Past exam of the year 2 of the earth sciences (geology) course of the University of Oxford / 2022 / Paper 1 / 6 / b / iii

Table of contents
- Solution iii

Solution

The required transmitted P wave angle would satisfy

sin i_{P 2} = \frac{3500}{1500} sin 3 0^{\circ} = \frac{7}{6} > 1.

Therefore there is no real transmitted P-ray angle. The incidence exceeds the P critical angle

arcsin (1500/3500) = 25.3 8^{\circ}

; the transmitted P contribution is evanescent away from the interface rather than a propagating body ray. Reporting

9 0^{\circ}

would describe critical incidence, not the stated

3 0^{\circ}

incidence.

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