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With $ϵ={\beta }^{\prime }/\beta \ll 1$, $\eta ={\mu }^{\prime }/\mu =O({ϵ}^2)$ and a fixed mode index, put $y=qh$, $W=\omega h/{\beta }^{\prime }$ and $K=kh$. The exact Love wave branch has $W=y\sqrt{1+{\eta }^2{\tan }^{2}y}/\sqrt{1-{ϵ}^2}$ and $K=y\sqrt{{ϵ}^2+{\eta }^2{\tan }^{2}y}/\sqrt{1-{ϵ}^2}$. Its minimum group velocity occurs near $y=(n+1/2)\pi$, with transition width $W-(n+1/2)\pi$ of order $({\eta }^2(n+1/2)\pi {)}^{1/3}$. Well above that width, the rigid-base approximation to Love waves captures both velocities. Density ratios and the mode index must be controlled in this estimate.

For a slow uniform layer over a faster half-space, the nth Love wave branch reaches the half-space shear wave speed at the displayed threshold. Its half-space decay exponent then vanishes, so the threshold is a limiting nonlocalized state, not a trapped finite-energy mode. The fundamental has zero threshold and exists at every positive frequency; overtones require frequency strictly above their positive threshold. At high frequency each fixed branch approaches the layer shear wave speed from above.

For a slower surface layer supporting propagating SH-waves with vertical wavenumber $q>0$ above an evanescent half-space with decay exponent $p>0$, continuity of displacement field and traction gives the displayed reflection coefficient for a downward incident displacement field wave. Its modulus is one and its wave phase is $-2\arctan (\mu p/({\mu }_{0}q))$. A traction-free top reflects displacement field with coefficient $+1$. The round-trip condition $R_h{e}^{2iqh}=1$ then gives $\tan (qh)=\mu p/({\mu }_{0}q)$, equivalent to direct Love wave mode matching.

The full Love wave problem replaces the rigid base by a decaying substrate displacement. With $Y=A\cos (qz)$ in the layer and $Y=B{e}^{-\kappa (z-h)}$ below it,where ${\mu }^{\prime }={\rho }^{\prime }{\beta }^{\prime 2}$ and $\mu =\rho {\beta }^2$. Displacement continuity gives $B=A\cos (qh)$ and traction continuity gives ${\mu }^{\prime }q\sin (qh)=\mu \kappa \cos (qh)$. The rigid base is therefore a good approximation only when $\mu \kappa \gg {\mu }^{\prime }q$: then the substrate displacement is small and $qh$ lies close to ${\chi }_n=(n+1/2)\pi$.

Put $ϵ={\beta }^{\prime }/\beta$, $\eta ={\mu }^{\prime }/\mu$, $y=qh$, $W=\omega h/{\beta }^{\prime }$ and $K=kh$. The complete dispersion branch can be parameterized without root finding:Then $c={\beta }^{\prime }W/K$ and $U={\beta }^{\prime }{W}^{\prime }/K^{\prime }$. At the lower end, $c\to \beta$ and $U\to \beta$. The Love-wave cutoff frequencies are ${\omega }_{c,n}=n\pi {\beta }^{\prime }/[h\sqrt{1-{ϵ}^2}]$, with zero cutoff for the fundamental. Thus the rigid-layer formula cannot describe the fundamental's low-frequency limit or the low-frequency part of an overtone: it would either give no propagating mode or predict $c>\beta$, outside the trapping interval ${\beta }^{\prime }<c<\beta$.

For comparable densities and a fixed mode index, $\eta =({\rho }^{\prime }/\rho ){ϵ}^2\ll 1$. Write $y={\chi }_n-\delta$ near the strong-dispersion transition. In the region controlling the group-velocity minimum of a high-contrast Love wave, $\delta \ll 1$ and $\eta /\delta \gg ϵ$. The leading derivatives giveTheir minimum is atThe frequency estimate follows by inserting ${\delta }_{\min }$ into $W\simeq ({\chi }_n-\delta )[1+{\eta }^2/(2{\delta }^2)+{ϵ}^2/2]$: the two leading terms of size $\delta$ cancel. The real group velocity has a finite minimum and turns upwards near the rigid-layer threshold, whereas the rigid formula has zero group speed at its artificial threshold.

For a useful estimate of the validity range, put $\Delta =W-{\chi }_n>0$. The rigid prediction has $K_R^2=W^2-{\chi }_n^2\simeq 2{\chi }_n\Delta$. The finite-load phase correction is $\delta \simeq \eta {\chi }_n/(\kappa h)$; its changes to both $K$ and $dK/dW$ are small ifThe first condition keeps $K_R$ away from the substrate propagation boundary; the second controls the rapidly changing interface phase. Equivalently, the rigid formulas are reliable sufficiently above the actual group-velocity minimum, beyond its narrow transition interval. At fixed $\omega /{\omega }_n>1$ separated from one, they become asymptotically accurate as the contrast grows. They are particularly simple at $\omega \gg {\omega }_n$, where both velocities approach ${\beta }^{\prime }$. Within the transition and below it the full dispersion relation is required.

The small speed ratio alone is insufficient if the layer density grows so strongly that ${\mu }^{\prime }/\mu$ is not small. For such materials the exact load criterion $\mu \kappa \gg {\mu }^{\prime }q$ and its frequency derivatives should be used; the preceding contrast estimates assume a bounded order-one density ratio and fixed $n$.

Choose depth $z$ positive downwards, the free surface at $z=0$ and the interface at $z=h$. A Love wave has only transverse displacement field $u_y=U(z)e^{i(\kappa x-\omega t)}$. Take $\omega >0$, $\kappa =\omega /c_L$, and defineA trapped mode requires ${\beta }_0<c_L<\beta$, so both $q,p$ are positive. The SH equations are $U_0^{\prime \prime }+q^2{U}_0=0$ in the layer and $U^{\prime \prime }-p^{2}U=0$ in the half-space. Zero shear traction at the free surface and decay at large depth selectContinuity of displacement field and shear traction at $h$ gives $C=A\cos (qh)$ and $-{\mu }_{0}qA\sin (qh)=-\mu pC$. ConsequentlySubstituting the definitions of $q,p$ yields the requested speed-frequency dispersion relation. For negative frequency use $|\omega |$ in both vertical wavenumbers; the real displacement field has conjugate frequency partners. Neither equality in the trapped-speed interval gives a strictly localized finite-frequency Love mode.

Take a stable isotropic elastic material with mass density $\rho >0$ and Lamé parameters $\lambda ,\mu$, where $\mu >0$ and $3\lambda +2\mu >0$. Its elastic stiffness tensor isThe P wave is longitudinal and the S wave transverse. The wavefront-transport alternative and all three steps of the Love wave alternative are given below.

Take a horizontally polarized shear displacement $u(y)e^{i(kx-\omega t)}$, with $k>0$ and $c=\omega /k$. In the layer put $q=\sqrt{c^2/{\bar{c}}_s^2-1}$ and in the half-space put $\gamma =\sqrt{1-c^2/c_s^2}$. The required inequality makes both positive. The shear-wave equations givewhere the first form satisfies zero traction at $y=h$ and the second decays as $y\to -\infty$. Displacement and traction continuity at zero give $A\cos (kqh)=B$ and $\bar{\mu }kqA\sin (kqh)=\mu k\gamma B$. Hence the Love wave dispersion relation isThe left-hand square root uses the layer speed ${\bar{c}}_s$, as in the original PDF; the TeX aid incorrectly omits its bar there.

Let $K=kh>0$ and $q_{max}=\sqrt{c_s^2/{\bar{c}}_s^2-1}$. The allowed interval is $0<q<q_{max}$, and the right side becomesa positive strictly decreasing function from infinity to zero. On each positive branch of $\tan (Kq)$ beginning at $Kq=m\pi$, the left side is strictly increasing from zero to infinity, or to a positive endpoint value if $q_{max}$ comes first. There is exactly one intersection on that branch whenever $m\pi <K{q}_{max}$. The fundamental branch $m=0$ thus supplies a real solution for every positive $kh$.

The second branch exists precisely when $K{q}_{max}>\pi$. Thus the strict cutoff of the second Love-wave mode isAt equality the second solution would have $c=c_s$, zero half-space decay exponent, and fails the required disturbance decay. Consequently the cutoff is the infimum, rather than an attained smallest value, under the printed strict speed inequality. Also $kh=0$ itself is a limiting case, not a trapped propagating mode; the “any value” assertion is valid for positive $kh$.

A free top and rigid base impose transverse wavenumbers $(n+1/2)\pi /h$ on guided SH modes between rigid and free planes. Their phase velocity and group velocity are $c={\beta }^{\prime }/\sqrt{1-{\omega }_n^2/{\omega }^2}$ and $U={\beta }^{\prime }\sqrt{1-{\omega }_n^2/{\omega }^2}$ for $\omega >{\omega }_n$. A real Love wave replaces the rigid base by an evanescent elastic load; the approximation becomes reliable sufficiently above the corresponding strong-dispersion transition, not at the actual mode cutoff.