Summary and Epilogue

Abstract

Analysis of high-frequency (>1 Hz) regional seismograms using the scattering approach helps us to obtain a better understanding of the origin of the complexity of observed waveforms. In addition, the scattering approach provides a stochastic method to obtain additional information about the character of the earth’s lithosphere beyond that obtained from deterministic methods. Stochastic characterization and deterministic imaging of the lithosphere are complementary to each other. We have introduced a variety of stochastic approaches for modeling high-frequency seismic wave propagation through the randomly inhomogeneous structure of the lithosphere developed during the last two decades. We have emphasized the contribution of the scattering process to the formation of seismogram envelopes. Here, we summarize the state of the art and discuss possible future developments.