Effect of surface topography on the diffraction of P, SV, and Rayleigh waves

A generalized inverse method for approximate boundary conditions is adapted for boundary value problems in elastic wave propagation. The diffraction of P, SV , and Rayleigh waves at the vicinity of a semi-elliptical canyon is considered. The effects of mode conversion from compressional to shear waves, or vice versa, are examined in detail. The maximum amplification for each plane wave is also studied.