Classification of singularities of planar slowness surfaces

Abstract

Slowness surfaces are algebraic varieties arising from propagation of elastic waves. In dimensions $2$, we completely classify the types of singularities slowness surfaces can have. The two types of possible singularities are a transversal self-intersection and a tangential singularity produced by a concentric circle and ellipse that are tangent to each other. To interpret these results analytically, in the case that the slowness surface has transversal self-intersections, we show that the principal symbol of the elastic wave operator is locally smoothly diagonalizable.