What type of waves are Earthquakes?
I Googled earthquake waves and found several sites -- all with the same answer. This seems to be the best with the clearest explanation.
http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html
Well, I think i need to be a bit more clear my options are limited to torsional, longitudinal, and transverse
never mind, I got it. Seismic waves are transversal.
Earthquakes generate seismic waves. These waves are a type of elastic waves that travel through the Earth's interior and along its surface. There are three main types of seismic waves generated by an earthquake: P waves, S waves, and surface waves.
1. P waves (Primary waves): These are the fastest seismic waves and can travel through solid rock, liquid, and gas. They are compressional waves that move in a push-pull motion. P waves are the first to be detected by seismometers and cause a slight shaking or vibrating motion.
2. S waves (Secondary waves): These are slower than P waves and can only travel through solid rock. S waves are transverse waves that move in a side-to-side or up-and-down motion. When they reach the surface, they cause the ground to shake from side to side.
3. Surface waves: These waves travel along the Earth's surface and are responsible for the most noticeable shaking during an earthquake. There are two types of surface waves: Love waves and Rayleigh waves. Love waves move the ground side to side, while Rayleigh waves cause an elliptical, rolling motion.
To determine the type of waves generated by an earthquake, seismologists use seismographs. Seismographs measure the ground motion caused by the waves and record the data on seismograms. By analyzing the characteristics of the recorded waves, scientists can identify the type and magnitude of the earthquake.