At its meeting in Hanoi, August 23, 2001 the IASPEI Commission
on Seismological Observation and Interpretation decided to set up
a Working Group on Standard Seismic Phase List. The final product
of the WG is supposed to be recommended by the IASPEI for use in
data exchange between seismic observatories, local, regional, and
international data centres. The members of the WG are (in alphabetical
order): R.Adams, P.Bormann, R.Engdahl, J.Havskov, B.Kennett, J.Schweitzer,
and D.Storchak (Chairman).
| CRUSTAL PHASES |
| Pg |
At short distances, either an upgoing P wave from
a source in the upper crust or a P wave bottoming in the upper
crust. At larger distances also arrivals caused by multiple
P-wave reverberations inside the whole crust with a group velocity
around 5.8 km/s. |
| P* |
(alt:Pb) Either an upgoing P wave from a source in the lower
crust or a P wave bottoming in the lower crust below the Conrad
discontinuity (Conrad) |
| Pn |
An upgoing P wave from a source between the Mohorovicic discontinuity
(Moho) and the base of the asthenosphere or any P wave bottoming
in the upper mantle not deeper than the base of the asthenosphere |
| PnPn |
Pn free surface reflection |
| PgPg |
Pg free surface reflection |
| PmP |
P reflection from the outer side of the Moho |
| PmPN |
PmP multiple free surface reflection; N is a positive integer.
For example, PmP2 is PmPPmP |
| PmS |
P to S reflection from the outer side of the Moho |
| Sg |
At short distances, either an upgoing S wave from a source
in the upper crust or an S wave bottoming in the upper crust.
At larger distances also arrivals caused by superposition of
multiple S-wave reverberations and SV to P and/or P to SV conversions
inside the whole crust. The maximum energy of this wave travels
with a group velocity around 3.5 km/s and is called Lg. |
| S* |
(alt:Sb) Either upgoing S wave from a source in the lower
crust or an S wave bottoming in the lower crust below the Conrad |
| Sn |
An upgoing S wave from a source between the Moho and the base
of the asthenospere or any S wave bottoming in the upper mantle
not deeper than in the asthenosphere |
| SnSn |
Sn free surface reflection |
| SgSg |
Sg free surface reflection |
| SmS |
S reflection from the outer side of the Moho |
| SmSN |
SmS multiple free surface reflection; N is a positive integer.
For example, SmS2 is SmSSmS |
| SmP |
S to P reflection from the outer side of the Moho |
| Lg |
See Sg |
| Rg |
Short period crustal Rayleigh wave |
| |
|
| MANTLE PHASES |
| P |
A longitudinal wave, bottoming below the asthenosphere; also
an upgoing longitudinal wave from a source below the asthenospere |
| PP |
Free surface reflection of P wave leaving a source downwards |
| PS |
P, leaving a source downwards, reflected as an S at the free
surface |
| PPP |
analogous to PP |
| PPS |
PP to S converted reflection at the free surface; travel time
matches that of PSP |
| PSS |
PS reflected at the free surface |
| PcP |
P reflection from the core-mantle boundary (CMB) |
| PcS |
P to S converted reflection from the CMB |
| PcPN |
PcP multiple free surface reflection; N is a positive integer.
For example PcP2 is PcPPcP |
| Pz+P |
P reflection from outer side of a discontinuity at depth z;
z may be a positive numerical value in km. For example P660+P
is a P reflection from the top of the 660 km discontinuity. |
| Pz-P |
P reflection from inner side of discontinuity at depth z.
For example, P660-P is a P reflection from below the 660 km
discontinuity, which means it is precursory to PP. |
| Pz+S |
P to S converted reflection from outer side of discontinuity
at depth z |
| Pz-S |
P to S converted reflection from inner side of discontinuity
at depth z |
| PScS |
P (leaving a source downwards) to ScS reflection at the free
surface |
| Pdif |
(old:Pdiff) P diffracted along the CMB in the mantle |
| S |
A shear wave, bottoming below the asthenosphere; also an upgoing
shear wave from a source below the asthenospere |
| SS |
Free surface reflection of an S wave leaving a source downwards |
| SP |
S, leaving source downwards, reflected as P at the free surface |
| SSS |
analogous to SS |
| SSP |
SS to P converted reflection at the free surface; travel time
matches that of SPS |
| SPP |
SP reflected at the free surface |
| ScS |
S reflection from the CMB |
| ScP |
S to P converted reflection from the CMB |
| ScSN |
ScS multiple free surface reflection; N is a positive integer.
For example ScS2 is ScSScS |
| Sz+S |
S reflection from outer side of a discontinuity at depth z;
z may be a positive numerical value in km. For example S660+S
is an S reflection from the top of the 660 km discontinuity. |
| Sz-S |
S reflection from inner side of discontinuity at depth z.
For example, S660-S is an S reflection from below the 660 km
discontinuity, which means it is precursory to SS. |
| Sz+P |
S to P converted reflection from outer side of discontinuity
at depth z |
| Sz-P |
S to P converted reflection from inner side of discontinuity
at depth z |
| ScSP |
ScS to P reflection at the free surface |
| Sdif |
(old:Sdiff) S diffracted along the CMB in the mantle |
| |
|
| CORE PHASES |
| PKP |
(alt:P') unspecified P wave bottoming in the core |
| PKPab |
(old:PKP2) P wave bottoming in the upper outer core; ab indicates
the retrograde branch of the PKP caustic |
| PKPbc |
(old:PKP1) P wave bottoming in the lower outer core; bc indicates
the prograde branch of the PKP caustic |
| PKPdf |
(alt:PKIKP) P wave bottoming in the inner core |
| PKPpre |
(old:PKhKP) a precursor to PKPdf due to scattering near or
at the CMB |
| PKPdif |
P wave diffracted at the inner core boundary (ICB) in the
outer core |
| PKS |
Unspecified P wave bottoming in the core and converting to
S at the CMB |
| PKSab |
PKS bottoming in the upper outer core |
| PKSbc |
PKS bottoming in the lower outer core |
| PKSdf |
PKS bottoming in the inner core |
| P'P' |
(alt:PKPPKP) Free surface reflection of PKP |
| P'N |
(alt:PKPN) PKP reflected at the free surface N-1 times; N
is a positive integer. For example P'3 is P'P'P' |
| P'z-P' |
PKP reflected from inner side of a discontinuity at depth
z outside the core, which means it is precursory to P'P'; z
may be a positive numerical value in km |
| P'S' |
(alt:PKPSKS) PKP to SKS converted reflection at the free surface;
other examples are P'PKS, P'SKP |
| PS' |
(alt:PSKS) P (leaving a source downwards) to SKS reflection
at the free surface |
| PKKP |
Unspecified P wave reflected once from the inner side of the
CMB |
| PKKPab |
PKKP bottoming in the upper outer core |
| PKKPbc |
PKKP bottoming in the lower outer core |
| PKKPdf |
PKKP bottoming in the inner core |
| PNKP |
P wave reflected N-1 times from inner side of the CMB; N is
a positive integer |
| PKKPpre |
a precursor to PKKP due to scattering near the CMB |
| PKiKP |
P wave reflected from the inner core boundary (ICB) |
| PKNIKP |
P wave reflected N-1 times from the inner side of the ICB |
| PKJKP |
P wave traversing the outer core as P and the inner core as
S |
| PKKS |
P wave reflected once from inner side of the CMB and converted
to S at the CMB |
| PKKSab |
PKKS bottoming in the upper outer core |
| PKKSbc |
PKKS bottoming in the lower outer core |
| PKKSdf |
PKKS bottoming in the inner core |
| PcPP' |
(alt:PcPPKP) PcP to PKP reflection at the free surface; other
examples are PcPS', PcSP', PcSS', PcPSKP, PcSSKP |
| SKS |
(alt:S') unspecified S wave traversing the core as P |
| SKSac |
SKS bottoming in the outer core |
| SKSdf |
(alt:SKIKS) SKS bottoming in the inner core |
| SPdifKS |
(alt:SKPdifS) SKS wave with a segment of mantle-side Pdif
at the source and/or the receiver side of the raypath |
| SKP |
Unspecified S wave traversing the core and then the mantle
as P |
| SKPab |
SKP bottoming in the upper outer core |
| SKPbc |
SKP bottoming in the lower outer core |
| SKPdf |
SKP bottoming in the inner core |
| S'S' |
(alt:SKSSKS) Free surface reflection of SKS |
| S'N |
SKS reflected at the free surface N-1 times; N is a positive
integer |
| S'z-S' |
SKS reflected from inner side of discontinuity at depth z
outside the core, which means it is precursory to S'S'; z may
be a positive numerical value in km |
| S'P' |
(alt:SKSPKP) SKS to PKP converted reflection at the free surface;
other examples are S'SKP, S'PKS |
| S'P |
(alt:SKSP) SKS to P reflection at the free surface |
| SKKS |
Unspecified S wave reflected once from inner side of the CMB |
| SKKSac |
SKKS bottoming in the outer core |
| SKKSdf |
SKKS bottoming in the inner core |
| SNKS |
S wave reflected N-1 times from inner side of the CMB; N is
a positive integer |
| SKiKS |
S wave traversing the outer core as P and reflected from the
ICB |
| SKJKS |
S wave traversing the outer core as P and the inner core as
S |
| SKKP |
S wave traversing the core as P with one reflection from the
inner side of the CMB and then continuing as P in the mantle |
| SKKPab |
SKKP bottoming in the upper outer core |
| SKKPbc |
SKKP bottoming in the lower outer core |
| SKKPdf |
SKKP bottoming in the inner core |
| ScSS' |
(alt:ScSSKS) ScS to SKS reflection at the free surface; other
examples are: ScPS', ScSP', ScPP', ScSSKP, ScPSKP |
| |
|
| NEAR SOURCE SURFACE REFLECTIONS (Depth
phases) |
| pPy |
All P-type onsets (Py) as defined above, which resulted from
reflection of an upgoing P wave at the free surface or an ocean
bottom;
WARNING: The character "y" is only a wild card for
any seismic phase, which could be generated at the free surface.
Examples are: pP, pPKP, pPP, pPcP etc |
| sPy |
All Py resulting from reflection of an upgoing S wave at the
free surface or an ocean bottom; For example: sP, sPKP, sPP,
sPcP etc |
| pSy |
All S-type onsets (Sy) as defined above, which resulted from
reflection of an upgoing P wave at the free surface or an ocean
bottom;
For example: pS, pSKS, pSS, pScP etc |
| sSy |
All Sy resulting from reflection of an upgoing S wave at the
free surface or an ocean bottom; For example: sSn, sSS, sScS,
sSdif etc |
| pwPy |
All Py resulted from reflection of an upgoing P wave at the
ocean's free surface |
| pmPy |
All Py resulted from a reflection of an upgoing P wave from
the inner side of the Moho |
| |
|
| SURFACE WAVES |
| L |
Unspecified long period surface wave |
| LQ |
Love wave |
| LR |
Rayleigh wave |
| G |
Mantle wave of Love type |
| GN |
Mantle wave of Love type; N is integer and indicates wave
packets travelling along the minor arcs(odd numbers) or major
arc (even numbers) of the great circle |
| R |
Mantle wave of Rayleigh type |
| RN |
Mantle wave of Rayleigh type; N is integer and indicates wave
packets travelling along the minor arcs(odd numbers) or major
arc (even numbers) of the great circle |
| PL |
Fundamental leaking mode following P onsets generated by coupling
of P energy into the wave guide formed by the crust and upper
mantle |
| SPL |
S wave coupling into the PL-wave guide; other examples are
SSPL, SSSPL |
| |
|
| ACOUSTIC PHASES |
| H |
A hydroacoustic wave from a source in the water, which couples
in the ground |
| HPg |
H phase converted to Pg at the receiver side |
| HSg |
H phase converted to Sg at the receiver side |
| HRg |
H phase converted to Rg at the receiver side |
| I |
An atmospheric sound arrival, which couples in the ground |
| IPg |
I phase converted to Pg at the receiver side |
| ISg |
I phase converted to Sg at the receiver side |
| IRg |
I phase converted to Rg at the receiver side |
| T |
A tertiary wave. This is an acoustic wave from a source in
the solid earth, trapped in a low velocity oceanic water layer
called the SOFAR channel (SOund Fixing and Ranging) |
| TPg |
T phase converted to Pg at the receiver side |
| TSg |
T phase converted to Sg at the receiver side |
| TRg |
T phase converted to Rg at the receiver side |
| |
|
| AMPLITUDE MEASUREMENT PHASES |
| A |
Unspecified amplitude reading |
| AL |
Amplitude reading for local magnitude |
| AB |
Amplitude reading for body wave magnitude |
| AS |
Amplitude reading for surface wave magnitude |
| END |
Time of visible end of record for duration magnitude |
| |
|
| UNIDENTIFIED ARRIVALS |
| x |
(old:i,e,NULL) unidentified arrival |
| rx |
(old:i,e,NULL) unidentified regional arrival |
| tx |
(old:i,e,NULL) unidentified teleseismic arrival |
| Px |
(old:i,e,NULL,(P),P?) unidentified arrival of P-type |
| Sx |
(old:i,e,NULL,(S),S?) unidentified arrival of S-type |
