P wave

[ pee weyv ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a longitudinal earthquake wave that travels through the interior of the earth and is usually the first conspicuous wave to be recorded by a seismograph.

P wave

1. See primary wave

Word History and Origins

Origin of P wave¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Los Angeles was likely too far away from Monday’s epicenter for anyone to feel the quake’s “P” wave — the first type of shaking wave an earthquake generates, in which the rock vibrates in the direction of the moving wave.

From Los Angeles Times

Depending on where people are, some may not get a warning before they feel the first shaking, which is known as the “P wave.”

From Los Angeles Times

This superrotation was gradually realigning the seismic wave paths with a north-south axis in the inner core known to boost P wave speeds.

From Science Magazine

The system’s sensors can rapidly detect that initial P wave and send that data to a processing center, where algorithms can determine and estimate the geographical extent of the earthquake, the magnitude and the expected shaking intensity in different areas, Crayne said.

From Washington Times

“The P wave is first and fast. It travels out and ahead of the S wave, and it is not producing the shaking,” Crayne said.

From Washington Times