Abstract
A formal asymptotic theory, valid at high frequencies, is developed for the propagation of time harmonic Rayleigh surface waves over the general smooth free surface Σ of a homogeneous elastic solid. It is shown that on Σ these Rayleigh waves can be described by a system of surface rays, which are shown to be geodesics of Σ. The amplitude of the waves on Σ is shown to vary in such a way that the energy propagated along a strip of surface rays is constant. The waves are also shown to be dispersive and an explicit first-order dispersion formula is derived.

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