P-modes in the liquid cores of the Earth and terrestrial planets

BSc thesis presents investigation of the compressible acoustic waves in the liquid cores of the planets. P-mode dynamics is studied in the plane parallel layer using linear perturbation theory. Vertical stratification is taken to be polytropic and the dynamical equation is solved using Bessel cylindrical functions. Obtained general solution is applied to the liquid cores of the planets, where layer is supplied by different upper and bottom boundary conditions. Outer rigid boundary matches the boundary between the mantle and the liquid core, while inner rigid boundary matches outer wall of solid core, which oscillates by Slichter mode frequency. We consider interiors of the Earth, as well as other terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus and Mars, liquid core of which is constrained between outer mantle and inner solid core. We have found the oscillation frequencies of the planetary P-modes, as well as Slichter modes. Possibility of the resonances in the past is discussed