Elastic waves in rotating media

Abstract

Plane harmonic waves in a rotating elastic medium are considered. The inclusion of centripetal and Coriolis accelerations in the equations of motion with respect to a rotating frame of reference leads to the result that the medium behaves as if it were dispersive and anisotropic. The general techniques of treating anistropic media are used with some necessary modifications. Results concerning slowness surfaces, energy flux and mode shapes are derived. These concepts are applied in a discussion of the behavior of harmonic waves at a free surface.