Rock Characteristics

Typical velocities and densities

Rock Type Density
g/cm3		 Compressional
Velocity
km/s		 Shear
Velocity
km/s
water1.01.50.0
sea water1.03" "" "
oil0.90
coal1.2-1.5
sand,clay,soil(dry
unconsolidated)		1.4-2.0 2-41.5-3
marine seds.
(unconsolidated)		1.2-2.2 ~2.5less than 1.5
sandstones2.0-2.5
(up to 2.7)
salt(rock salt)2.1-2.45
limestone,chalk2.3-2.8
gneiss~2.7
basalt2.5-3.1
-extruded basalt 2.5, pillows
2.8+, compacted		 3.5-6.0, layer II
6.0-6.7, layer III		 2-4, layer II
~4, layer III
-basalt rubble2.1-2.4
granite2.5-2.7
gabbro2.8-3.1
diabase2.5-3.2
2.8+, typical
Top of mantle
3.2-3.4 ~8.2
under Moho
lithospheric
mantle		7-113.5-4.6

Densities taken from Jim Cochran's Gravity, Geodesy and Isostasy course notes, spring 1997
Velocities from Lynn Sykes' Intro to Seismology, Fall 1996

Middle and lower crustal rock properties

Seismic properties of the middle and lower crust
Lab measurements of proerties of possible middle and lower crust rock types
P velocity and Poisson's ratio of middle and lower crust rocks

from Holbrook, W.S., W. D. Mooney, and N. I. Christensen, "The seismic velocity structure of the deep continental crust", Tables 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, journal unknown, (~1989-90?)

Hydraulic conductivity, diffusivity and storage coefficient

materialhydraulic conductivitydiffusivitystorage coefficient
coarse sand 9x10-7 - 6x10-3 (hyd. cond.) / (storage coeff.) loosely packed sand
1x10-3 - 5x10-4
medium sand 9x10-7 - 5x10-4 (hyd. cond.) / (storage coeff.) -
fine sand 2x10-7 - 2x10-4 (hyd. cond.) / (storage coeff.) densely packed sand
2x10-4 - 1x10-5

Values taken from Domenico and Schwartz, "Physical and chemical hydrology", chap. 4

Conversions between Lame parameters and elastic moduli