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Rayleigh Surface Wave Explorer (2D)

Interactive 2D cross-section model of Rayleigh surface acoustic waves in an elastic solid: the engine numerically solves the Rayleigh characteristic equation for the exact surface-wave speed of the current material, then animates the coupled P+SV displacement field to show retrograde elliptical particle motion decaying exponentially with depth.

Physics & Mechanics2DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

Rayleigh waves are the surface acoustic waves that ride along the free boundary of an elastic solid — the same mechanism that makes earthquake ground motion so damaging near the surface and that underlies ultrasonic crack detection and SAW radio filters. This 2D cross-section engine numerically solves the Rayleigh characteristic equation for the current material's Poisson's ratio and shear speed to get the exact surface-wave speed, then animates the coupled P+SV displacement field so the retrograde elliptical orbits near the surface, their exponential decay with depth, and the flip to prograde motion at depth all emerge from the same equations used in seismology and non-destructive testing — with v_R measured, live, to always sit just below v_S.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch a Rayleigh surface acoustic wave ripple across an elastic solid: particles trace retrograde ellipses near the surface that flip to prograde motion at depth, with displacement decaying exponentially the way real seismic and ultrasonic surface waves do.

surface physicsacousticselastic wavesseismologywave mechanics2D

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install