Compressional-wave reflection from a rigid elastic boundary ($R_P=\sin (\alpha -\beta )/\sin (\alpha +\beta ),R_S=-\sin 2\alpha /\sin (\alpha +\beta )$)

In an isotropic half-space $y<0$ with zero displacement at $y=0$, an incident longitudinal wave directed along $(\cos \alpha ,\sin \alpha )$ reflects into both longitudinal and shear waves. Let $c_p^2=(\lambda +2\mu )/\rho$ and $c_s^2=\mu /\rho$. Horizontal phase matching gives $\sin \beta =(c_s/c_p)\cos \alpha$ for a reflected shear wavevector proportional to $(\sin \beta ,-\cos \beta )$ and polarization $(\cos \beta ,\sin \beta )$. The two zero-displacement equations at the boundary give the displayed coefficients. Since $c_s<c_p$ in a stable isotropic solid, both reflected branches are propagating for every genuine incident angle $0<\alpha <\pi$, with no critical-angle obstruction for this incident-wave type. Changing to a stress-free boundary changes the amplitude equations and coefficients.