in Science Advances, takes a deeper ...
A research group has revealed through seismic wave analysis that the oceanic plate beneath the Ontong Java Plateau—the world's largest oceanic plateau—was extensively altered by massive volcanic activity during its formation. ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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A recent study has mathematically clarified how the presence of crystals and gas bubbles in magma affects the propagation of seismic P-waves. The researchers derived a new equation that characterizes the travel of these waves ...
Soft Matter
May 21, 2025
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