Seismic velocity

The propagation speed of a seismic disturbance, depending on elastic properties, density, composition, temperature and microstructure.

The propagation speed of a shear elastic wave. In an ideal isotropic elastic medium it is $V_s=\sqrt{\mu /\rho }$, where $\mu$ is shear modulus and $\rho$ mass density. Seismic anisotropy, frequency-dependent relaxation and melt can complicate the inference from an observed shear-wave velocity to temperature or composition.