Rayleigh secular equation ($(2-s{)}^2=4\sqrt{1-s}\sqrt{1-\eta s}$)

For a Rayleigh wave at a free surface of a homogeneous isotropic elastic half-space, define $s=c^2/c_T^2$ and $\eta =c_T^2/c_L^2$. Cancelling the two surface tractions between the constituents with Rayleigh wave decay exponents gives the displayed equation with $0<s<1$. Equivalently $(b_T^2+k^2{)}^2=4k^2{b}_L{b}_T$. Squaring gives a factor $s$ times $P(s)=s^3-8s^2+(24-16\eta )s-16(1-\eta )$. For stable Lamé parameters, $0<\eta <3/4$, so $P(0)<0$, $P(1)=1$, and $P^{\prime \prime }(s)=6s-16<0$ on $(0,1)$. Its concavity ensures exactly one crossing in this interval. Both sides of the unsquared equation are positive, so this root gives the physical speed. The zero root is a degenerate static cancellation, not a propagating Rayleigh wave.