Theoretical and Computational Seismology

by Jeroen Tromp

Overview

An authoritative, self-contained reference text on theoretical and computational seismology

Over the past several decades, computational advances have revolutionized seismology, making it possible to simulate seismic wave propagation in complex Earth models and create detailed images of the planet’s interior. This cutting-edge text introduces students and scholars to the fundamentals, techniques, and applications of this exciting field of research and discovery.

After establishing a strong foundation in continuum mechanics, the book presents the fundamentals of theoretical seismology, providing a basis for subsequent forward and inverse modeling grounded in numerical methods, and then focuses on computational seismology, investigating numerical solutions to seismic wave equations. The adjoint-state method is covered next, along with applications of this technique to waveform inversions across scales, after which the book concludes with a set of appendixes that provide a primer to differential geometry and tensor calculus, which are used throughout the book to explain the fundamental concepts of deformation, strain, and stress from both Eulerian and Lagrangian perspectives. Including over 150 student-tested exercises, the book is an essential resource for motivated students and scholars seeking to master the state of the art of theoretical and computational seismology.

• Establishes a strong foundation through a geometric analysis of continuum mechanics
• Reveals how linearizing the resulting equations of motion enables the simulation of seismic wave propagation across nine decades of frequencies and wavelengths
• Demonstrates how to leverage the capabilities of simulations to create detailed tomographic images from the information embedded in seismographic recordings
• Covers diverse application areas, including seismology, helioseismology, underwater acoustics, medical imaging, and nondestructive testing
• Features a wealth of exercises (with online solutions)
• Includes a comprehensive set of appendixes on differential geometry and tensor calculus
• An ideal textbook for graduate students studying theoretical seismology, computational seismology, or optimization and inverse problems
• An essential reference for researchers and scholars

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691267968
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	07/01/2025
Pages:	600
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jeroen Tromp is the Blair Professor of Geology and Professor of Applied and Computational Mathematics at Princeton University. His books include A Geometrical Introduction to Tensor Calculus and (with F. A. Dahlen) Theoretical Global Seismology (both Princeton).

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Theoretical and Computational Seismology provides a comprehensive introduction to continuum mechanics of solids, drawing on advanced mathematical and geometrical approaches that are not readily available to students of seismology. There is nothing comparable.”—Brian Kennett, Australian National University

“Theoretical and Computational Seismology reflects the current state of the art in the subject, covering all the material needed to understand these techniques and put them into practice. Written by a leader in the field, this book is a must for all graduate students, postdocs, and researchers who want to work in computational seismology.”—Jeannot Trampert, Utrecht University

“A definitive reference to the subject. Combining a modern mathematical approach to elasticity with an in-depth exploration of seismic forward and inverse problems, Tromp provides researchers and students with multiple avenues to access state-of-the-art tools for analyzing seismic wavefields, including powerful interferometric methods. The numerous exercises, complemented by online solutions, are highly effective in helping readers engage with and understand this complex material.”—Heiner Igel, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich

“This book provides a rigorous, systematic treatment from fundamentals of continuum mechanics and theoretical seismology to practical methods in forward modeling and inversion. It is a must-read for motivated students and researchers in computational seismology.”—Benchun Duan, Texas A&M University

“Theoretical and Computational Seismology is a grand intellectual achievement, bringing mathematical rigor and rich pedagogy to a variety of topics in geophysics. I have no doubt that this book will provide rich fodder for theorists keen to penetrate many of the hard problems in their scientific or engineering specialties, and it will do so for generations to come.”—Stephen Griffies, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab and Princeton University AOS