The steady-state problem of a normally incident plane acoustic wave scattered by an infinitely long elastic (aluminium) cylinder embedded in a liquid (water) is considered. The far field form function is analysed as a function of x = ka. The modal resonance components are joined into families. It is shown that in the region 0 ≤ x ≤ 50, a Rayleigh (R) wave and transverse whispering gallery (Tj) (j = 1, 2, ... 7) waves are generated in the cylinder by the incident wave. The influence of the velocities c1 and ct on the amplitude, quality and phase velocity of each of these peripheral waves is analysed. It is shown that ct influences noticeably the phase velocities of the R, T1, T2 and T3 peripheral waves. It is suggested that the dispersion curves of the peripheral R and Tj waves could be used to obtain information on the elastic cylinder. © 1990.