Core-reflected travel time ($T=2\sqrt{R^2+a^2-2Ra\cos (\Delta /2)}/c$)

In a constant-speed spherical shell with outer radius $R$ and inner radius $a$, a symmetric single reflection from the inner boundary has the displayed travel time. The boundary lies on the angular bisector of source and receiver. The branch exists only for $0\le \Delta \le 2\arccos (a/R)$, since the incident line must remain in the shell. At the endpoint it joins the mantle-only chord branch with the same slope $a/c$. Continuing the formula beyond that endpoint would make the line intersect the inner boundary before its supposed reflection point.