FERMAT'S PRINCIPLE FOR SEISMIC RAYS IN ELASTIC MEDIA

Abstract

We prove that rays in linearly elastic anisotropic nonuniform media obey Fermat's principle of stationary traveltime. First, we formulate the concept of rays, which emerges from the Hamilton equations. Then, we show that these rays are solutions of the variational problem stated by Fermat's principle. This proof is valid for all rays except the ones associated with infection points on the phase-slowness surface.