1. n. [Geophysics]

An elastic body wave or sound wave in which particles oscillate in the direction the wave propagates. P-waves are the waves studied in conventional seismic data. P-waves incident on an interface at other than normal incidence can produce reflected and transmitted S-waves, in that case known as converted waves.

Synonyms: acoustic wave,  compressional wave,  dilatational wave

See related terms: acoustic,  amplitude variation with offset,  body wave,  converted wave,  dilatancy theory,  dilatation,  discontinuity,  elastic,  elastic wave,  interval velocity,  Poisson's ratio,  rarefaction,  S-wave,  seismic,  shadow zone,  shear,  Snell's law,  sonic,  sonic log,  transit time,  wave