Complex-frequency SH flux monotonicity ($S_z^{\prime }=-\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{Im}\omega [|T{|}^2/\mu +(\rho +\mu k^2/|\omega {|}^2)|V{|}^2]$)

For positive real mass density and shear modulus, real $k$ and $\mathrm{Im}\omega >0$, the displayed derivative of $S_z=-\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{Re}(V^{\ast }T)$ follows from the two first-order shear equations. Every nontrivial solution has strictly decreasing $S_z$. Since $S_z=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{Re}Z|V{|}^2$, positive-real impedance at a deeper point remains positive at all shallower points; negative-real impedance at a shallower point remains negative deeper down. A zero field is the necessary exception to strictness. At complex frequency this is a spectral flux diagnostic, reducing to a physical cycle average on the real axis.