The Earth Responds

[click image to view at full size]

After large earthquakes seismic waves travel throughout the Earth. These waves travel form an earthquake's source to seismic stations spanning the globe, some travel a direct path and other waves reflect and refract at boundaries within and at the surface of our planet. This image was made from thousands of seismic records and shows the arrival of discrete seismic pulses at different distances and times.  The image is reflected about the distance of 180 degrees to show waves which travel more than half way around the planet.

Contributed by Paul Earle, U.S. Geological Survey