What causes the shadow zone for no S- wave arrivals beyond epicentral angles of 105°?
A) All seismographs are located on the near side of the earth.
B) All shear waves are converted to surface waves at the mantle- core boundary.
C) The Earth is hollow.
D) The liquid outer core will not pass shear waves, so any down- going shear wave energy is converted to additional "late" P waves at the mantle- core boundary.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The liquid outer core of the Earth does not support shear waves (S-waves), which are unable to propagate through it. This results in a shadow zone for S-waves beyond epicentral angles of 105°, as they are effectively blocked or converted at the mantle-core boundary.

What Causes the Shadow Zone for No S- Wave Arrivals