Anisotropic Seismology

A multidisciplinary introduction to seismic anisotropy, covering all active processes from the atomic scale up to the Earth scale.

Jean-Paul Montagner (Author), David Mainprice (Author)

9780521199001, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 8 January 2026

590 pages
24.4 x 17 x 3.2 cm, 1.256 kg

'A self-contained introduction to seismic anisotropy at various scales, with sufficient scientific and technical details for its purpose, while also including citations for further reading. Since anisotropic properties carry a lot of information about our planet and the phenomena within it, many studies will benefit from including these principles in their investigations, for which this book will prove very helpful.' Michael A. Slawinski, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Seismic anisotropy is ubiquitous at both the microscopic and macroscopic scales. The goal of this multidisciplinary book is to introduce students and more advanced scientists to seismic anisotropy at different scales, from the microscopic (0.1 nanometer) scale to the Earth (1000 kilometre) scale, and to improve the reader's understanding of all active Earth processes. Drawing on both mineral physics and seismology, it presents the different geological, mineralogical, and geodynamical applications of seismic anisotropy, and argues that an understanding of seismic anisotropy is necessary to interpret all seismic, geophysical, petrological, and geological data This volume is an invaluable for graduate students and research scientists in seismology/geophysics, and will be of considerable interest to geophysicists working in petroleum exploration/production and to mineral physicists and researchers in geodynamics and fluid flow in rocks. With an overview of the main recent advances in research, it also provides the perfect starting point for further research.

Part I. Introduction-Background: 1. Introduction-basic ingredients
Part II. Anisotropy at All Scales: 2. Anisotropic crystals
3. Seismic anisotropy at the macroscopic (rock) and larger scales
Part III. Forward and Inverse Problems: 4. Propagation of seismic waves in anisotropic media
5. Surface waves and free oscillations in anisotropic media
6. First-order perturbation theory- Operator formalism
7. Effects of anisotropy on surface waves
8. Effects of anisotropy on normal modes
9. Tomography of anisotropy
10. Multidisciplinary observations
11. Anisotropy in different layers
12. Geodynamical applications of seismic anisotropy
Part IV. Perspectives: 13. From seismic anisotropy to anisotropic seismology
Notes
References
Subject index.

Subject Areas: Geophysics [PHVG]