The objective of this research is to separate the effects on seismic surface wave polarizations of lateral heterogeneity and azimuthal anisotropy in the Pacific Ocean. Polarization anomalies are a good tool for detecting anisotropy. The results will be mapped to see if anisotropy effects correlate to ocean floor age. The successful development of this technique would be a real contribution to our knowledge of anisotropy in the oceanic crust which is an important, but neglected, effect on surface wave propagation.
