Love waves are surface waves

Large earthquakes trigger Love  waves

Love waves cause horizontal movement of the land
Love waves (L waves) only form on the surface of the Earth after a large earthquake. The Love waves moving forward have a horizontal back and forth motion that cause the land to move horizontally back and forth as they move forward. Love waves are also known as Q waves from the German word for horizontal.  

Love waves trigger small earthquakes
Love waves form on the Earth's surface when S waves change into a new type of wave. These waves can cause widespread destruction after large earthquakes. Recent research also suggests these waves trigger small earthquakes thousands of miles away from the epicenter hours after a major earthquake.

Love waves and surface waves moving on the surface of the Earth  SMS

surface waves

Love waves produce horizontal motion on the Earth's surface
L waves travel only on the surface of the Earth and are slower than either P waves or S waves. They form when S waves interact with the Earth's surface. These waves produce only horizontal motion on the Earth's surface shaking the Earth in a side to side motion.

Surface waves are the most destructive
These seismic waves are the ones that most people feel during an earthquake. Because the waves take a long time to dissipate they are the most destructive near the epicenter of an earthquake. They often cause buildings to collapse during an earthquake.

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Mathematician discovered Love waves

Love waves were discovered in 1911
Love waves were named for A.E.H. Love, a British mathematician, who discovered them in 1911. Scientists have recently been studying the waves after large earthquakes discovered a 37% increase in small earthquakes world wide five hours after a large earthquake.

Surface waves trigger small earthquakes
Scientists believe small earthquakes five hours after a large earthquake are triggered by the L waves. Rayleigh waves, a second type of surface wave, travels slower and when they arrive the number of small earthquakes increased by 60%.


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