Refracted wave

Hodograph of seismic refracted wave

Refracted wave - an optical or elastic (seismic) wave ^[1] , propagating in a medium with a positive gradient (smooth increase) of the wave velocity with depth. The beam of the refracted wave deviates from the initially straightforward direction ^[2] . When the ray of the refracted wave reaches the angle of total internal reflection , the wave changes direction to the opposite and returns to the surface on which its source is located.

The hodograph of a refracted wave ( see illustration ) has the shape of a convex curve ^[3] .