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Reference.org
Anelastic attenuation factor
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Reflection_seismology/SjYqC6kv">reflection seismology</a>, the anelastic attenuation factor or seismic quality factor, often expressed as the Q factor (where higher Q means less energy loss), measures how <a href="/facts/Seismic_wave/1JTeLfac">seismic waves</a> weaken due to anelastic <a href="/facts/Attenuation/XP4vX360">attenuation</a>—the loss of wave energy that eventually ends up as heat, caused by fluid movement and friction within the Earth’s subsurface. As a wave travels through a medium like rock, this absorption gradually reduces its strength and can eventually make it disappear completely. The Q factor helps geophysicists understand these effects on seismic signals, aiding in the study of underground structures. </p>