Dispersion in oceanic crust during earthquake preparation (Q1302824)

The author considers a two-dimensional three-layer system: fluid layer (ocean water), transversely isotropic poroelastic layer (ocean floor), and cracked elastic solid (earth crust). The author derives the frequency equation and obtains expressions for phase and group velocities. As is expected, the system is dispersive. The model includes important particular cases: a chain of high mountains, Stonely waves (when the porous layer is absent), and Rayleigh waves (when porous and fluid layers are absent). Some numerical examples show the dispersive effect. The author comes to the conclusion that, when an earthquake comes, some changes in dispersion curves must occur due to the accumulation of additional stresses in the cracked elastic layer.