Dictionary:Wavefront chart

{{#category_index:W|wavefront chart}} A plot of the location of wavefronts emanating from a point source after various amounts of travel time; see Figure W-3. Wavefronts are surfaces rather than curves (see Figure M-11). The shape of wavefronts depends on the velocity distribution. Usually implies coincident source and receiver. Charts for offset geophones are called bathtub charts (q.v.) and wavefronts are elliptical when the velocity is constant. Raypaths corresponding to different values of apparent velocity usually are drawn also on such charts; raypaths are perpendicular to wavefronts for isotropic media; see Figure W-3.