Ground Motion Analysis of Co-Located DAS and Seismometer Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.; Lord, N. E.; Lancelle, C.; Thurber, C. H.; Zeng, X.; Parker, L.; Chalari, A.; Miller, D.; Feigl, K. L.; Team, P.

2016-12-01

The PoroTomo research team deployed 8700-meters of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) cable in a shallow trench and 400-meters in a borehole at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016 together with an array of 246, three-component geophones. The seismic sensors occupied a natural laboratory 1500 x 500 x 400 meters overlying the Brady geothermal field. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100-meters in length and geophones were spaced at approximately 50-m intervals. In several line segments, geophones were co-located within one meter of the DAS cable. Both DAS and the conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days. A large Vibroseis truck (T-Rex) provided the seismic source at approximately 250 locations outside and within the array. The Vibroseis protocol called for excitation in one vertical and two orthogonal horizontal directions at each location. For each mode, three, 5-to-80-Hz upsweeps were made over 20 seconds. In addition, a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km away. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to test relationships between the strain rate recorded by DAS and ground velocity recorded by the geophones.

Double-Difference Tomography for Sequestration MVA [monitoring, verification, and accounting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westman, Erik [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

2012-12-31

Analysis of synthetic data was performed to determine the most cost-effective tomographic monitoring system for a geologic carbon sequestration injection site. Double-difference tomographic inversion was performed on 125 synthetic data sets: five stages of CO2 plume growth, five seismic event regions, and five geophone arrays. Each resulting velocity model was compared quantitatively to its respective synthetic velocity model to determine an accuracy value. The results were examined to determine a relationship between cost and accuracy in monitoring, verification, and accounting applications using double-difference tomography. The geophone arrays with widely-varying geophone locations, both laterally and vertically, performed best. Additionally, double difference seismic tomography was performed using travel time data from a carbon sequestration site at the Aneth oil field in southeast Utah as part of a Department of Energy initiative on monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) of sequestered CO2. A total of 1,211 seismic events were recorded from a borehole array consisting of 22 geophones. Artificial velocity models were created to determine the ease with which different CO2 plume locations and sizes can be detected. Most likely because of the poor geophone arrangement, a low velocity zone in the Desert Creek reservoir can only be detected when regions of test site containing the highest ray path coverage are considered. MVA accuracy and precision may be improved through the use of a receiver array that provides more comprehensive ray path coverage.

Double-Difference Tomography for Sequestration MVA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westman, Erik

2008-12-31

Analysis of synthetic data was performed to determine the most cost-effective tomographic monitoring system for a geologic carbon sequestration injection site. Double-difference tomographic inversion was performed on 125 synthetic data sets: five stages of CO2 plume growth, five seismic event regions, and five geophone arrays. Each resulting velocity model was compared quantitatively to its respective synthetic velocity model to determine an accuracy value. The results were examined to determine a relationship between cost and accuracy in monitoring, verification, and accounting applications using double-difference tomography. The geophone arrays with widely-varying geophone locations, both laterally and vertically, performed best. Additionally, double difference seismic tomography was performed using travel time data from a carbon sequestration site at the Aneth oil field in southeast Utah as part of a Department of Energy initiative on monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) of sequestered CO2. A total of 1,211 seismic events were recorded from a borehole array consisting of 22 geophones. Artificial velocity models were created to determine the ease with which different CO2 plume locations and sizes can be detected. Most likely because of the poor geophone arrangement, a low velocity zone in the Desert Creek reservoir can only be detected when regions of test site containing the highest ray path coverage are considered. MVA accuracy and precision may be improved through the use of a receiver array that provides more comprehensive ray path coverage.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume IV S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted S-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-06-06

In this volume (IV), all S-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4993 at the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver. S-wave measurements were performed over the depth range of 370 to 1300 ft, typically in 10-ft intervals. However, in some interbeds, 5-ft depth intervals were used, while below about 1200 ft, depth intervals of 20 ft were used. Shear (S) waves were generated by moving the base plate of T-Rex for a given number of cycles at a fixed frequency as discussed in Section 2. This process was repeated so that signal averaging in the time domain was performed using 3 to about 15 averages, with 5 averages typically used. In addition, a second average shear wave record was recorded by reversing the polarity of the motion of the T-Rex base plate. In this sense, all the signals recorded in the field were averaged signals. In all cases, the base plate was moving perpendicular to a radial line between the base plate and the borehole which is in and out of the plane of the figure shown in Figure 1.1. The definition of “in-line”, “cross-line”, “forward”, and “reversed” directions in items 2 and 3 of Section 2 was based on the moving direction of the base plate. In addition to the LBNL 3-D geophone, called the lower receiver herein, a 3-D geophone from Redpath Geophysics was fixed at a depth of 22 ft in Borehole C4993, and a 3-D geophone from the University of Texas (UT) was embedded near the borehole at about 1.5 ft below the ground surface. The Redpath geophone and the UT geophone were properly aligned so that one of the horizontal components in each geophone was aligned with the direction of horizontal shaking of the T-Rex base plate. This volume is organized into 12 sections as follows. Section 1: Introduction, Section 2: Explanation of Terminology, Section 3: Vs Profile at Borehole C4993

Mobile seismic exploration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dräbenstedt, A., E-mail: a.draebenstedt@polytec.de, E-mail: rembe@iei.tu-clausthal.de, E-mail: ulrich.polom@liag-hannover.de; Seyfried, V. [Research & Development, Polytec GmbH, Waldbronn (Germany); Cao, X.; Rembe, C., E-mail: a.draebenstedt@polytec.de, E-mail: rembe@iei.tu-clausthal.de, E-mail: ulrich.polom@liag-hannover.de [Institute of Electrical Information Technology, TU Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany); Polom, U., E-mail: a.draebenstedt@polytec.de, E-mail: rembe@iei.tu-clausthal.de, E-mail: ulrich.polom@liag-hannover.de [Leibniz Institute of Applied Geophysics, Hannover (Germany); Pätzold, F.; Hecker, P. [Institute of Flight Guidance, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig (Germany); Zeller, T. [Clausthaler Umwelttechnik Institut CUTEC, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany)

2016-06-28

Laser-Doppler-Vibrometry (LDV) is an established technique to measure vibrations in technical systems with picometer vibration-amplitude resolution. Especially good sensitivity and resolution can be achieved at an infrared wavelength of 1550 nm. High-resolution vibration measurements are possible over more than 100 m distance. This advancement of the LDV technique enables new applications. The detection of seismic waves is an application which has not been investigated so far because seismic waves outside laboratory scales are usually analyzed at low frequencies between approximately 1 Hz and 250 Hz and require velocity resolutions in the range below 1 nm/s/√Hz. Thermal displacements and air turbulence have critical influences to LDV measurements at this low-frequency range leading to noise levels of several 100 nm/√Hz. Commonly seismic waves are measured with highly sensitive inertial sensors (geophones or Micro Electro-Mechanical Sensors (MEMS)). Approaching a laser geophone based on LDV technique is the topic of this paper. We have assembled an actively vibration-isolated optical table in a minivan which provides a hole in its underbody. The laser-beam of an infrared LDV assembled on the optical table impinges the ground below the car through the hole. A reference geophone has detected remaining vibrations on the table. We present the results from the first successful experimental demonstration of contactless detection of seismic waves from a movable vehicle with a LDV as laser geophone.

Challenges in Locating Microseismic Events Using Distributed Acoustic Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, A.; Kendall, J. M.; Clarke, A.; Verdon, J.

2017-12-01

Microseismic monitoring is an important method of assessing the behaviour of subsurface fluid processes, and is commonly acquired using geophone arrays in boreholes or on the surface. A new alternative technology has been recently developed - fibre-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) - using strain along a fibre-optic cable as a measure of seismic signals. DAS can offer high density arrays and full-well coverage from the surface to bottom, with less overall disruption to operations, so there are many exciting possible applications in monitoring both petroleum and other subsurface industries. However, there are challenges in locating microseismic events recorded using current DAS systems, which only record seismic data in one-component and consequently omit the azimuthal information provided by a three-component geophone. To test the impact of these limitations we used finite difference modelling to generate one-component synthetic DAS datasets and investigated the impact of picking solely P-wave or both P- and S-wave arrivals and the impact of different array geometries. These are then compared to equivalent 3-component synthetic geophone datasets. In simple velocity models, P-wave arrivals along linear arrays cannot be used to constrain locations using DAS, without further a priori information. We then tested the impact of straight cables vs. L-shaped arrays and found improved locations when the cable is deviated, especially when both P- and S-wave picks are included. There is a trade-off between the added coverage of DAS cables versus sparser 3C geophone arrays where particle motion helps constrains locations, which cannot be assessed without forward modelling.

Tomographic imaging of rock conditions ahead of mining using the shearer as a seismic source - A feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, X.; King, A.; Van de Werken, M. [CSIRO, Brisbane, Qld. (Australia)

2009-11-15

Roof falls due to poor rock conditions in a coal longwall panel may threaten miner's life and cause significant interruption to mine production. There has been a requirement for technologies that are capable of imaging the rock conditions in longwall coal mining, ahead of the working face and without any interruption to production. A feasibility study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of seismic signals generated by the continuous coal cutter (shearer) and recorded by geophone arrays deployed ahead of the working face, for the purpose of seismic tomographic imaging of roof strata condition before mining. Two experiments were conducted at a coal mine using two arrays of geophones. The experiments have demonstrated that the longwall shearer generates strong and low-frequency (similar to 40 Hz) seismic energy that can be adequately detected by geophones deployed in shallow boreholes along the roadways as far as 300 m from the face. Using noise filtering and signal cross correlation techniques, the seismic arrival times associated with the shearer cutting can be reliably determined. It has proved the concept that velocity variations ahead of the face can be mapped out using tomographic techniques while mining is in progress.

Note: Rotaphone, a new self-calibrated six-degree-of-freedom seismic sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Brokešová, Johana; Málek, Jiří; Evans, John R.

2012-01-01

We have developed and tested (calibration, linearity, and cross-axis errors) a new six-degree-of-freedom mechanical seismic sensor for collocated measurements of three translational and three rotational ground motion velocity components. The device consists of standard geophones arranged in parallel pairs to detect spatial gradients. The instrument operates in a high-frequency range (above the natural frequency of the geophones, 4.5 Hz). Its theoretical sensitivity limit in this range is 10(-9) m/s in ground velocity and 10(-9) rad/s in rotation rate. Small size and weight, and easy installation and maintenance make the instrument useful for local-earthquake recording and seismic prospecting.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume I P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted P-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-07-06

In this volume (I), all P-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4993 at the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver. P-wave measurements were performed over the depth range of 370 to 1400 ft, typically in 10-ft intervals. However, in some interbeds, 5-ft depth intervals were used, while below about 1200 ft, depth intervals of 20 ft were used. Compression (P) waves were generated by moving the base plate of T-Rex for a given number of cycles at a fixed frequency as discussed in Section 2. This process was repeated so that signal averaging in the time domain was performed using 3 to about 15 averages, with 5 averages typically used. In addition to the LBNL 3-D geophone, called the lower receiver herein, a 3-D geophone from Redpath Geophysics was fixed at a depth of 22 ft in Borehole C4993, and a 3-D geophone from the University of Texas was embedded near the borehole at about 1.5 ft below the ground surface. This volume is organized into 12 sections as follows: Section 1: Introduction, Section 2: Explanation of Terminology, Section 3: Vp Profile at Borehole C4993, Sections 4 to 6: Unfiltered P-wave records of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass, and reference receiver, Sections 7 to 9: Filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass and reference receiver, Section 10: Expanded and filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, and Sections 11 and 12: Waterfall plots of unfiltered and filtered lower vertical receiver signals.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume III P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted P-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-06-06

In this volume (III), all P-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4997 at the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver. P-wave measurements were performed over the depth range of 390 to 1220 ft, typically in 10-ft intervals. However, in some interbeds, 5-ft depth intervals were used. Compression (P) waves were generated by moving the base plate of T-Rex for a given number of cycles at a fixed frequency as discussed in Section 2. This process was repeated so that signal averaging in the time domain was performed using 3 to about 15 averages, with 5 averages typically used. In addition to the LBNL 3-D geophone, called the lower receiver herein, a 3-D geophone from Redpath Geophysics was fixed at a depth of 40 ft (later relocated to 27.5 ft due to visibility in borehole after rain) in Borehole C4997, and a 3-D geophone from the University of Texas was embedded near the borehole at about 1.5 ft below the ground surface. This volume is organized into 12 sections as follows: Section 1: Introduction, Section 2: Explanation of Terminology, Section 3: Vp Profile at Borehole C4997, Sections 4 to 6: Unfiltered P-wave records of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass, and reference receiver, Sections 7 to 9: Filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass and reference receiver, Section 10: Expanded and filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, and Sections 11 and 12: Waterfall plots of unfiltered and filtered lower vertical receiver signals.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume II P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted P-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-07-06

In this volume (II), all P-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4996 at the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver. P-wave measurements were performed over the depth range of 360 to 1400 ft, typically in 10-ft intervals. However, in some interbeds, 5-ft depth intervals were used, while below about 1180 ft, depth intervals of 20 ft were used. Compression (P) waves were generated by moving the base plate of T-Rex for a given number of cycles at a fixed frequency as discussed in Section 2. This process was repeated so that signal averaging in the time domain was performed using 3 to about 15 averages, with 5 averages typically used. In addition to the LBNL 3-D geophone, called the lower receiver herein, a 3-D geophone from Redpath Geophysics was fixed at a depth of 22 ft in Borehole C4996, and a 3-D geophone from the University of Texas was embedded near the borehole at about 1.5 ft below the ground surface. This volume is organized into 12 sections as follows: Section 1: Introduction, Section 2: Explanation of Terminology, Section 3: Vp Profile at Borehole C4996, Sections 4 to 6: Unfiltered P-wave records of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass, and reference receiver, Sections 7 to 9: Filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, reaction mass and reference receiver, Section 10: Expanded and filtered P-wave signals of lower vertical receiver, and Sections 11 and 12: Waterfall plots of unfiltered and filtered lower vertical receiver signals.

24-CHANNEL GEOPHONE ARRAY FOR HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL BOREHOLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erik C. Westman

2003-10-24

Improved ground-imaging capabilities have enormous potential to increase energy, environmental, and economic benefits by improving exploration accuracy and reducing energy consumption during the mining cycle. Seismic tomography has been used successfully to monitor and evaluate geologic conditions ahead of a mining face. A primary limitation to existing seismic tomography, however, is the placement of sensors. The goal of this project is to develop an array of 24 seismic sensors capable of being mounted in either a vertical or horizontal borehole. Development of this technology reduces energy usage in excavation, transportation, ventilation, and processing phases of the mining operation because less waste is mined and the mining cycle suffers fewer interruptions. This new technology benefits all types of mines, including metal/nonmetal, coal, and quarrying. The primary research tasks focused on sensor placement method, sensor housing and clamping design, and cabling and connector selection. An initial design is described in the report. Following assembly, a prototype was tested in the laboratory as well as at a surface stone quarry. Data analysis and tool performance were used for subsequent design modifications. A final design is described, of which several components are available for patent application. Industry partners have shown clear support for this research and demonstrated an interest in commercialization following project completion.

Offset-Vertical Seismic Profiling for Marine Gas Hydrate Exploration -- Is it a Suitable Technique? First Results from ODP Leg 164

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pecher, L

1997-01-01

.... We identified several shear (S-) wave arrivals in the horizontal components of the geophone array in the borehole and in data recorded with an ocean bottom seismometer deployed at the seafloor...

The Investigation of a Sinkhole Area in Germany by Near-Surface Active Seismic Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Tschache, S.; Becker, D.; Wadas, S. H.; Polom, U.; Krawczyk, C. M.

2017-12-01

In November 2010, a 30 m wide and 17 m deep sinkhole occurred in a residential area of Schmalkalden, Germany, which fortunately did not harm humans, but led to damage of buildings and property. Subsequent geoscientific investigations showed that the collapse was naturally caused by the subrosion of sulfates in a depth of about 80 m. In 2012, an early warning system was established including 3C borehole geophones deployed in 50 m depth around the backfilled sinkhole. During the acquisition of two shallow 2D shear wave seismic profiles, the signals generated by a micro-vibrator at the surface were additionally recorded by the four borehole geophones of the early warning system and a VSP probe in a fifth borehole. The travel time analysis of the direct arrivals enhanced the understanding of wave propagation in the area. Seismic velocity anomalies were detected and related to structural seismic images of the 2D profiles. Due to the promising first results, the experiment was further extended by distributing vibration points throughout the whole area around the sinkhole. This time, micro-vibrators for P- and S-wave generation were used. The signals were recorded by the borehole geophones and temporary installed seismometers at surface positions close to the boreholes. The travel times and signal attenuations are evaluated to detect potential instable zones. Furthermore, array analyses are performed. The first results reveal features in the active tomography datasets consistent with structures observed in the 2D seismic images. The advantages of the presented method are the low effort and good repeatability due to the permanently installed borehole geophones. It has the potential to determine P-wave and S-wave velocities in 3D. It supports the interpretation of established investigation methods as 2D surface seismics and VSP. In our further research we propose to evaluate the suitability of the method for the time lapse monitoring of changes in the seismic wave

Personnel and Vehicle Data Collection at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and its Distribution for Research

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

28 Magnetometer Applied Physics Model 1540-digital 3-axis fluxgate 5 Amplifiers Alligator Technologies USBPGF-S1 programmable instrumentation...Acoustic, Seismic, magnetic, footstep, vehicle, magnetometer , geophone, unattended ground sensor (UGS) 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION

Monitoring El Hierro submarine volcanic eruption events with a submarine seismic array

Science.gov (United States)

Jurado, Maria Jose; Molino, Erik; Lopez, Carmen

2013-04-01

A submarine volcanic eruption took place near the southernmost emerged land of the El Hierro Island (Canary Islands, Spain), from October 2011 to February 2012. The Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) seismic stations network evidenced seismic unrest since July 2012 and was a reference also to follow the evolution of the seismic activity associated with the volcanic eruption. From the beginning of the eruption a geophone string was installed less than 2 km away from the new volcano, next to La Restinga village shore, to record seismic activity related to the volcanic activity, continuously and with special interest on high frequency events. The seismic array was endowed with 8, high frequency, 3 component, 250 Hz, geophone cable string with a separation of 6 m between them. The analysis of the dataset using spectral techniques allows the characterization of the different phases of the eruption and the study of its dynamics. The correlation of the data analysis results with the observed sea surface activity (ash and lava emission and degassing) and also with the seismic activity recorded by the IGN field seismic monitoring system, allows the identification of different stages suggesting the existence of different signal sources during the volcanic eruption and also the posteruptive record of the degassing activity. The study shows that the high frequency capability of the geophone array allow the study of important features that cannot be registered by the standard seismic stations. The accumulative spectral amplitude show features related to eruptive changes.

Towards the Wetness Characterization of Soil Subsurface Using Fibre Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Ciocca, F.; Bodet, L.; Simon, N.; Karaulanov, R.; Clarke, A.; Abesser, C.; Krause, S.; Chalari, A.; Mondanos, M.

2017-12-01

Active seismic methods combined with detectors deployed at the soil surface, such as vertical collinear geophones, have revealed great potential for hydrogeophysical characterization of the soil vadose zone. In particular, recent findings have highlighted a clear dependence of both P-waves arrival times and surface-wave dispersion on the local degree of soil saturation, visible at laboratory as well as at field scale. In this study, we investigate the sensitivity of a fibre optic Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) to different soil saturation. In vertical seismic applications, DAS have proven to offer equal and often better performance compared to the geophones, with the advantage that a fibre optic cable, whose length can reach 40 km, replaces the array of geophones as sensing element. We present the response to active seismic tests of 20 m of fibre optic cable buried in a poorly permeable bare soil. Tests were conducted in different moments of the year, with saturation monitored by means of independent dielectric probes. Body-wave travel times as well as surface-wave dispersion are compared. Finally, we discuss the possibility to determine a site-specific relation between the Poisson ratio and the soil saturation. This research has been performed in the framework of the British National Environmental Research Council (NERC) funded Distributed intelligent Heat Pulse System (DiHPS) project and of the Marie Curie H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) consortium Hi-Freq.

Establishment of SATREPS experimental sites in South African gold mines to monitor phenomena associated with earthquake nucleation and rupture

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Durrheim, RJ

2012-03-01

Full Text Available to locate fault zones accurately and to deploy sensors. Acoustic emission sensors, geophones, accelerometers, strain- and tilt meters, and controlled seismic sources were installed to monitor the deformation of the rock mass, the accumulation of damage...

S-wave velocity measurements along levees in New Orleans using passive surface wave methods

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, K.; Lorenzo, J. M.; Craig, M. S.; Gostic, A.

2017-12-01

In order to develop non-invasive methods for levee inspection, geophysical investigations were carried out at four sites along levees in the New Orleans area: 17th Street Canal, London Avenue Canal, Marrero Levee, and Industrial Canal. Three of the four sites sustained damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and have since been rebuilt. The geophysical methods used include active and passive surface wave methods, and capacitively coupled resistivity. This paper summarizes the acquisition and analysis of the 1D and 2D passive surface wave data. Twelve wireless seismic data acquisition units with 2 Hz vertical component geophones were used to record data. Each unit includes a GPS receiver so that all units can be synchronized over any distance without cables. The 1D passive method used L shaped arrays of three different sizes with geophone spacing ranging from 5 to 340 m. Ten minutes to one hour of ambient noise was recorded with each array, and total data acquisition took approximately two hours at each site. The 2D method used a linear array with a geophone spacing of 5m. Four geophones were moved forward every 10 minutes along 400 1000 m length lines. Data acquisition took several hours for each line. Recorded ambient noise was processed using the spatial autocorrelation method and clear dispersion curves were obtained at all sites (Figure 1a). Minimum frequencies ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 Hz and maximum frequencies ranged from 10 to 30 Hz depending on the site. Non-linear inversion was performed and 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models were obtained. The 1D method penetrated to depths ranging from 200 to 500 m depending on the site (Figure 1b). The 2D method penetrated to a depth of 40 60 m and provided 400 1000 m cross sections along the levees (Figure 2). The interpretation focused on identifying zones beneath the levees or canal walls having low S-wave velocities corresponding to saturated, unconsolidated sands, or low-rigidity clays. Resultant S-wave velocity profiles

Laboratory coupling tests for optimum land streamer design over sand dunes surface

KAUST Repository

Almalki, Hashim; Alata, Mohanad; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

2012-01-01

The cost of data acquisition in land is becoming a major issue as we strive to cover larger areas with seismic surveys at high resolution. Over sand dunes the problem is compounded by the week coupling obtain using geophones, which often forces us

Geodetic survey as a means of improving fast MASW (Multichannel Analysis Of Surface Waves) profiling in difficult terrain/land conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Matuła, Rafał; Lewińska, Paulina

2018-01-01

This paper revolves around newly designed and constructed system that can make 2D seismic measurement in natural, subsoil conditions and role of land survey in obtaining accurate results and linking them to 3D surface maps. A new type of land streamer, designed for shallow subsurface exploration is described in this paper. In land seismic data acquisition methods a vehicle tows a line of seismic cable, lying on construction called streamer. The measurements of points and shots are taken while the line is stationary, arbitrary placed on seismic profile. Exposed land streamer consists of 24 innovatory gimballed 10 Hz geophones. It eliminates the need for hand `planting' of geophones, reducing time and costs. With the use of current survey techniques all data obtained with this instrument are being transferred in to 2D and 3D maps. This process is becoming more automatic.

Linearized versus non-linear inverse methods for seismic localization of underground sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oh, Geok Lian; Jacobsen, Finn

2013-01-01

The problem of localization of underground sources from seismic measurements detected by several geophones located on the ground surface is addressed. Two main approaches to the solution of the problem are considered: a beamforming approach that is derived from the linearized inversion problem, a...

Near-Surface Seismic Velocity Data: A Computer Program For ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A computer program (NESURVELANA) has been developed in Visual Basic Computer programming language to carry out a near surface velocity analysis. The method of analysis used includes: Algorithms design and Visual Basic codes generation for plotting arrival time (ms) against geophone depth (m) employing the ...

Microseismic Monitoring of CO2 Injection at the Penn West Enhanced Oil Recovery Pilot Project, Canada: Implications for Detection of Wellbore Leakage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo Zambrano-Narváez

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A passive seismic monitoring campaign was carried out in the frame of a CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR pilot project in Alberta, Canada. Our analysis focuses on a two-week period during which prominent downhole pressure fluctuations in the reservoir were accompanied by a leakage of CO2 and CH4 along the monitoring well equipped with an array of short-period borehole geophones. We applied state of the art seismological processing schemes to the continuous seismic waveform recordings. During the analyzed time period we did not find evidence of induced micro-seismicity associated with CO2 injection. Instead, we identified signals related to the leakage of CO2 and CH4, in that seven out of the eight geophones show a clearly elevated noise level framing the onset time of leakage along the monitoring well. Our results confirm that micro-seismic monitoring of reservoir treatment can contribute towards improved reservoir monitoring and leakage detection.

Parsimonious wave-equation travel-time inversion for refraction waves

KAUST Repository

Fu, Lei

2017-02-14

We present a parsimonious wave-equation travel-time inversion technique for refraction waves. A dense virtual refraction dataset can be generated from just two reciprocal shot gathers for the sources at the endpoints of the survey line, with N geophones evenly deployed along the line. These two reciprocal shots contain approximately 2N refraction travel times, which can be spawned into O(N2) refraction travel times by an interferometric transformation. Then, these virtual refraction travel times are used with a source wavelet to create N virtual refraction shot gathers, which are the input data for wave-equation travel-time inversion. Numerical results show that the parsimonious wave-equation travel-time tomogram has about the same accuracy as the tomogram computed by standard wave-equation travel-time inversion. The most significant benefit is that a reciprocal survey is far less time consuming than the standard refraction survey where a source is excited at each geophone location.

Microseismic monitoring of CO2 injection at the Penn West Enhanced Oil Recovery pilot project, Canada: implications for detection of wellbore leakage.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Garzón, Patricia; Bohnhoff, Marco; Kwiatek, Grzegorz; Zambrano-Narváez, Gonzalo; Chalaturnyk, Rick

2013-09-02

A passive seismic monitoring campaign was carried out in the frame of a CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) pilot project in Alberta, Canada. Our analysis focuses on a two-week period during which prominent downhole pressure fluctuations in the reservoir were accompanied by a leakage of CO2 and CH4 along the monitoring well equipped with an array of short-period borehole geophones. We applied state of the art seismological processing schemes to the continuous seismic waveform recordings. During the analyzed time period we did not find evidence of induced micro-seismicity associated with CO2 injection. Instead, we identified signals related to the leakage of CO2 and CH4, in that seven out of the eight geophones show a clearly elevated noise level framing the onset time of leakage along the monitoring well. Our results confirm that micro-seismic monitoring of reservoir treatment can contribute towards improved reservoir monitoring and leakage detection.

Development of Mine Explosion Ground Truth Smart Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

interest. The two candidates are the GS11-D by Oyo Geospace that is used extensively in seismic monitoring of geothermal fields and the Sensor Nederland SM...Technologies 853 Figure 4. Our preferred sensors and processor for the GTMS. (a) Sensor Nederland SM-6 geophone with emplacement spike. (b

Seismic source characterisation of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

Science.gov (United States)

Kreutzer, Ingrid; Brückl, Ewald; Radinger, Alexander

2015-04-01

The Tunnel Seismic While Drilling (TSWD) method aims at predicting continuously the geological situation ahead of the tunnel without disturbing the construction work. Thereby the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) itself is used as seismic source. The cutting process generates seismic waves radiating into the rock mass and vibrations propagating to the main bearing of the cutter head. These vibrations are monitored and used as pilot signal. For the processing and interpretation it was hypothesized so far that the TBM acts like a single force. To prove this assumption the radiation pattern of several TBM's under construction were investigated. Therefore 3-components geophones were installed at the surface, which were situated directly above the tunnel axes and also with lateral offset. Additional, borehole geophones were placed in the wall of one tube of a two-tube tunnel. The geophones collected the forward and backward radiated wave field, as the TBM, operating in the other tube, passed their positions. The obtained seismic data contains continuous records over a range of 600 m of the TBM position. The offsets vary from 25 m to 400 m and the frequency ranges from 20-250 Hertz. The polarisation of the p-wave and the s-wave and their amplitude ratio were determined and compared with modelled seismograms with different source mechanism. The results show that the description of the source mechanism by a single force can be used as a first order approximation. More complex radiation pattern including tensile forces and several source locations like the transmission of reaction forces over the gripper to the tunnel wall are further tested and addressed.

Continuous recording of seismic signals in Alpine permafrost

Science.gov (United States)

Hausmann, H.; Krainer, K.; Staudinger, M.; Brückl, E.

2009-04-01

Over the past years various geophysical methods were applied to study the internal structure and the temporal variation of permafrost whereof seismic is of importance. For most seismic investigations in Alpine permafrost 24-channel equipment in combination with long data and trigger cables is used. Due to the harsh environment source and geophone layouts are often limited to 2D profiles. With prospect for future 3D-layouts we introduce an alternative of seismic equipment that can be used for several applications in Alpine permafrost. This study is focussed on controlled and natural source seismic experiments in Alpine permafrost using continuous data recording. With recent data from an ongoing project ("Permafrost in Austria") we will highlight the potential of the used seismic equipment for three applications: (a) seismic permafrost mapping of unconsolidated sediments, (b) seismic tomography in rock mass, and (c) passive seismic monitoring of rock falls. Single recording units (REFTEK 130, 6 channels) are used to continuously record the waveforms of both the seismic signals and a trigger signal. The combination of a small number of recording units with different types of geophones or a trigger allow numerous applications in Alpine permafrost with regard to a high efficiency and flexible seismic layouts (2D, 3D, 4D). The efficiency of the light and robust seismic equipment is achieved by the simple acquisition and the flexible and fast deployment of the (omni-directional) geophones. Further advantages are short (data and trigger) cables and the prevention of trigger errors. The processing of the data is aided by 'Seismon' which is an open source software project based on Matlab® and MySQL (see SM1.0). For active-source experiments automatic stacking of the seismic signals is implemented. For passive data a program for automatic detection of events (e.g. rock falls) is available which allows event localization. In summer 2008 the seismic equipment was used for the

Acoustic Monitoring of the Arctic Ice Cap

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, D. L.; Goemmer, S. A.; Chayes, D. N.

2012-12-01

Introduction The monitoring of the Arctic Ice Cap is important economically, tactically, and strategically. In the scenario of ice cap retreat, new paths of commerce open, e.g. waterways from Northern Europe to the Far East. Where ship-going commerce is conducted, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have always stood guard and been prepared to assist from acts of nature and of man. It is imperative that in addition to measuring the ice from satellites, e.g. Icesat, that we have an ability to measure the ice extent, its thickness, and roughness. These parameters play an important part in the modeling of the ice and the processes that control its growth or shrinking and its thickness. The proposed system consists of three subsystems. The first subsystem is an acoustic source, the second is an array of geophones and the third is a system to supply energy and transmit the results back to the analysis laboratory. The subsystems are described below. We conclude with a plan on how to tackle this project and the payoff to the ice cap modeler and hence the users, i.e. commerce and defense. System Two historically tested methods to generate a large amplitude multi-frequency sound source include explosives and air guns. A new method developed and tested by the University of Texas, ARL is a combustive Sound Source [Wilson, et al., 1995]. The combustive sound source is a submerged combustion chamber that is filled with the byproducts of the electrolysis of sea water, i.e. Hydrogen and Oxygen, an explosive mixture which is ignited via a spark. Thus, no additional compressors, gases, or explosives need to be transported to the Arctic to generate an acoustic pulse capable of the sediment and the ice. The second subsystem would be geophones capable of listening in the O(10 Hz) range and transmitting that data back to the laboratory. Thus two single arrays of geophones arranged orthogonal to each other with a range of 1000's of kilometers and a combustive sound source where the two

Seismic Structure of Perth Basin (Australia) and surroundings from Passive Seismic Deployments

Science.gov (United States)

Issa, N.; Saygin, E.; Lumley, D. E.; Hoskin, T. E.

2016-12-01

We image the subsurface structure of Perth Basin, Western Australia and surroundings by using ambient seismic noise data from 14 seismic stations recently deployed by University of Western Australia (UWA) and other available permanent stations from Geoscience Australia seismic network and the Australian Seismometers in Schools program. Each of these 14 UWA seismic stations comprises a broadband sensor and a high fidelity 3-component 10 Hz geophone, recording in tandem at 250 Hz and 1000 Hz. The other stations used in this study are equipped with short period and broadband sensors. In addition, one shallow borehole station is operated with eight 3 component geophones at depths of between 2 and 44 m. The network is deployed to characterize natural seismicity in the basin and to try and identify any microseismic activity across Darling Fault Zone (DFZ), bounding the basin to the east. The DFZ stretches to approximately 1000 km north-south in Western Australia, and is one of the longest fault zones on the earth with a limited number of detected earthquakes. We use seismic noise cross- and auto-correlation methods to map seismic velocity perturbations across the basin and the transition from DFZ to the basin. Retrieved Green's functions are stable and show clear dispersed waveforms. Travel times of the surface wave Green's functions from noise cross-correlations are inverted with a two-step probabilistic framework to map the absolute shear wave velocities as a function of depth. The single station auto-correlations from the seismic noise yields P wave reflectivity under each station, marking the major discontinuities. Resulting images show the shear velocity perturbations across the region. We also quantify the variation of ambient seismic noise at different depths in the near surface using the geophones in the shallow borehole array.

Challenges in Microseismic Monitoring of Hydrualic Fracturing

Science.gov (United States)

Venkataraman, A.; Li, R.

2011-12-01

To enhance well productivity, hydraulic fractures are stimulated by injecting fluid and/or gas with proppant into the rock matrix. This results in stress perturbations that induce fractures in the formation releasing minor amounts of seismic energy as microseismic events. Microseismicity can be recorded by properly positioned geophones and is one of the indirect methods that allow us to determine the actual volume of rock that was impacted during and after hydraulic fracturing. Specifically, microseismic data is acquired during hydro-fracture treatments to validate and assist completions, assist in placing wells in the formation, identify frac barriers, and to illuminate faults and potential fault re-activation. In the industry, microseismic data is acquired using geophones deployed in borehole and/or surface arrays. Borehole arrays are more traditional and have been used for nearly 20 years. Event location using borehole data is fairly robust, but azimuth and aperture are limited. Moreover, having dedicated boreholes can be expensive. The newer method of acquiring data is the use of geophones deployed on the surface or in shallow boreholes. Since microseismic events are very small (-4 to -0.5), surface records have weak P and S arrivals that are buried in the noise and traditional event location methods which use arrival time picks cannot be used. Migration based approaches which rely on the power of stacking waveforms is the common approach. However, poor signal-to-noise data and polarity in seismic waves generated by micro-earthquakes can result in uncertainty in event location. In this paper, we will discuss the pros and cons of both arrays, the status of the technology, its limitations and challenges. Specifically, we will focus on applications where industry-academic collaborations could lead to step changes in our understanding of the controls on microseismicity.

Relative amplitude preservation processing utilizing surface consistent amplitude correction. Part 3; Surface consistent amplitude correction wo mochiita sotai shinpuku hozon shori. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saeki, T [Japan National Oil Corporation, Tokyo (Japan). Technology Research Center

1996-10-01

For the seismic reflection method conducted on the ground surface, generator and geophone are set on the surface. The observed waveforms are affected by the ground surface and surface layer. Therefore, it is required for discussing physical properties of the deep underground to remove the influence of surface layer, preliminarily. For the surface consistent amplitude correction, properties of the generator and geophone were removed by assuming that the observed waveforms can be expressed by equations of convolution. This is a correction method to obtain records without affected by the surface conditions. In response to analysis and correction of waveforms, wavelet conversion was examined. Using the amplitude patterns after correction, the significant signal region, noise dominant region, and surface wave dominant region would be separated each other. Since the amplitude values after correction of values in the significant signal region have only small variation, a representative value can be given. This can be used for analyzing the surface consistent amplitude correction. Efficiency of the process can be enhanced by considering the change of frequency. 3 refs., 5 figs.

Seismic Interface Waves in Coastal Waters: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

1980-11-15

description of a plane, monochromatic Scholte *Th(s secton is based on a SACLANTCEN YiteAnal wortk ing papek (IN-461) tha~t was ucg ~iaWy wt0Atten i...scientific purposes. 48 SACLANTCEN SR-42 In 1977 Teledyne-Geotech marketed a l-Hz geophone (model S-500) that can be transported carefully without mass-locking

Four years of experience with a permanent seismic monitoring array at the Ketzin CO2 storage pilot site

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paap, B.F.; Verdel, A.R.; Meekes, J.A.C.; Steeghs, T.P.H.; Vandeweijer, V.P.; Neele, F.P.

2014-01-01

CO2 was injected into a saline aquifer near the town of Ketzin in Germany from July 2008 to August 2013. To monitor CO2- migration close to the injection well, TNO installed a fixed 2D seismic array of 120 meters length in 2009, with 3- component (3- C) geophones at the surface, 4-component

Seismic Imaging of the West Napa Fault in Napa, California

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, M.; Catchings, R.; Chan, J. H.; Sickler, R. R.; Nevitt, J. M.; Criley, C.

2017-12-01

In October 2016, we acquired high-resolution P- and S-wave seismic data along a 120-m-long, SW-NE-trending profile in Napa, California. Our seismic survey was designed to image a strand of the West Napa Fault Zone (WNFZ), which ruptured during the 24 August 2014 Mw 6.0 South Napa Earthquake. We separately acquired P- and S-wave data at every station using multiple hammer hits, which were edited and stacked into individual shot gathers in the lab. Each shot was co-located with and recorded by 118 P-wave (40-Hz) geophones, spaced at 1 m, and by 180 S-wave (4.5-Hz) geophones, spaced at 1 m. We developed both P- and S-wave tomographic velocity models, as well as Poisson's ratio and a Vp/Vs ratio models. We observed a well-defined zone of elevated Vp/Vs ratios below about 10 m depth, centered beneath the observed surface rupture. P-wave reflection images show that the fault forms a flower-structure in the upper few tens of meters. This method has been shown to delineate fault structures even in areas of rough terrain.

Variations in geoacoustic emissions in a deep borehole and its correlation with seismicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Storcheus

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Continuous geoacoustic emission (GAE measurements were acquired using a three-component geophone placed in a borehole at a depth of near 1000 m at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky starting in August 2000. Using geophones consisting of magneto-elastic crystal ferromagnetic sensors, and installed at such a depth allows measurement of natural geoacoustic background with signal amplitude less than 1×10-4 m/s3 in frequency band from 3 to 1500 Hz. According to the data from a 4-year survey period the characteristics of diurnal geoacoustic variations change before every earthquake with MLH? 5.0 that occurs at a distance of less than 300 km from the observation point or before each earthquake with MLH?5.5 occurring at distance R?550 km from the observation point. The changes in GAE regime correlate with the strongest earthquakes that occurred during survey period. Measurements of the natural electromagnetic field of the Earth were carried out simultaneously with the help of an underground electric antenna. The behavior of GAE in aseismic periods appears to be related to the effect of diurnal variations of the natural electromagnetic field.

Structural monitoring of a highway bridge using passive noise recordings from street traffic.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvermoser, Johannes; Hadziioannou, Céline; Stähler, Simon C

2015-12-01

Structural damage on bridges presents a hazard to public safety and can lead to fatalities. This article contributes to the development of an alternative monitoring system for civil structures, based on passive measurements of seismic elastic waves. Cross-correlations of traffic noise recorded at geophone receiver pairs were found to be sufficiently stable for comparison and sensitive to velocity changes in the medium. As such velocity variations could be caused by damage, their detection would be valuable in structural health monitoring systems. A method, originally introduced for seismological applications and named Passive Image Interferometry, was used to quantify small velocity fluctuations in the medium and thereby observe structural changes. Evaluation of more than 2 months of continuous geophone recordings at a reinforced concrete bridge yielded velocity variations Δv/v in the range of -1.5% to +2.1%. The observed fluctuations correlate with associated temperature time series with a striking resemblance which is remarkable for two completely independent data sets. Using a linear regression approach, a relationship between temperature and velocity variations of on average 0.064% °C(-1) can be identified. This value corresponds well to other studies on concrete structures.

Measurements of P- and S wave velocities in a rock massif and its use in estimating elastic moduli

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Živor, Roman; Vilhelm, J.; Rudajev, Vladimír; Lokajíček, Tomáš

2011-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 2 (2011), s. 157-167 ISSN 1214-9705 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300130906 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : seismic source * seismic waves velocity * elastic constants * geophone * piezo -electric transducer Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 0.530, year: 2011 http://www.irsm.cas.cz/abstracts/AGG/02_11/6_Zivor.pdf

Subsurface material identification and sensor selection

Science.gov (United States)

T, H.; Reghunadh, R.; Ramesh, M. V.

2017-12-01

In India, most of the landslides occur during monsoon season and causes huge loss of life and property. Design of an early warning system for highly landslide prone area will reduce losses to a great extent. The in-situ monitoring systems needs deployment of several sensors inside a borehole for monitoring a particular slope. Amrita Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (AmritaWNA), Amrita University has designed, developed and deployed a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) for real time landslide monitoring using geotechnical instruments and sensors like rain gauge, moisture sensor, piezometer, strain gauge, tilt meter and geophone inside a Deep Earth Probe (DEP) at different locations. These sensors provide point measurements of the subsurface at a higher accuracy. Every landslide prone terrain is unique with respect to its geology, hydrological conditions, meteorological conditions, velocity of movement etc. The decision of installing different geotechnical instruments in a landslide prone terrain is a crucial step to be considered. Rain gauge, moisture sensor, and piezometer are usually used in clay rich areas to sense the moisture and pore pressure values. Geophone and Crack meter are instruments used in rocky areas to monitor cracks and vibrations associated with a movement. Inclinometer and Strain gauge are usually placed inside a casing and can be used in both rocky and soil areas. In order to place geotechnical instruments and sensors at appropriate places Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) method can be used. Variation in electrical resistivity values indicate the changes in composition, layer thickness, or contaminant levels. The derived true resistivity image can be used for identifying the type of materials present in the subsurface at different depths. We have used this method for identifying the type of materials present in our site at Chandmari (Sikkim). Fig 1 shows the typical resistivity values of a particular area in Chandmari site. The

Seismic surveys test on Innerhytta Pingo, Adventdalen, Svalbard Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Boaga, Jacopo; Rossi, Giuliana; Petronio, Lorenzo; Accaino, Flavio; Romeo, Roberto; Wheeler, Walter

2015-04-01

We present the preliminary results of an experimental full-wave seismic survey test conducted on the Innnerhytta a Pingo, located in the Adventdalen, Svalbard Islands, Norway. Several seismic surveys were adopted in order to study a Pingo inner structure, from classical reflection/refraction arrays to seismic tomography and surface waves analysis. The aim of the project IMPERVIA, funded by Italian PNRA, was the evaluation of the permafrost characteristics beneath this open-system Pingo by the use of seismic investigation, evaluating the best practice in terms of logistic deployment. The survey was done in April-May 2014: we collected 3 seismic lines with different spacing between receivers (from 2.5m to 5m), for a total length of more than 1 km. We collected data with different vertical geophones (with natural frequency of 4.5 Hz and 14 Hz) as well as with a seismic snow-streamer. We tested different seismic sources (hammer, seismic gun, fire crackers and heavy weight drop), and we verified accurately geophone coupling in order to evaluate the different responses. In such peculiar conditions we noted as fire-crackers allow the best signal to noise ratio for refraction/reflection surveys. To ensure the best geophones coupling with the frozen soil, we dug snow pits, to remove the snow-cover effect. On the other hand, for the surface wave methods, the very high velocity of the permafrost strongly limits the generation of long wavelengths both with these explosive sources as with the common sledgehammer. The only source capable of generating low frequencies was a heavy drop weight system, which allows to analyze surface wave dispersion below 10 Hz. Preliminary data analysis results evidence marked velocity inversions and strong velocity contrasts in depth. The combined use of surface and body waves highlights the presence of a heterogeneous soil deposit level beneath a thick layer of permafrost. This is the level that hosts the water circulation from depth controlling

Multi-azimuth Anisotropic Velocity Measurements in Fractured Crystalline Rock From the International Continental Drilling Program Outokumpu Borehole, Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Schijns, H.; Duo, X.; Heinonen, S.; Schmitt, D. R.; Kukkonen, I. T.; Heikkinen, P.

2008-12-01

A high resolution seismic survey consisting of a multi-depth multi-azimuth VSP, a zero-offset VSP and a reflection/refraction survey was conducting in May, 2006, near the town of Outokumpu, Finland, using the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program 2.5 km deep fully cored scientific borehole. The survey was undertaken in order to create an anisotropic velocity model for future micro-seism studies as well as to provide a higher resolution reflection profile through the area than was previously available. The seismic survey high frequency seismic vibrator as a source, employing 8 s linear taper sweeps from 15-250 Hz at 20 m shot spacing. Receivers were 14 Hz single component geophones on the surface and a three component geophone downhole. The walk-away VSP included measurements over two azimuths with the receiver at depths of 1000, 1750 and 2500 m, while the zero-offset VSP used a 2 m depth increment. Surface geophones were located along the same seismic lines as employed in the walk-away VSP and were nominally 4 m apart. The survey area is located on the Fennoscandian shield, and the glacial history of the area required significant static corrections to account for the variable overburden overlying the mica-rich schist and pegmatitic granite composing the bedrock. These were calculated using travel-time inversion of the refraction data and were applied to the walk-away VSP and reflection profiles, significantly improving the quality of both. Anisotropic velocity analysis was performed using a plane-wave decomposition of the processed walk-away VSP. The maximum anisotropy was observed in the walk-away VSPs along the Southeastern azimuth, with the P-wave phase velocity ranging from 5330-5950 m/s between 50-1000 m in depth, and up to 6150 m/s between 1000-1750 m in depth. Shear wave splitting was observed in the Northeastern direction. Preliminary analysis of the zero-offset VSP has revealed shown good agreement with the relevant portions of the

VSP Monitoring of CO2 Injection at the Aneth Oil Field in Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, L.; Rutledge, J.; Zhou, R.; Denli, H.; Cheng, A.; Zhao, M.; Peron, J.

2008-12-01

Remotely tracking the movement of injected CO2 within a geological formation is critically important for ensuring safe and long-term geologic carbon sequestration. To study the capability of vertical seismic profiling (VSP) for remote monitoring of CO2 injection, a geophone string with 60 levels and 96 channels was cemented into a monitoring well at the Aneth oil field in Utah operated by Resolute Natural Resources and Navajo National Oil and Gas Company. The oil field is located in the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah, and was selected by the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, to demonstrate combined enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 sequestration. The geophones are placed at depths from 805 m to 1704 m, and the oil reservoir is located approximately from 1731 m to 1786 m in depth. A baseline VSP dataset with one zero-offset and seven offset source locations was acquired in October, 2007 before CO2 injection. The offsets/source locations are approximately 1 km away from the monitoring well with buried geophone string. A time-lapse VSP dataset with the same source locations was collected in July, 2008 after five months of CO2/water injection into a horizontal well adjacent to the monitoring well. The total amount of CO2 injected during the time interval between the two VSP surveys was 181,000 MCF (million cubic feet), or 10,500 tons. The time-lapse VSP data are pre-processed to balance the phase and amplitude of seismic events above the oil reservoir. We conduct wave-equation migration imaging and interferometry analysis using the pre-processed time-lapse VSP data. The results demonstrate that time-lapse VSP surveys with high-resolution migration imaging and scattering analysis can provide reliable information about CO2 migration. Both the repeatability of VSP surveys and sophisticated time-lapse data pre-processing are essential to make VSP as an effective tool for monitoring CO2 injection.

The anatomy of a pyroclastic density current: the 10 July 2015 event at Volcán de Colima (Mexico)

Science.gov (United States)

Capra, L.; Sulpizio, R.; Márquez-Ramirez, V. H.; Coviello, V.; Doronzo, D. M.; Arambula-Mendoza, R.; Cruz, S.

2018-04-01

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) represent one of the most dangerous phenomena occurring in explosive volcanic eruptions, and any advance in the physical understanding of their transport and sedimentation processes can contribute to improving their hazard assessment. The 10-11 July 2015 eruption at Volcán de Colima provided a unique opportunity to better understand the internal behaviour of PDCs based on seismic monitoring data. On 10 July 2015, the summit dome collapsed, producing concentrated PDCs that filled the main channel of the Montegrande ravine. A lahar monitoring station installed 6 km from the volcano summit recorded a PDC before being completely destroyed. Real-time data acquisition from a camcorder and a geophone that were part of the station, along with field observations and grain-size data of the pyroclastic deposits, are used here to interpret the internal flow structure and time-variant transport dynamics of low-volume, valley-confined concentrated PDCs. The PDC that reached the monitoring station moved at a velocity of 7 m/s and filled a 12-m-deep channel. The outcrops show massive, block-and-ash flow deposits with trains of coarse clasts in the middle and towards the top of the depositional units. The seismic record gathered with the geophone was analysed for the time window when the flow travelled past the sensor. The geophone record was also compared with the recordings of a broadband seismic station located nearby. Two main frequency ranges were recognised which could be correlated with the basal frictional forces exerted by the flow on the channel bed (10-20 Hz) and a collisional regime (20-40 Hz) interpreted to be associated with a clast segregation process (i.e. kinematic squeezing). This latter regime promoted the upward migration of large blocks, which subsequently deviated towards the margin of the flow where they interacted with the sidewall of the main channel. The energy calculated for both seismic components shows that the

Process and equipment for automatic measurement of resonant frequencies in seismic detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredriksson, O.A.; Thomas, E.L.

1977-01-01

This is a process for the automatic indication of the resonant frequency of one or more detector elements which have operated inside a geophysical data-gathering system. Geophones or hydrophones or groups of both instruments are to be understood as comprising the detector elements. The invention concerns the creation of a process and of equipment working with laboratory precision, although it can be used in the field. (orig./RW) [de

Walkaway-VSP survey using distributed optical fiber in China oilfield

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Junjun; Yu, Gang; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yanpeng; Cai, Zhidong; Chen, Yuanzhong; Liu, Congwei; Zhao, Haiying; Li, Fei

2017-10-01

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a new type of replacement technology for geophysical geophone. DAS system is similar to high-density surface seismic geophone array. In the stage of acquisition, DAS can obtain the full well data with one shot. And it can provide enhanced vertical seismic profile (VSP) imaging and monitor fluids and pressures changes in the hydrocarbon production reservoir. Walkaway VSP data acquired over a former producing well in north eastern China provided a rich set of very high quality data. A standard VSP data pre-processing workflow was applied, followed by pre-stack Kirchhoff time migration. In the DAS pre-processing step we were faced with additional and special challenges: strong coherent noise due to cable slapping and ringing along the borehole casing. The single well DAS Walkaway VSP images provide a good result with higher vertical and lateral resolution than the surface seismic in the objective area. This paper reports on lessons learned in the handling of the wireline cable and subsequent special DAS data processing steps developed to remediate some of the practical wireline deployment issues. Optical wireline cable as a conveyance of fiber optic cables for VSP in vertical wells will open the use of the DAS system to much wider applications.

Simultaneous inversion of seismic velocity and moment tensor using elastic-waveform inversion of microseismic data: Application to the Aneth CO2-EOR field

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y.; Huang, L.

2017-12-01

Moment tensors are key parameters for characterizing CO2-injection-induced microseismic events. Elastic-waveform inversion has the potential to providing accurate results of moment tensors. Microseismic waveforms contains information of source moment tensors and the wave propagation velocity along the wavepaths. We develop an elastic-waveform inversion method to jointly invert the seismic velocity model and moment tensor. We first use our adaptive moment-tensor joint inversion method to estimate moment tensors of microseismic events. Our adaptive moment-tensor inversion method jointly inverts multiple microseismic events with similar waveforms within a cluster to reduce inversion uncertainty for microseismic data recorded using a single borehole geophone array. We use this inversion result as the initial model for our elastic-waveform inversion to minimize the cross-correlated-based data misfit between observed data and synthetic data. We verify our method using synthetic microseismic data and obtain improved results of both moment tensors and seismic velocity model. We apply our new inversion method to microseismic data acquired at a CO2-enhanced oil recovery field in Aneth, Utah, using a single borehole geophone array. The results demonstrate that our new inversion method significantly reduces the data misfit compared to the conventional ray-theory-based moment-tensor inversion.

Computer analysis of sound recordings from two Anasazi sites in northwestern New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Loose, Richard

2002-11-01

Sound recordings were made at a natural outdoor amphitheater in Chaco Canyon and in a reconstructed great kiva at Aztec Ruins. Recordings included computer-generated tones and swept sine waves, classical concert flute, Native American flute, conch shell trumpet, and prerecorded music. Recording equipment included analog tape deck, digital minidisk recorder, and direct digital recording to a laptop computer disk. Microphones and geophones were used as transducers. The natural amphitheater lies between the ruins of Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl. It is a semicircular arc in a sandstone cliff measuring 500 ft. wide and 75 ft. high. The radius of the arc was verified with aerial photography, and an acoustic ray trace was generated using cad software. The arc is in an overhanging cliff face and brings distant sounds to a line focus. Along this line, there are unusual acoustic effects at conjugate foci. Time history analysis of recordings from both sites showed that a 60-dB reverb decay lasted from 1.8 to 2.0 s, nearly ideal for public performances of music. Echoes from the amphitheater were perceived to be upshifted in pitch, but this was not seen in FFT analysis. Geophones placed on the floor of the great kiva showed a resonance at 95 Hz.

Gas expulsions and biological activity recorded offshore Molene Island, Brittany (France): video supervised recording of OBS data and analogue modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Klingelhoefer, F.; Géli, L.; Dellong, D.; Evangelia, B.; Tary, J. B.; Bayrakci, G.; Lantéri, N.; Lin, J. Y.; Chen, Y. F.; Chang, E. T. Y.

2016-12-01

Ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) commonly record signals from Short Duration Events (SDEs), having characteristics that are very different from those produced by tectonic earthquakes, e.g.: durations Brittany within the field of view of the EMSO-Molene underwater observatory, at a water depth of 12 m. The camera images and the recordings reveal the presence of crabs, octopus and several species of fish. Other acoustic signals can be related to the presence of moving algae or the influence from bad weather. Tides produce characteristic curves in the noise recorded on the geophones. SDEs have been recorded on both instruments, that may well have been caused by gas expulsions from the seabed into the water. In order to verify this hypothesis, an aquarium was filled with water overlying an even grain-sized quartz sand layer. A constant air supply through a narrow tube produced gas bubbles in a regular manner and an immersed ocean bottom geophone recorded the resulting acoustic signals. The bubbles tend to have a uniform size and to produce a waveform very close to those found on the OBSs. By comparing the number of SDEs and the volume of escaped air, estimates can be made regarding the volume of gas escaping the seafloor in different environments.

A complex linear least-squares method to derive relative and absolute orientations of seismic sensors

OpenAIRE

F. Grigoli; Simone Cesca; Torsten Dahm; L. Krieger

2012-01-01

Determining the relative orientation of the horizontal components of seismic sensors is a common problem that limits data analysis and interpretation for several acquisition setups, including linear arrays of geophones deployed in borehole installations or ocean bottom seismometers deployed at the seafloor. To solve this problem we propose a new inversion method based on a complex linear algebra approach. Relative orientation angles are retrieved by minimizing, in a least-squares sense, the l...

Seismic intrusion detector system

Science.gov (United States)

Hawk, Hervey L.; Hawley, James G.; Portlock, John M.; Scheibner, James E.

1976-01-01

A system for monitoring man-associated seismic movements within a control area including a geophone for generating an electrical signal in response to seismic movement, a bandpass amplifier and threshold detector for eliminating unwanted signals, pulse counting system for counting and storing the number of seismic movements within the area, and a monitoring system operable on command having a variable frequency oscillator generating an audio frequency signal proportional to the number of said seismic movements.

Matrix Approach of Seismic Wave Imaging: Application to Erebus Volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Blondel, T.; Chaput, J.; Derode, A.; Campillo, M.; Aubry, A.

2017-12-01

This work aims at extending to seismic imaging a matrix approach of wave propagation in heterogeneous media, previously developed in acoustics and optics. More specifically, we will apply this approach to the imaging of the Erebus volcano in Antarctica. Volcanoes are actually among the most challenging media to explore seismically in light of highly localized and abrupt variations in density and wave velocity, extreme topography, extensive fractures, and the presence of magma. In this strongly scattering regime, conventional imaging methods suffer from the multiple scattering of waves. Our approach experimentally relies on the measurement of a reflection matrix associated with an array of geophones located at the surface of the volcano. Although these sensors are purely passive, a set of Green's functions can be measured between all pairs of geophones from ice-quake coda cross-correlations (1-10 Hz) and forms the reflection matrix. A set of matrix operations can then be applied for imaging purposes. First, the reflection matrix is projected, at each time of flight, in the ballistic focal plane by applying adaptive focusing at emission and reception. It yields a response matrix associated with an array of virtual geophones located at the ballistic depth. This basis allows us to get rid of most of the multiple scattering contribution by applying a confocal filter to seismic data. Iterative time reversal is then applied to detect and image the strongest scatterers. Mathematically, it consists in performing a singular value decomposition of the reflection matrix. The presence of a potential target is assessed from a statistical analysis of the singular values, while the corresponding eigenvectors yield the corresponding target images. When stacked, the results obtained at each depth give a three-dimensional image of the volcano. While conventional imaging methods lead to a speckle image with no connection to the actual medium's reflectivity, our method enables to

MASW Seismic Method in Brebu Landslide Area, Romania

Science.gov (United States)

Mihai, Marinescu; Paul, Cristea; Cristian, Marunteanu; Matei, Mezincescu

2017-12-01

This paper is focused on assessing the possibility of enhancing the geotechnical information in perimeters with landslides, especially through applications of the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method. The technology enables the determination of the phase velocities of Rayleigh waves and, recursively, the evaluation of shear wave velocities (Vs) related to depth. Finally, using longitudinal wave velocities (Vp), derived from the seismic refraction measurements, in situ dynamic elastic properties in a shallow section can be obtained. The investigation was carried out in the Brebu landslide (3-5 m depth of bedrock), located on the southern flank of the Slanic Syncline (110 km North of Bucharest) and included a drilling program and geotechnical laboratory observations. The seismic refraction records (seismic sources placed at the centre, ends and outside of the geophone spread) have been undertaken on two lines, 23 m and 46 m long respectively) approximately perpendicular to the downslope direction of the landslide and on different local morpho-structures. A Geode Geometrics seismograph was set for 1 ms sampling rate and pulse summations in real-time for five blows. Twenty-four vertical Geometrics SpaceTech geophones (14 Hz resonance frequency) were disposed at 1 m spacing. The seismic source was represented by the impact of an 8kg weight sledge hammer on a metal plate. Regarding seismic data processing, the distinctive feature is related to performing more detailed analyses of MASW records. The proposed procedure consists of the spread split in groups with fewer receivers and several interval-geophones superposed. 2D Fourier analysis, f-k (frequency-wave number) spectrum, for each of these groups assures the information continuity and, all the more, accuracy to pick out the amplitude maximums of the f-k spectra. Finally, combining both values VS (calculated from 2D spectral analyses of Rayleigh waves) and VP (obtained from seismic refraction records

Test to Extract Soil Properties Using the Seismic HammerTM Active Seismic Source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Rebekah F. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Abbott, Robert E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-08-01

Geologic material properties are necessary parameters for ground motion modeling and are difficult and expensive to obtain via traditional methods. Alternative methods to estimate soil properties require a measurement of the ground's response to a force. A possible method of obtaining these measurements is active-source seismic surveys, but measurements of the ground response at the source must also be available. The potential of seismic sources to obtain soil properties is limited, however, by the repeatability of the source. Explosives, and hammer surveys are not repeatable because of variable ground coupling or swing strength. On the other hand, the Seismic Hammer TM (SH) is consistent in the amount of energy it inputs into the ground. In addition, it leaves large physical depressions as a result of ground compaction. The volume of ground compaction varies by location. Here, we hypothesize that physical depressions left in the earth by the SH correlate to energy recorded by nearby geophones, and therefore are a measurement of soil physical properties. Using measurements of the volume of shot holes, we compare the spatial distribution of the volume of ground compacted between the different shot locations. We then examine energy recorded by the nearest 50 geophones and compare the change in amplitude across hits at the same location. Finally, we use the percent difference between the energy recorded by the first and later hits at a location to test for a correlation to the volume of the shot depressions. We find that: * Ground compaction at the shot-depression does cluster geographically, but does not correlate to known surface features. * Energy recorded by nearby geophones reflects ground refusal after several hits. * There is no correlation to shot volume and changes in energy at particular shot locations. Deeper material properties (i.e. below the depth of surface compaction) may be contributing to the changes in energy propagation. * Without further

Inverting near-surface models from virtual-source gathers (SM Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture)

Science.gov (United States)

Ruigrok, Elmer; Vossen, Caron; Paulssen, Hanneke

2017-04-01

The Groningen gas field is a massive natural gas accumulation in the north-east of the Netherlands. Decades of production have led to significant compaction of the reservoir rock. The (differential) compaction is thought to have reactivated existing faults and to be the main driver of induced seismicity. The potential damage at the surface is largely affected by the state of the near surface. Thin and soft sedimentary layers can lead to large amplifications. By measuring the wavefield at different depth levels, near-surface properties can directly be estimated from the recordings. Seismicity in the Groningen area is monitored primarily with an array of vertical arrays. In the nineties a network of 8 boreholes was deployed. Since 2015, this network has been expanded with 70 new boreholes. Each new borehole consists of an accelerometer at the surface and four downhole geophones with a vertical spacing of 50 m. We apply seismic interferometry to local seismicity, for each borehole individually. Doing so, we obtain the responses as if there were virtual sources at the lowest geophones and receivers at the other depth levels. From the retrieved direct waves and reflections, we invert for P- & S- velocity and Q models. We discuss different implementations of seismic interferometry and the subsequent inversion. The inverted near-surface properties are used to improve both the source location and the hazard assessment.

The time lapse experiment in Al Wasse water pumping field in Saudi Arabia by an ultra-stable seismic source (ACROSS)

Science.gov (United States)

AlAnezi, Ghunaim; Kasahara, Junzo; AlDamegh, Khaled S.; Lafouza, Omar; AlYousef, Khaled; Almalki, Fahad; Nishiyama, Eichiro

2015-04-01

We have developed the time lapse technology for EOR (enhanced oil recovery) and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) using a very stable and continuous seismic source called ACROSS (Accurately Controlled Routinely Operated Signal System) with multi-geophones. Since 2011, we have tested this technology in the context of carbonate rocks in Saudi Arabia. The Al Wasee water pumping site approximately 120 km east of Riyadh city has been selected as a trail-site. The intention is to observe the changes in aquifers induced by pumping operations. One ACROSS source unit was installed at the Al Wasee site in December 2011 and we are continuing the field test. The instrument has been operated from 10 to 50 Hz with 40 tons-f at 50 Hz. Using alternatively clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations we can synthesize vertical and horizontal forces, respectively. 31 3C-geophones in 2 km x 3 km area and four nearby 3Cgeophones have been used to monitor the seismic changes from pumping the water. The one and half month data between December 2012 and February 2013 show continuous and clear change of observed waveforms for all 31 stations while the source signature did not change. The change is closest and fastest at the station #42. The cause of continuous change with time is interpreted as pumping of water by 64 wells located in this field.

Controlled Noise Seismology

KAUST Repository

Hanafy, Sherif M.

2015-08-19

We use controlled noise seismology (CNS) to generate surface waves, where we continuously record seismic data while generating artificial noise along the profile line. To generate the CNS data we drove a vehicle around the geophone line and continuously recorded the generated noise. The recorded data set is then correlated over different time windows and the correlograms are stacked together to generate the surface waves. The virtual shot gathers reveal surface waves with moveout velocities that closely approximate those from active source shot gathers.

Controlled Noise Seismology

KAUST Repository

Hanafy, Sherif M.; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Schuster, Gerard T.

2015-01-01

We use controlled noise seismology (CNS) to generate surface waves, where we continuously record seismic data while generating artificial noise along the profile line. To generate the CNS data we drove a vehicle around the geophone line and continuously recorded the generated noise. The recorded data set is then correlated over different time windows and the correlograms are stacked together to generate the surface waves. The virtual shot gathers reveal surface waves with moveout velocities that closely approximate those from active source shot gathers.

Three Dimensional Seismic Tomography of the Shallow Subsurface Structure Under the Meihua Lake in Ilan, Northeastern Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, R.

2008-12-01

The island of Taiwan is located at an ongoing collision boundary between two plates. The Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian plate collided at the Longitudinal Valley of eastern Taiwan, and the Philippine Sea plate subducted northward beneath the Eurasian plate along the Ryukyu trench in eastern Taiwan at the Hualien area. Further northward in the island, the opening Okinawa trough ended at the Ilan area in northeastern Taiwan. The Ilan area is over populated and potentially able to produce large earthquake; however, since that are is densely covered with forests, due to lack of geologic and geomorphologic evidences, known active faults are still unclear. Recently, a series of topographic offsets of several meters distributed in a zone were found by using the LiDAR DTM data, indicating active normal faulting was activated in the past. Besides, several small sag ponds were mapped to support the active normal faulting activities. Later on, core borings in one of the small ponds (the Meihua Lake, diameter of about 700m) were conducted and the records showed obvious difference of depths in the adjacent boreholes at a very short distance. In order to realize the variation of the distribution of sediments under the Meihua Lake, we conducted a 3d seismic tomography survey at the lake, hopefully to help to verify the faults. In this paper, we will show results of using a 120-channel shallow seismic recording system for mapping the shallow subsurface structure of sediments under the Meihua Lake. During the experiment, we deployed the geophone groups of three geophones at every 6m along the bank of the lake and fired the shots at every 80m around the lake. An impactor of energy 2200 joule per shot was used as a seismic source. We stacked the energy at each shot point around 60 times for receiving clear signals. Since the total extension of recording system is 720m, about one third of the perimeter around the lake, 2,200m, we moved the geophone deployments 3 times to

Seismic monitoring leveraging existing telecom infrastructure at the SDASA: Active, passive, and ambient-noise analysis

KAUST Repository

Martin, Eileen R.

2017-11-28

We analyze active and passive seismic data recorded by the Stanford distributed acoustic sensing array (SDASA) located in conduits under the Stanford University campus. For the active data we used low-energy sources (betsy gun and sledge hammer) and recorded data using both the DAS array and 98 three-component nodes deployed along a 2D line. The joint analysis of shot profiles extracted from the two data sets shows that some surface waves and refracted events are consistently recorded by the DAS array. In areas where geophone coupling was suboptimal because of surface obstructions, DAS recordings are more coherent. In contrast, surface waves are more reliably recorded by the geophones than the DAS array. Because of the noisy environment and weak sources, neither data set shows clear reflections. We demonstrate the repeatability of DAS recordings of local earthquakes by comparing two weak events (magnitude 0.95 and 1.34) with epicenters 100 m apart that occurred only one minute from each other. Analyzing another local, and slightly stronger, earthquake (magnitude 2.0) we show how the kinematics of both the P-arrival and S-arrival can be measured from the DAS data. Interferometric analysis of passive data shows that reliable virtual-source responses can be extracted from the DAS data. We observe Rayleigh waves when correlating aligned receivers, and Love waves when correlating receivers belonging to segments of the array parallel to each other. Dispersion analysis of the virtual sources shows the expected decrease in surface-wave velocity with increasing frequency.

InfraSound from wind turbines : observations from Castle River wind farm. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edworthy, J.; Hepburn, H.

2005-01-01

Although infrasound has been discussed as a concern by groups opposed to wind farm facilities, there is very little information available about infrasound and wind turbines. This paper presented details of a project conducted by VisionQuest, the largest wind power producer in Canada. Three sensor types were used: precision sound analyzer, seismic geophones, and calibrated microphones to take measurements in low, medium and high winds. The project also measured infrasound when the wind farm was not operating. Acquisition geometry was presented, as well as details of apparent attenuations of wind noise. It was noted that high wind noise was a dominant factor and that there was little difference when the wind farm was not operational. It was suggested that turbines have no impact with high wind, since wind noise is not attenuated with distance. It was noted that increased geophone amplitudes indicate high wind coupled motion which is attenuated when the turbines are on. Results indicate that all frequencies showed attenuation with distance. Evidence showed that low frequency sound pressure levels were often lower when the turbines were switched on. Where turbines contributed to sound pressure levels, the magnitude of the contribution was below levels of concern to human health. Ambient sound pressure levels were much higher than contributions from wind turbines. It was concluded that wind itself generates infrasound. Wind turbines generate low levels of infrasound, detectable very close to facilities at low to medium wind speeds. Wind turbines may reduce ambient infrasound levels at high wind speeds by converting the energy from the wind into electricity. refs., tabs., figs

Seismic monitoring leveraging existing telecom infrastructure at the SDASA: Active, passive, and ambient-noise analysis

KAUST Repository

Martin, Eileen R.; Castillo, Chris M.; Cole, Steve; Sawasdee, Paphop Stock; Yuan, Siyuan; Clapp, Robert; Karrenbach, Martin; Biondi, Biondo L.

2017-01-01

We analyze active and passive seismic data recorded by the Stanford distributed acoustic sensing array (SDASA) located in conduits under the Stanford University campus. For the active data we used low-energy sources (betsy gun and sledge hammer) and recorded data using both the DAS array and 98 three-component nodes deployed along a 2D line. The joint analysis of shot profiles extracted from the two data sets shows that some surface waves and refracted events are consistently recorded by the DAS array. In areas where geophone coupling was suboptimal because of surface obstructions, DAS recordings are more coherent. In contrast, surface waves are more reliably recorded by the geophones than the DAS array. Because of the noisy environment and weak sources, neither data set shows clear reflections. We demonstrate the repeatability of DAS recordings of local earthquakes by comparing two weak events (magnitude 0.95 and 1.34) with epicenters 100 m apart that occurred only one minute from each other. Analyzing another local, and slightly stronger, earthquake (magnitude 2.0) we show how the kinematics of both the P-arrival and S-arrival can be measured from the DAS data. Interferometric analysis of passive data shows that reliable virtual-source responses can be extracted from the DAS data. We observe Rayleigh waves when correlating aligned receivers, and Love waves when correlating receivers belonging to segments of the array parallel to each other. Dispersion analysis of the virtual sources shows the expected decrease in surface-wave velocity with increasing frequency.

Three-dimensional time-lapse velocity tomography of an underground longwall panel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luxbacher, K.; Westman, E.; Swanson, P.; Karfakis, M. [Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Mining & Minerals Engineering

2008-06-15

Three-dimensional velocity tomograms were generated to image the stress redistribution around an underground coal longwall panel to produce a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to ground failure, especially rockbursts. Mining-induced microseismic events provided passive sources for the three-dimensional velocity tomography. Surface-mounted geophones monitored microseismic activity for 18 days. Eighteen tomograms were generated and high-velocity regions correlated with high abutment stresses predicted by numerical modeling. Additionally, the high-velocity regions were observed to redistribute as the longwall face retreated, indicating that velocity tomography may be an appropriate technology for monitoring stress redistribution in underground mines.

A compact, large-range interferometer for precision measurement and inertial sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, S. J.; Collins, C. J.; Green, A. C.; Hoyland, D.; Speake, C. C.; Freise, A.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.

2018-05-01

We present a compact, fibre-coupled interferometer with high sensitivity and a large working range. We propose to use this interferometer as a readout mechanism for future inertial sensors, removing a major limiting noise source, and in precision positioning systems. The interferometer’s peak sensitivity is 2 × 10-{14} m \\sqrt{Hz-1} at 70 Hz and 7 × 10-{11} m \\sqrt{Hz-1} at 10 mHz. If deployed on a GS-13 geophone, the resulting inertial sensing output will be limited by the suspension thermal noise of the reference mass from 10 mHz to 2 Hz.

High-resolution seismic reflection surveying with a land streamer

Science.gov (United States)

Cengiz Tapırdamaz, Mustafa; Cankurtaranlar, Ali; Ergintav, Semih; Kurt, Levent

2013-04-01

In this study, newly designed seismic reflection data acquisition array (land streamer) is utilized to image the shallow subsurface. Our acquisition system consist of 24 geophones screwed on iron plates with 2 m spacing, moving on the surface of the earth which are connected with fire hose. Completely original, 4.5 Kg weight iron plates provides satisfactory coupling. This land-streamer system enables rapid and cost effective acquisition of seismic reflection data due to its operational facilities. First test studies were performed using various seismic sources such as a mini-vibro truck, buffalo-gun and hammer. The final fieldwork was performed on a landslide area which was studied before. Data acquisition was carried out on the line that was previously measured by the seismic survey using 5 m geophone and shot spacing. This line was chosen in order to re-image known reflection patterns obtained from the previous field study. Taking penetration depth into consideration, a six-cartridge buffalo-gun was selected as a seismic source to achieve high vertical resolution. Each shot-point drilled 50 cm for gunshots to obtain high resolution source signature. In order to avoid surface waves, the offset distance between the source and the first channel was chosen to be 50 m and the shot spacing was 2 m. These acquisition parameters provided 12 folds at each CDP points. Spatial sampling interval was 1 m at the surface. The processing steps included standard stages such as gain recovery, editing, frequency filtering, CDP sorting, NMO correction, static correction and stacking. Furthermore, surface consistent residual static corrections were applied recursively to improve image quality. 2D F-K filter application was performed to suppress air and surface waves at relatively deep part of the seismic section. Results show that, this newly designed, high-resolution land seismic data acquisition equipment (land-streamer) can be successfully used to image subsurface. Likewise

Monitoring of debris flows and landslides by wired and wireless systems. Experiences from the Catalan Pyrenees.

Science.gov (United States)

Hürlimann, Marcel; Abancó, Clàudia; Moya, José; Vilajosana, Ignasi; Llosa, Jordi

2013-04-01

Sophisticated monitoring of landslides for research purpose has started in the 1990thies in the Catalan Pyrenees. Since then several types of mass movements (large landslides, debris flows, shallow landslides and rock falls) and multiples techniques have been applied. In this contribution, special attention will be given to the debris-flow monitoring system installed since summer 2009 in the Rebaixader catchment, Central Pyrenees. The monitoring system has continuously been improved during the last years and nowadays includes devices studying the three major aspects: 1) initiation, 2) flow dynamics, and 3) accumulation. While some parts of the monitoring network include a traditional wired system, the newer parts were installed using low-power wireless devices. Two major aspects will be discussed. First, results of the Rebaixader monitoring site will be presented. Second, experience regarding the monitoring will be evaluated focussing on technical aspects and the comparison between wired and wireless techniques. In the Rebaixader catchment, 6 debris flows and 11 debris floods were observed between August 2009 and October 2012. Surprisingly, also 4 major rock falls were recorded. The rainfall analysis shows that the debris flows were triggered by short, high-intensity rainstorms with a preliminary threshold of about 15 mm during 1 hour. In addition, there was observed a positive trend between event volume and rainfall amount or intensity. The analysis of the ground vibration signals shows significant differences between the time series recorded at the different geophones. These differences are associated with the geophone location in the channel (distance and material), the mounting or the data acquisition system. For instance, the most downstream geophone, installed in bedrock, shows the clearest debris-flows vibration time series, while the uppermost is the most reliable regarding the detection of rockfalls. An evaluation of wired versus wireless monitoring

Extracting 220 Hz information from 55 Hz field data by near-field superresolution imaging

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav

2016-05-31

Field experiments are used to unequivocally demonstrate seismic superresolution imaging of subwavelength objects in the near-field region of the source. The field test is for a conventional hammer source striking a metal plate near subwavelength scatterers and the seismic data are recorded by vertical-component geophones in the far-field locations of the sources. Time-reversal mirrors (TRMs) are then used to refocus the scattered energy with subwavelength resolution to the position of the original source. A spatial resolution of lambda/10, where lambda is the dominant wavelength associated with the data, is seen in the field tests that exceeds the Abbe resolution limit of lambda/2.

Extracting 220 Hz information from 55 Hz field data by near-field superresolution imaging

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Tarhini, Ahmad; Hanafy, Sherif; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

Field experiments are used to unequivocally demonstrate seismic superresolution imaging of subwavelength objects in the near-field region of the source. The field test is for a conventional hammer source striking a metal plate near subwavelength scatterers and the seismic data are recorded by vertical-component geophones in the far-field locations of the sources. Time-reversal mirrors (TRMs) are then used to refocus the scattered energy with subwavelength resolution to the position of the original source. A spatial resolution of lambda/10, where lambda is the dominant wavelength associated with the data, is seen in the field tests that exceeds the Abbe resolution limit of lambda/2.

Finding Trapped Miners by Using a Prototype Seismic Recording System Made from Music-Recording Hardware

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, Thomas L.

2009-01-01

The goal of this project was to use off-the-shelf music recording equipment to build and test a prototype seismic system to listen for people trapped in underground chambers (mines, caves, collapsed buildings). Previous workers found that an array of geophones is effective in locating trapped miners; displaying the data graphically, as well as playing it back into an audio device (headphones) at high speeds, was found to be effective for locating underground tapping. The desired system should record the data digitally to allow for further analysis, be capable of displaying the data graphically, allow for rudimentary analysis (bandpass filter, deconvolution), and allow the user to listen to the data at varying speeds. Although existing seismic reflection systems are adequate to record, display and analyze the data, they are relatively expensive and difficult to use and do not have an audio playback option. This makes it difficult for individual mines to have a system waiting on the shelf for an emergency. In contrast, music recording systems, like the one I used to construct the prototype system, can be purchased for about 20 percent of the cost of a seismic reflection system and are designed to be much easier to use. The prototype system makes use of an ~$3,000, 16-channel music recording system made by Presonus, Inc., of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Other manufacturers make competitive systems that would serve equally well. Connecting the geophones to the recording system required the only custom part of this system - a connector that takes the output from the geophone cable and breaks it into 16 microphone inputs to be connected to the music recording system. The connector took about 1 day of technician time to build, using about $300 in off-the-shelf parts. Comparisons of the music recording system and a standard seismic reflection system (A 24-channel 'Geode' system manufactured by Geometrics, Inc., of San Jose, California) were carried out at two locations. Initial

Site Characterization of the Source Physics Experiment Phase II Location Using Seismic Reflection Data

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton, E. A.; Snelson, C. M.; Chipman, V.; Emer, D. F.; White, R. L.; Emmitt, R.; Wright, A. A.; Drellack, S.; Huckins-Gang, H.; Mercadante, J.; Floyd, M.; McGowin, C.; Cothrun, C.; Bonal, N.

2013-12-01

An objective of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is to identify low-yield nuclear explosions from a regional distance. Low-yield nuclear explosions can often be difficult to discriminate among the clutter of natural and man-made explosive events (e.g., earthquakes and mine blasts). The SPE is broken into three phases. Phase I has provided the first of the physics-based data to test the empirical models that have been used to discriminate nuclear events. The Phase I series of tests were placed within a highly fractured granite body. The evolution of the project has led to development of Phase II, to be placed within the opposite end member of geology, an alluvium environment, thereby increasing the database of waveforms to build upon in the discrimination models. Both the granite and alluvium sites have hosted nearby nuclear tests, which provide comparisons for the chemical test data. Phase III of the SPE is yet to be determined. For Phase II of the experiment, characterization of the location is required to develop the geologic/geophysical models for the execution of the experiment. Criteria for the location are alluvium thickness of approximately 170 m and a water table below 170 m; minimal fracturing would be ideal. A P-wave mini-vibroseis survey was conducted at a potential site in alluvium to map out the subsurface geology. The seismic reflection profile consisted of 168 geophone stations, spaced 5 m apart. The mini-vibe was a 7,000-lb peak-force source, starting 57.5 m off the north end of the profile and ending 57.5 m past the southern-most geophone. The length of the profile was 835 m. The source points were placed every 5 m, equally spaced between geophones to reduce clipping. The vibroseis sweep was from 20 Hz down to 180 Hz over 8 seconds, and four sweeps were stacked at each shot location. The shot gathers show high signal-to-noise ratios with clear first arrivals across the entire spread and the suggestion of some shallow reflectors. The data were

The use of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) as a seismic source

Science.gov (United States)

Kreutzer, Ingrid; Chwatal, Werner; Radinger, Alexander; Brückl, Ewald

2014-05-01

The Tunnel Seismic While Drilling (TSWD) method uses the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) as the seismic source. The method has been developed to predict the geological situation from reflections ahead of the tunnel face without disturbing the tunneling. The vibrations of the TBM are continuously monitored near the drilling head (pilot signal) as well as the direct and reflected seismic wave field at borehole geophones (geophone signal) situated in the tunnel wall behind the TBM. During the processing these signals are correlated and result in excellent seismic traces comparable to conventional seismic methods. The interpretation of the reflections leads to a nearly daily prognosis about 100 m ahead of the TBM. This system was successfully implemented at three different construction sites in Austria and is currently operating at one further. The cutters on front of the TBM head are pressed against the tunnel face and split the rock during rotating which is called the chipping process. This cutting process generates seismic waves radiated into the rock mass and results also in vibrations of the TBM itself. On the one hand it is important to know the source mechanism of the TBM and the radiation pattern of the seismic waves in all directions. Until now this is not well understood. To investigate this 3C-geophones were installed at the surface above the tunnel axis at different construction sites. The obtained seismograms show the forward and backward radiated seismic wave field of the TBM, for the present without consideration of the influence of the free surface. We compare this data with modelled seismograms in which we use different possible source mechanism, like single force or force due to tensile cracks. First results are shown in the scope of this work. On the other hand it is essential to know how good the recorded pilot signal represents the entire chipping process. Due to technically reasons the pilot signal has been registered so far on the non-rotating part

Active-Source Seismic Tomography at Bradys Geothermal Field, Nevada, with Dense Nodal and Fiber-Optic Seismic Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Thurber, C. H.; Parker, L.; Li, P.; Fratta, D.; Zeng, X.; Feigl, K. L.; Ak, E.; Lord, N.

2017-12-01

We deployed a dense seismic array to image the shallow structure in the injection area of the Brady Hot Springs geothermal site in Nevada. The array was composed of 238 5 Hz, three-component nodal instruments and 8,700 m of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) fiber-optic cable installed in surface trenches plus about 400 m installed in a borehole. The geophone array had about 60 m instrument spacing in the target zone, whereas DAS channel separations were about 1 m. The acquisition systems provided 15 days of continuous records including active source and ambient noise signals. A large vibroseis truck (T-Rex) was operated at 196 locations, exciting a swept-frequency signal from 5 to 80 Hz over 20 seconds using three vibration modes. Sweeps were repeated up to four times during different modes of geothermal plant operation: normal operation, shut-down, high and oscillatory injection and production, and normal operation again. The cross-correlation method was utilized to remove the sweep signal from the geophone records. The first P arrivals were automatically picked from the cross-correlation functions using a combination of methods, and the travel times were used to invert for the 3D P-wave velocity structure. Models with 100 m and 50 m horizontal node spacing were obtained, with vertical node spacing of 10 to 50 m. The travel time data were fit to about 30 ms, close to our estimated picking uncertainty. We will present our 3D Vp model and the result of our search for measurable temporal changes, along with preliminary results for a 3D Vs model. The work presented herein was funded in part by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), U.S. Department of Energy, under Award Number DE-EE0006760.

Inversion of Orkney M5.5 earthquake South Africa using strain meters at very close distances

Science.gov (United States)

Yasutomi, T.; Mori, J. J.; Yamada, M.; Ogasawara, H.; Okubo, M.; Ogasawara, H.; Ishida, A.

2017-12-01

The largest event recorded in a South African gold mining region, a M5.5 earthquake took place near Orkney on 5 August 2014. The mainshock and afterhocks were recorded by 46 geophones at 2-3 km depths, 3 Ishii borehole strainmeters at 2.9km depth, and 17 surface strong motion instruments at close distances. The upper edge of the planar distribution of aftershock activity dips almost vertically and was only several hundred meters below the sites where the strainmeters were installed. In addition the seismic data, drilling across this fault is now in progress (Jun 2017 to December 2017) and will contribute valuable geological and stress information. Although the geophones data were saturated during the mainshock, the strainmeters recorded clear nearfield waveforms. We try to model the source of the M5.5 mainshock using the nearfield strainmeter data. Two strain meters located at same place, depth at 2.8km. Remaining one is located depth at 2.9km. Distance of each other is only 150m. Located at depth 2.9km recorded large stable strain, on the other hand, located at depth 2.8 km recorded three or four times smaller stable strain than 2.9km. These data indicates the distance between M5.5 fault and 2.9km depth strainmeter is a few hundred meters order. The strain Green functions were calculated assuming an infinite medium and using a finite difference method. We use small aftershocks to verify the Green function. Matching of the waveforms for the small events validates and Green functions used for the mainshock inversion. We present a model of the source rupture using these strain data. The nearfield data provide good resolution of the nearby earthquake rupture. There are two large subevents, one near the hypocenter and the second several hundred meters to the west.

Seismic data collection from water gun and industrial background sources in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal area, Illinois, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Morrow, William S.; Carpenter, Phillip J.; Adams, Ryan F.

2015-01-01

The water gun is a tool adapted from deep marine geophysical surveys that is being evaluated for use as an acoustic fish deterrent to control the movement of invasive marine species. The water gun creates a seismic signal by using a compressed air discharge to move a piston rapidly within the water, resulting in an implosion. This energy pulse may be able to modify fish behavior or destroy marine life, such as the Asian carp, at some distance. The effects of this energy pulse on structures in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC), such as canal walls, shore lines, and lock structures, are not known. The potential effects of the use of a water gun on structures was identified as a concern in the CSSC and was assessed relative to existing background sources during this study. During September 2011, two water guns with piston sizes of 80 and 343 cubic inches, respectively, were tested in the CSSC at varying pressures and distances from a canal wall consisting of dolomite and dolomite setblock. Seismic data were collected during these water gun firings using geophones on land, in boreholes, and at the canal wall interface. Data were collected at varying depths in the canal water using hydrophones. Seismic data were also collected during the occurrences of barge traffic, railroad traffic located near the electric fish barrier in Lemont, and coal-loading operations at a coal power plant near the electric fish barrier. In general, energy produced by barge and railroad sources was less than energy created by the water gun. Energy levels produced by coal-loading operations at least 200 feet from geophones were approximately four times lower than energy levels measured during water gun operations.

Mapping the base of sand dunes using a new design of land-streamer for static correction applications

KAUST Repository

Almalki, H.

2012-05-16

The complex near-surface structure is a major problem in land seismic data. This is more critical when data acquisition takes place over sand dune surfaces, where the base of the sand acts as a trap for energy and, depending on its shape, can considerably distort conventionally acquired seismic data. Estimating the base of the sand dune surface can help model the sand dune and reduce its harmful influence on conventional seismic data. Among the current methods to do so are drilling upholes and using conventional seismic data to apply static correction. Both methods have costs and limitations. For upholes, the cost factor and their inability to provide a continuous model is well realized. Meanwhile, conventional seismic data lack the resolution necessary to obtain accurate modeling of the sand basement. We developed a method to estimate the sand base from land-streamer seismic acquisition that is developed and geared to sand surfaces. Seismic data acquisition took place over a sand surface in the Al-Thumamah area, where an uphole is located, using the developed land-streamer and conventional spiked geophone systems. Land-streamer acquisition not only provides a more efficient data acquisition system than the conventional spiked geophone approach, but also in our case, the land-streamer provided better quality data with a broader frequency bandwidth. Such data enabled us to do accurate near-surface velocity estimation that resulted in velocities that are very close to those measured using uphole methods. This fact is demonstrated on multiple lines acquired near upholes, and agreement between the seismic velocities and the upholes is high. The stacked depth seismic section shows three layers. The interface between the first and second layers is located at 7 m depth, while the interface between second and third layers is located at 68 m depth, which agrees with the uphole result. 2012 The Author(s).

Romanian seismic network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ionescu, Constantin; Rizescu, Mihaela; Popa, Mihaela; Grigore, Adrian

2000-01-01

The research in the field of seismology in Romania is mainly carried out by the National Institute for Earth Physics (NIEP). The NIEP activities are mainly concerned with the fundamental research financed by research contracts from public sources and the maintenance and operation of the Romanian seismic network. A three stage seismic network is now operating under NIEP, designed mainly to monitor the Vrancea seismic region in a magnitude range from microearthquakes to strong events: - network of 18 short-period seismometers (S13); - Teledyne Geotech Instruments (Texas); - network of 7 stations with local digital recording (PCM-5000) on magnetic tape, made up of, S13 geophone (T=2 s) on vertical component and SH1 geophone (T=5 s) on horizontal components; - network of 28 SMA-1 accelerometers and 30 digital accelerometers (Kinemetrics - K2) installed in the free field conditions in the framework of the joint German-Romanian cooperation program (CRC); the K2 instruments cover a magnitude range from 1.4 to 8.0. Since 1994, MLR (Muntele Rosu) station has become part of the GEOFON network and was provided with high performance broad band instruments. At Bucharest and Timisoara data centers, an automated and networked seismological system performs the on-line digital acquisition and processing of the telemetered data. Automatic processing includes discrimination between local and distant seismic events, earthquake location and magnitude computation, and source parameter determination for local earthquakes. The results are rapidly distributed via Internet, to several seismological services in Europe and USA, to be used in the association/confirmation procedures. Plans for new developments of the network include the upgrade from analog to digital telemetry and new stations for monitoring local seismicity. (authors)

Undersafe: Monitoring safety parameters in touristic mines and caves

Science.gov (United States)

Parcerisa, David; Sanmiquel, Lluís; Alfonso, Pura; Oliva, Josep

2014-05-01

Tourism is a key sector of the European economy, generating more than 5% of the EU GPD (Gross Domestic Product). Usually, underground touristic sites receive non-expert visitors; nevertheless these activities are poorly regulated or completely deregulated. Nowadays, safety is provided by underground expert professionals whom proceed to regular inspections and by basic safety infrastructures. Even with these measures, some potential personal and environmental dangers are always present and cannot be totally avoided. Therefore, there is a clear need of a new technological product for safety and environmental continuous monitoring of tourist underground attractions. So, the aim of the Undersafe project is to provide underground attractions with a novel and specifically tailored monitoring system, easy to use and maintain. One of the goals of the Undersafe project is to develop a rock falling detection based on a set of cost limited vibration sensors. Based on the technical needs, but with cost constraints, different types of potential sensors are considered: Underground microphone: It is placed in the surface or in the underground. It is based on the consideration that the impact of the stone generates a ground impact vibration which can be understood as a "noise" that is received by a microphone capsule. Airborne sound sensing microphone: It similarly applies to underground use of the microphones, but now the microphone is tested as for its traditional use (I.e. air sound detection). In such case, the microphone detects the environmental noise produced by the impact of the stone falling onto the ground, which will include the impact sound of the stone. Geophone: It is the de facto standard for ground vibrations. Although this technology was initially discarded due to its high cost, recently, low cost geophones have appeared in the market that allows its use inside the underground attractions. Accelerometers: These, can have enough sensibility to act as vibration

Single- and multi- component inversion of Rayleigh waves acquired by a single 3-component geophone: an illustrative case study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dal Moro, Giancarlo; Puzzilli, L.M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 4 (2017), s. 431-444 ISSN 1214-9705 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : surface wave analysis * Rayleigh wave dispersion * joint inversion * Vs30 Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure OBOR OECD: Volcanology Impact factor: 0.699, year: 2016

The sinkhole of Schmalkalden, Germany - Imaging of near-surface subrosion structures and faults

Science.gov (United States)

Wadas, Sonja H.; Tschache, Saskia; Polom, Ulrich; Krawczyk, Charlotte M.

2017-04-01

In November 2010 a sinkhole of 30 m diameter and 20 m depth opened in a residential area in the village Schmalkalden, Germany, which fortunately led to damage of buildings and property only. The collapse was caused by leaching of soluble rocks in the subsurface, called subrosion. For an improved understanding of the processes leading to subrosion and sinkhole development a detailed characterization of the subsurface structures and elastic parameters is required. We used shear wave reflection seismic, which has proven to be a suitable method for high-resolution imaging of the near-surface. The village Schmalkalden is located in southern Thuringia in Germany. Since the Upper Cretaceous the area is dominated by fault tectonics, fractures and joints, which increase the rock permeability. The circulating groundwater leaches the Permian saline deposits in the subsurface and forms upward migrating cavities, which can develop into sinkholes, if the overburden collapses. In the direct vicinity of the backfilled sinkhole, five 2-D shear wave reflection seismic profiles with total length of ca. 900 m and a zero-offset VSP down to 150 m depth were acquired. For the surface profiles a 120-channel landstreamer attached with horizontal geophones and an electrodynamic micro-vibrator, exciting horizontally polarized shear waves, were used. For the VSP survey an oriented borehole probe equipped with a 3C-geophone and electrodynamic and hydraulic vibrators, exciting compression- and shear waves, were utilized. The seismic sections show high-resolution images from the surface to ca. 100 m depth. They display heterogeneous structures as indicated by strong vertical and lateral variations of the reflectors. In the near-surface, depressions are visible and zones of low seismic velocities sinkhole. The VSP data shows anomalies of the Vp-Vs ratio with values above 2,5. This indicates unstable zones correlated with the anomalies revealed by the 2-D sections. Possible factors for the

Shear waves in near surface 3D media-SH-wavefield separation, refraction time migration and tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Woelz, Susanne; Rabbel, Wolfgang; Mueller, Christof

2009-05-01

When investigating topographically irregular layers in the near surface with shear waves, it is of particular importance to consider the 3D-nature of wave propagation. Depending on the layer geometry and on the spatial arrangement of source- and receiver-points significant lateral ray bending can occur causing side-swipe traveltime effects and complicated polarisation patterns. As an example we present a study where 3D-shear wave refraction measurements were applied in order to reconstruct the geometry of a silted ancient harbour basin at the archaeological site of Miletus (West Turkey). Seismic signals were generated with a three-component vector force and recorded with three-component geophones arranged in 2D-arrays of 1 m grid spacing. Since a correct identification of refracted S-wave arrivals is a precondition to traveltime interpretation we investigated a method to decompose these wavefields with respect to their polarisation and azimuth of propagation. Taking advantage of the 2D-geophone arrangement we applied the following processing approach: In case of general lateral heterogeneity a decomposition can be performed by applying the curl and divergence operations to the vector wavefields recorded in 2D-arrays. The separated tangential and normal components to the wavefront in a plane are finally enhanced by combining the different force components in order to eliminate the radiation characteristics of the source. The decomposed wavefield was then the basis for 3D-refractor imaging through a newly formulated map migration of the refracted traveltime field. This technique was developed to map coherent basement structure on the meter-scale. Supplemental tomographic inversion using the refractor topography model as input provided a plausible velocity model, exhibiting characteristic anomalies such as a prominent low velocity zone overlain by a high velocity layer in the refractor. The seismic velocity structure suggests that the harbour basin was locally filled

Underground structure characterization using motor vehicles as passive seismic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzma, H. A.; Liu, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Rector, J.; Vaidya, S.

2009-12-01

The ability to detect and characterize underground voids will be critical to the success of On-Site Inspections (OSI) as mandated by the nuclear Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). OSIs may be conducted in order to successfully locate the Ground Zero of underground tests as well as infrastructure related to testing. Recently, our team has shown the potential of a new technique to detect underground objects using the amplitude of seismic surface waves generated by motor vehicles. In an experiment conducted in June, 2009 we were able to detect an abandoned railroad tunnel by recognizing a clear pattern in the surface waves scattered by the tunnel, using a signal generated by driving a car on a dirt road across the tunnel. Synthetic experiments conducted using physically realistic wave-equation models further suggest that the technique can be readily applied to detecting underground features: it may be possible to image structures of importance to OSI simply by laying out an array of geophones (or using an array already in place for passive listening for event aftershocks) and driving vehicles around the site. We present evidence from a set of field experiments and from synthetic modeling and inversion studies to illustrate adaptations of the technique for OSI. Signature of an abandoned underground railroad tunnel at Donner Summit, CA. To produce this image, a line of geophones was placed along a dirt road perpendicular to the tunnel (black box) and a single car was driven along the road. A normalized mean power-spectrum is displayed on a log scale as a function of meters from the center of the tunnel. The top of the tunnel was 18m below ground surface. The tunnel anomaly is made up of a shadow (light) directly above the tunnel and amplitude build-up (dark) on either side of the tunnel. The size of the anomaly (6 orders of magnitude) suggests that the method can be extended to find deep structures at greater distances from the source and receivers.

High frequency noise studies at the Hartousov mofette area (CZE)

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Andreas; Flores-Estrella, Hortencia; Pommerencke, Julia; Umlauft, Josefine

2014-05-01

Ambient noise analysis has been used as a reliable tool to investigate sub-surface structures at seismological quiet regions with none or less specific seismic events. Here, we consider the acoustic signals from a single mofette at the Hartoušov area (CZE) as a noise-like high frequency source caused by multiple near surface degassing processes in a restricted location. From this assumption we have used different array geometries for recording at least one hour of continuous noise. We installed triangular arrays with 3 component geophones: the first deployment consisted on two co-centric triangles with side length of 30 and 50 m with the mofette in the center; the second deployment consisted on two triangular arrays, both with side length of 30 m, co-directional to the mofette. Furthermore, we also installed profiles with 24 channels and vertical geophones locating them in different positions with respect to the mofette. In this work, we present preliminary results from the data analysis dependent on the geometry, to show the characteristics of the noise wave-field referring to frequency content and propagation features, such as directionality and surface wave velocity. The spectral analysis shows that the energy is concentrated in a frequency band among 10 and 40 Hz. However, in this interval there is no evidence of any exclusive fundamental frequencies. From this, man-induced influences can be identified as intermittent signal peaks in narrow frequency bands and can be separated to receive the revised mofette wave-field record. The inversion of dispersive surface waves, that were detected by interferometric methods, provides a velocity model down to 12 m with an S-wave velocity between 160 and 180 m/s on the uppermost layer. Furthermore, the interferometric signal properties indicate that it is not possible to characterize the mofette as a punctual source, but rather as a conglomerate of multiple sources with time and location variations.

Bedload-surrogate monitoring technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, John R.; Laronne, Jonathan B.; Marr, Jeffrey D.G.

2010-01-01

Advances in technologies for quantifying bedload fluxes and in some cases bedload size distributions in rivers show promise toward supplanting traditional physical samplers and sampling methods predicated on the collection and analysis of physical bedload samples. Four workshops held from 2002 to 2007 directly or peripherally addressed bedload-surrogate technologies, and results from these workshops have been compiled to evaluate the state-of-the-art in bedload monitoring. Papers from the 2007 workshop are published for the first time with this report. Selected research and publications since the 2007 workshop also are presented. Traditional samplers used for some or all of the last eight decades include box or basket samplers, pan or tray samplers, pressure-difference samplers, and trough or pit samplers. Although still useful, the future niche of these devices may be as a means for calibrating bedload-surrogate technologies operating with active- and passive-type sensors, in many cases continuously and automatically at a river site. Active sensors include acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), sonar, radar, and smart sensors. Passive sensors include geophones (pipes or plates) in direct contact with the streambed, hydrophones deployed in the water column, impact columns, and magnetic detection. The ADCP for sand and geophones for gravel are currently the most developed techniques, several of which have been calibrated under both laboratory and field conditions. Although none of the bedload-surrogate technologies described herein are broadly accepted for use in large-scale monitoring programs, several are under evaluation. The benefits of verifying and operationally deploying selected bedload-surrogate monitoring technologies could be considerable, providing for more frequent and consistent, less expensive, and arguably more accurate bedload data obtained with reduced personal risk for use in managing the world's sedimentary resources. Twenty-six papers are

Shallow reflection seismic soundings in bedrock at Lavia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okko, Olli

1988-03-01

The well-studied granitic block at Lavia was one of the test sites of a shallow seismic development project. A portable digital seismograph and high frequency geophones were rented fro the field period. A sledge hamme and a drop weight were tested as wave sources. The sounding was carried out on outcropped area in order to record high frequency reflections from known subhorizontal fracture zones as shallow as 30 m. Large amplitude surface waves hide most of the shallow reflections, recognizable only on few traces in the data. The data processing carried out did not reveal the geometry of these reflectors. Events arriving after the ground roll were analyzed in 2-folded CDP-sections. The continuous reflective horizons in them correspond to lithological changes and fracture zones located deeper than 200 m in the bedrock

Artificial and natural electromagnetic signals revealed during two years in the Amare cave (Central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Plastino

1994-06-01

Full Text Available n 1990, some instrumentation was set up in the Amare cave (southern slope of the Gran Sasso chain, L'Aquila in order to pick up electric signals ranging from 0.3 to 300 kHz, magnetic signals from 0.3 to 30 kHz and seismoacoustic signals by means of three geophones with natural frequencies of 0.3 kHz, 25 kHz and 150 kHz. Data are recorded every ten minutes on a solid state memory. The analysis of the data allows us to establish the existence of electromagnetic fields of distant origin connected with broadcastings and with tropical lightning activity and the discontinuous presence of local electric and magnetic signals, coupled with seismoacoustic ones, connected with weather events. A qualitative explanation of these near fields is given.

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves

KAUST Repository

AlTheyab, Abdullah

2016-02-01

We present a migration method that does not require a velocity model to migrate backscattered surface waves to their projected locations on the surface. This migration method, denoted as natural migration, uses recorded Green\\'s functions along the surface instead of simulated Green\\'s functions. The key assumptions are that the scattering bodies are within the depth interrogated by the surface waves, and the Green\\'s functions are recorded with dense receiver sampling along the free surface. This natural migration takes into account all orders of multiples, mode conversions and non-linear effects of surface waves in the data. The natural imaging formulae are derived for both active source and ambient-noise data, and computer simulations show that natural migration can effectively image near-surface heterogeneities with typical ambient-noise sources and geophone distributions.

Obtaining changes in calibration-coil to seismometer output constants using sine waves

Science.gov (United States)

Ringler, Adam T.; Hutt, Charles R.; Gee, Lind S.; Sandoval, Leo D.; Wilson, David C.

2013-01-01

The midband sensitivity of a broadband seismometer is one of the most commonly used parameters from station metadata. Thus, it is critical for station operators to robustly estimate this quantity with a high degree of accuracy. We develop an in situ method for estimating changes in sensitivity using sine‐wave calibrations, assuming the calibration coil and its drive are stable over time and temperature. This approach has been used in the past for passive instruments (e.g., geophones) but has not been applied, to our knowledge, to derive sensitivities of modern force‐feedback broadband seismometers. We are able to detect changes in sensitivity to well within 1%, and our method is capable of detecting these sensitivity changes using any frequency of sine calibration within the passband of the instrument.

Suppression of 3D coherent noise by areal geophone array; Menteki jushinki array ni yoru sanjigen coherent noise no yokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murayama, R; Nakagami, K; Tanaka, H [Japan National Oil Corp., Tokyo (Japan). Technology Research Center

1996-05-01

For improving the quality of data collected by reflection seismic exploration, a lattice was deployed at one point of a traverse line, and the data therefrom were used to study the 3D coherent noise suppression effect of the areal array. The test was conducted at a Japan National Oil Corporation test field in Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture. The deployed lattice had 144 vibration receiving points arrayed at intervals of 8m composing an areal array, and 187 vibration generating points arrayed at intervals of 20m extending over 6.5km. Data was collected at the vibration receiving points in the lattice, each point acting independently from the others, and processed for the composition of a large areal array, with the said data from plural vibration receiving points added up therein. As the result of analysis of the records covering the data collected at the receiving points in the lattice, it is noted that an enlarged areal array leads to a higher S/N ratio and that different reflection waves are emphasized when the array direction is changed. 1 ref., 6 figs.

Ambient Field Analysis at Groningen Gas Field

Science.gov (United States)

Spica, Z.; Nakata, N.; Beroza, G. C.

2016-12-01

We analyze continuous ambient-field data at Groningen gas field (Netherlands) through cross-correlation processing. The Groningen array is composed of 75 shallow boreholes with 6 km spacing, which contain a 3C surface accelerometer and four 5-Hz 3C borehole geophones spaced at 50 m depth intervals. We successfully retrieve coherent waves from ambient seismic field on the 9 components between stations. Results show high SNR signal in the frequency range of 0.125-1 Hz, and the ZZ, ZR, RZ, RR and TT components show much stronger wave energy than other components as expected. This poster discuss the different type of waves retrieved, the utility of the combination of borehole and surface observations, future development as well as the importance to compute the 9 components of the Green's tensor to better understand the wave field propriety with ambient noise.

Parsimonious refraction interferometry

KAUST Repository

Hanafy, Sherif

2016-09-06

We present parsimonious refraction interferometry where a densely populated refraction data set can be obtained from just two shot gathers. The assumptions are that the first arrivals are comprised of head waves and direct waves, and a pair of reciprocal shot gathers is recorded over the line of interest. The refraction traveltimes from these reciprocal shot gathers can be picked and decomposed into O(N2) refraction traveltimes generated by N virtual sources, where N is the number of geophones in the 2D survey. This enormous increase in the number of virtual traveltime picks and associated rays, compared to the 2N traveltimes from the two reciprocal shot gathers, allows for increased model resolution and better condition numbers in the normal equations. Also, a reciprocal survey is far less time consuming than a standard refraction survey with a dense distribution of sources.

Advances in Rotational Seismic Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierson, Robert [Applied Technology Associates, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Laughlin, Darren [Applied Technology Associates, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Brune, Robert [Applied Technology Associates, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-10-19

Rotational motion is increasingly understood to be a significant part of seismic wave motion. Rotations can be important in earthquake strong motion and in Induced Seismicity Monitoring. Rotational seismic data can also enable shear selectivity and improve wavefield sampling for vertical geophones in 3D surveys, among other applications. However, sensor technology has been a limiting factor to date. The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Applied Technology Associates (ATA) are funding a multi-year project that is now entering Phase 2 to develop and deploy a new generation of rotational sensors for validation of rotational seismic applications. Initial focus is on induced seismicity monitoring, particularly for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) with fracturing. The sensors employ Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) principles with broadband response, improved noise floors, robustness, and repeatability. This paper presents a summary of Phase 1 results and Phase 2 status.

Parsimonious refraction interferometry

KAUST Repository

Hanafy, Sherif; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

We present parsimonious refraction interferometry where a densely populated refraction data set can be obtained from just two shot gathers. The assumptions are that the first arrivals are comprised of head waves and direct waves, and a pair of reciprocal shot gathers is recorded over the line of interest. The refraction traveltimes from these reciprocal shot gathers can be picked and decomposed into O(N2) refraction traveltimes generated by N virtual sources, where N is the number of geophones in the 2D survey. This enormous increase in the number of virtual traveltime picks and associated rays, compared to the 2N traveltimes from the two reciprocal shot gathers, allows for increased model resolution and better condition numbers in the normal equations. Also, a reciprocal survey is far less time consuming than a standard refraction survey with a dense distribution of sources.

An evaluation of applicability of seismic refraction method in identifying shallow archaeological features A case study at archaeological site

Science.gov (United States)

Jahangardi, Morteza; Hafezi Moghaddas, Naser; Keivan Hosseini, Sayyed; Garazhian, Omran

2015-04-01

We applied the seismic refraction method at archaeological site, Tepe Damghani located in Sabzevar, NE of Iran, in order to determine the structures of archaeological interests. This pre-historical site has special conditions with respect to geographical location and geomorphological setting, so it is an urban archaeological site, and in recent years it has been used as an agricultural field. In spring and summer of 2012, the third season of archaeological excavation was carried out. Test trenches of excavations in this site revealed that cultural layers were often disturbed adversely due to human activities such as farming and road construction in recent years. Conditions of archaeological cultural layers in southern and eastern parts of Tepe are slightly better, for instance, in test trench 3×3 m²1S03, third test trench excavated in the southern part of Tepe, an adobe in situ architectural structure was discovered that likely belongs to cultural features of a complex with 5 graves. After conclusion of the third season of archaeological excavation, all of the test trenches were filled with the same soil of excavated test trenches. Seismic refraction method was applied with12 channels of P geophones in three lines with a geophone interval of 0.5 meter and a 1.5 meter distance between profiles on test trench 1S03. The goal of this operation was evaluation of applicability of seismic method in identification of archaeological features, especially adobe wall structures. Processing of seismic data was done with the seismic software, SiesImager. Results were presented in the form of seismic section for every profile, so that identification of adobe wall structures was achieved hardly. This could be due to that adobe wall had been built with the same materials of the natural surrounding earth. Thus, there is a low contrast and it has an inappropriate effect on seismic processing and identifying of archaeological features. Hence the result could be that application of

Microseismic Monitoring Using Sparse Surface Network of Broadband Instruments: Western Canada Shale Play Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Yenier, E.; Baturan, D.; Karimi, S.

2016-12-01

Monitoring of seismicity related to oil and gas operations is routinely performed nowadays using a number of different surface and downhole seismic array configurations and technologies. Here, we provide a hydraulic fracture (HF) monitoring case study that compares the data set generated by a sparse local surface network of broadband seismometers to a data set generated by a single downhole geophone string. Our data was collected during a 5-day single-well HF operation, by a temporary surface network consisting of 10 stations deployed within 5 km of the production well. The downhole data was recorded by a 20 geophone string deployed in an observation well located 15 m from the production well. Surface network data processing included standard STA/LTA event triggering enhanced by template-matching subspace detection, grid search locations which was improved using the double-differencing re-location technique, as well as Richter (ML) and moment (Mw) magnitude computations for all detected events. In addition, moment tensors were computed from first motion polarities and amplitudes for the subset of highest SNR events. The resulting surface event catalog shows a very weak spatio-temporal correlation to HF operations with only 43% of recorded seismicity occurring during HF stages times. This along with source mechanisms shows that the surface-recorded seismicity delineates the activation of several pre-existing structures striking NNE-SSW and consistent with regional stress conditions as indicated by the orientation of SHmax. Comparison of the sparse-surface and single downhole string datasets allows us to perform a cost-benefit analysis of the two monitoring methods. Our findings show that although the downhole array recorded ten times as many events, the surface network provides a more coherent delineation of the underlying structure and more accurate magnitudes for larger magnitude events. We attribute this to the enhanced focal coverage provided by the surface

The planning of a passive seismic experiment: the Ketzin case

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, G.; Petronio, L.

2009-04-01

In the last years, it has been recognized the importance of using microseismic activity data to gain information on the state and dynamics of a reservoir, notwithstanding the difficulties of recording, localizing the events, interpret them correctly, in terms of developing fractures, or thermal effects. The increasing number of CO2 storage experiments, with the necessity of providing efficient, economic, and long-term monitoring methods, both in the injection and post-injection phases, further encourage the development and improvement of recording and processing techniques. Microseismic signals are typically recorded with downhole sensors. Monitoring with surface sensors is problematic due to increased noise levels and signal attenuation particularly in the near surface. The actual detection distance depends on background noise conditions, seismic attenuation and the microseismic source strength. In the frame of the European project Co2ReMoVe and of the European Network of Excellence Co2GeoNet, a passive seismic experiment was planned in the Ketzin site for geological storage of CO2, a former gas store near Potsdam, object of the CO2SINK European project and inserted also in the European project Co2ReMoVe. Aim of the survey is to complement the CO2-SINK active seismic downhole experiments, adding precious information on the microseismicity induced by stress field changes at the reservoir level and in the overburden, due to the CO2 injection. The baseline survey was done in May 2008 by the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale-OGS (Italy), with the support of the Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum-GFZ (Germany) and the collaboration of the Institut für Geowissenschaftliche Gemeinschaftsaufgaben-GGA (Germany), shortly before the starting of the CO2 injection (June 30th 2008). A continuous monitoring (about 5 days) was performed by 2 downhole 3C geophones, and 3 surface 3C geophones located around the wells. This paper, based on the analysis of

Deriving Geomechanical Constraints from Microseismic Monitoring Demonstrated with Data from the Decatur CO2 Sequestration Site

Science.gov (United States)

Goertz-Allmann, B. P.; Oye, V.

2015-12-01

The occurrence of induced and triggered microseismicity is of increasing concern to the general public. The underlying human causes are numerous and include hydrocarbon production and geological storage of CO2. The concerns of induced seismicity are the potential hazards from large seismic events and the creation of fluid pathways. However, microseismicity is also a unique tool to gather information about real-time changes in the subsurface, a fact generally ignored by the public. The ability to detect, locate and characterize microseismic events, provides a snapshot of the stress conditions within and around a geological reservoir. In addition, data on rapid stress changes (i.e. microseismic events) can be used as input to hydro-mechanical models, often used to map fluid propagation. In this study we investigate the impact of microseismic event location accuracy using surface seismic stations in addition to downhole geophones. Due to signal-to-noise conditions and the small magnitudes inherent in microseismicity, downhole systems detect significantly more events with better precision of phase arrival times than surface networks. However, downhole systems are often limited in their ability to obtain large enough observational apertures required for accurate locations. We therefore jointly locate the largest microseismic events using surface and downhole data. This requires careful evaluation in the weighting of input data when inverting for the event location. For the smaller events only observed on the downhole geophones, we define event clusters using waveform cross-correlation methods. We apply this methodology to microseismic data collected in the Illinois Basin-Decatur Project. A previous study revealed over 10,000 events detected by the downhole sensors. In our analysis, we include up to 12 surface sensors, installed by the USGS. The weighting scheme for this assembly of data needs to take into account significant uncertainties in the near-surface velocity

Penn State geoPebble system: Design,Implementation, and Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

Urbina, J. V.; Anandakrishnan, S.; Bilen, S. G.; Fleishman, A.; Burkett, P.

2014-12-01

The Penn State geoPebble system is a new network of wirelessly interconnected seismic and GPS sensor nodes with flexible architecture. This network will be used for studies of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, as well as to investigate mountain glaciers. The network will consist of ˜150 geoPebbles that can be deployed in a user-defined spatial geometry. We present our design methodology, which has enabled us to develop these state-of- the art sensors using commercial-off-the-shelf hardware combined with custom-designed hardware and software. Each geoPebble is a self- contained, wirelessly connected sensor for collecting seismic measurements and position information. Key elements of each node encompasses a three-component seismic recorder, which includes an amplifier, filter, and 24- bit analog-to-digital converter that can sample up to 10 kHz. Each unit also includes a microphone channel to record the ground-coupled airwave. The timing for each node is available from GPS measurements and a local precision oscillator that is conditioned by the GPS timing pulses. In addition, we record the carrier-phase measurement of the L1 GPS signal in order to determine location at sub-decimeter accuracy (relative to other geoPebbles within a few kilometers radius). Each geoPebble includes 16 GB of solid-state storage, wireless communications capability to a central supervisory unit, and auxiliary measurements capability (including tilt from accelerometers, absolute orientation from magnetometers and temperature). A novel aspect of the geoPebble is a wireless charging system for the internal battery (using inductive coupling techniques). The geoPebbles include all the sensors (geophones, GPS, microphone), communications (WiFi), and power (battery and charging) internally, so the geoPebble system can operate without any cabling connections (though we do provide an external connector so that different geophones can be used). We report initial field-deployment results and

Ambient Noise Tomography at Regional and Local Scales in Southern California using Rayleigh Wave Phase Dispersion and Ellipticity

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, E.; Lin, F. C.; Qiu, H.; Wang, Y.; Allam, A. A.; Clayton, R. W.; Ben-Zion, Y.

2017-12-01

Rayleigh waves extracted from cross-correlations of ambient seismic noise have proven useful in imaging the shallow subsurface velocity structure. In contrast to phase velocities, which are sensitive to slightly deeper structure, Rayleigh wave ellipticity (H/V ratios) constrains the uppermost crust. We conduct Rayleigh wave ellipticity and phase dispersion measurements in Southern California between 6 and 18 second periods, computed from multi-component ambient noise cross-correlations using 315 stations across the region in 2015. Because of the complimentary sensitivity of phase velocity and H/V, this method enables simple and accurate resolution of near-surface geological features from the surface to 20km depth. We compare the observed H/V ratios and phase velocities to predictions generated from the current regional models (SCEC UCVM), finding strong correspondence where the near-surface structure is well-resolved by the models. This includes high H/V ratios in the LA Basin, Santa Barbara Basin and Salton Trough; and low ratios in the San Gabriel, San Jacinto and southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Disagreements in regions such as the Western Transverse Ranges, Salton Trough, San Jacinto and Elsinore fault zones motivate further work to improve the community models. A new updated 3D isotropic model of the area is derived via a joint inversion of Rayleigh phase dispersions and H/V ratios. Additionally, we examine azimuthal dependence of the H/V ratio to ascertain anisotropy patterns for each station. Clear 180º periodicity is observed for many stations suggesting strong shallow anisotropy across the region including up to 20% along the San Andreas fault, 15% along the San Jacinto Fault and 25% in the LA Basin. To better resolve basin structures, we apply similar techniques to three dense linear geophone arrays in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino basins. The three arrays are composed by 50-125 three-component 5Hz geophones deployed for one month each with 15-25km

Seismic reflection response from cross-correlations of ambient vibrations on non-conventional hidrocarbon reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Huerta, F. V.; Granados, I.; Aguirre, J.; Carrera, R. Á.

2017-12-01

Nowadays, in hydrocarbon industry, there is a need to optimize and reduce exploration costs in the different types of reservoirs, motivating the community specialized in the search and development of alternative exploration geophysical methods. This study show the reflection response obtained from a shale gas / oil deposit through the method of seismic interferometry of ambient vibrations in combination with Wavelet analysis and conventional seismic reflection techniques (CMP & NMO). The method is to generate seismic responses from virtual sources through the process of cross-correlation of records of Ambient Seismic Vibrations (ASV), collected in different receivers. The seismic response obtained is interpreted as the response that would be measured in one of the receivers considering a virtual source in the other. The acquisition of ASV records was performed in northern of Mexico through semi-rectangular arrays of multi-component geophones with instrumental response of 10 Hz. The in-line distance between geophones was 40 m while in cross-line was 280 m, the sampling used during the data collection was 2 ms and the total duration of the records was 6 hours. The results show the reflection response of two lines in the in-line direction and two in the cross-line direction for which the continuity of coherent events have been identified and interpreted as reflectors. There is certainty that the events identified correspond to reflections because the time-frequency analysis performed with the Wavelet Transform has allowed to identify the frequency band in which there are body waves. On the other hand, the CMP and NMO techniques have allowed to emphasize and correct the reflection response obtained during the correlation processes in the frequency band of interest. The results of the processing and analysis of ASV records through the seismic interferometry method have allowed us to see interesting results in light of the cross-correlation process in combination with

Correlation of Geophysical and Geotechnical Methods for Sediment Mapping in Sungai Batu, Kedah

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, M. T.; Taib, A.; Saidin, M. M.; Saad, R.; Muztaza, N. M.; Masnan, S. S. K.

2018-04-01

Exploration geophysics is widely used to map the subsurface characteristics of a region, to understand the underlying rock structures and spatial distribution of rock units. 2-D resistivity and seismic refraction methods were conducted in Sungai Batu locality with objective to identify and map the sediment deposit with correlation of borehole record. 2-D resistivity data was acquire using ABEM SAS4000 system with Pole-dipole array and 2.5 m minimum electrode spacing while for seismic refraction ABEM MK8 seismograph was used to record the seismic data and 5 kg sledgehammer used as a seismic source with geophones interval of 5 m spacing. The inversion model of 2-D resistivity result shows that, the resistivity values 500 Ωm as the hard layer for this study area. The seismic result indicates that the velocity values 3600 m/s interpreted as the hard layer in this locality.

A hands-on course in sensors using the Arduino and Raspberry Pi

CERN Document Server

Ziemann, Volker

2018-01-01

A Hands-On Course in Sensors using the Arduino and Raspberry Pi is the first book to give a practical and wide-ranging account of how to interface sensors and actuators with micro-controllers, Raspberry Pi and other control systems. The author describes the progression of raw signals through conditioning stages, digitization, data storage and presentation. The collection, processing, and understanding of sensor data plays a central role in industrial and scientific activities. This book builds simplified models of large industrial or scientific installations that contain hardware and other building blocks, including services for databases, web servers, control systems, and messaging brokers. A range of case studies are included within the book, including a weather station, geophones, a water-colour monitor, capacitance measurement, the profile of laser beam, and a remote-controlled and fire-seeking robot This book is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking hands-on laboratory course...

Mapping Inherited Fractures in the Critical Zone Using Seismic Anisotropy From Circular Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Novitsky, Christopher G.; Holbrook, W. Steven; Carr, Bradley J.; Pasquet, Sylvain; Okaya, David; Flinchum, Brady A.

2018-04-01

Weathering and hydrological processes in Earth's shallow subsurface are influenced by inherited bedrock structures, such as bedding planes, faults, joints, and fractures. However, these structures are difficult to observe in soil-mantled landscapes. Steeply dipping structures with a dominant orientation are detectable by seismic anisotropy, with fast wave speeds along the strike of structures. We measured shallow ( 2-4 m) seismic anisotropy using "circle shots," geophones deployed in a circle around a central shot point, in a weathered granite terrain in the Laramie Range of Wyoming. The inferred remnant fracture orientations agree with brittle fracture orientations measured at tens of meters depth in boreholes, demonstrating that bedrock fractures persist through the weathering process into the shallow critical zone. Seismic anisotropy positively correlates with saprolite thickness, suggesting that inherited bedrock fractures may control saprolite thickness by providing preferential pathways for corrosive meteoric waters to access the deep critical zone.

IDENTIFYING ROOF FALL PREDICTORS USING FUZZY CLASSIFICATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertoncini, C. A.; Hinders, M. K.

2010-01-01

Microseismic monitoring involves placing geophones on the rock surfaces of a mine to record seismic activity. Classification of microseismic mine data can be used to predict seismic events in a mine to mitigate mining hazards, such as roof falls, where properly bolting and bracing the roof is often an insufficient method of preventing weak roofs from destabilizing. In this study, six months of recorded acoustic waveforms from microseismic monitoring in a Pennsylvania limestone mine were analyzed using classification techniques to predict roof falls. Fuzzy classification using features selected for computational ease was applied on the mine data. Both large roof fall events could be predicted using a Roof Fall Index (RFI) metric calculated from the results of the fuzzy classification. RFI was successfully used to resolve the two significant roof fall events and predicted both events by at least 15 hours before visual signs of the roof falls were evident.

Crustal structure in the southern part of Central Java based on analysis of tele-seismic receiver function using a neighbourhood algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Ariyanto, P.; Syuhada; Rosid, S.; Anggono, T.; Januarti, Y.

2018-03-01

In this study, we applied receiver functions analysis to determine the crustal thickness, the ratio of Vp/Vs and the S wave velocity in the southern part of the Central Java. We selected tele-seismic data with magnitude more than 6 (M>6) and epicenter distance 30°-90° recorded from 3 broadband stations: UGM, YOGI, and WOJI station, as part of Indonesia-Geophone Network (IA-GE). Inversions were performed using nonlinear Neighborhood Algorithm (NA). We observed Ps phase conversion on the receiver functions corresponding to Moho depth at around 36-39 km. We also observed strong negative phase arrivals at around 10-12 s which might be associated with Indo-Australian subducting slab underneath the stations. The inversion results show the presence of low velocity zone with high Vp/Vs ratio (>1.78) in the middle crust around the study area which could be related to the Merapi-Lawu Anomaly (MLA).

Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiment 1 (SPE-1), Nevada National Security Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Townsend, Margaret [NSTec; Mercadente, Jennifer [NSTec

2014-04-28

The first Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-1) was conducted in May 2011. The explosive source was a ~100-kilogram TNT-equivalent chemical set at a depth of 60 meters. It was recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 meters) and far-field (more than 100 meters) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes around the shot and a set of singlecomponent vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network comprised a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 meters to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the first Source Physics Experiment and the various types of near-field and far-field data that are available.

Comparison of seismic sources for shallow seismic: sledgehammer and pyrotechnics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brom Aleksander

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The pyrotechnic materials are one of the types of the explosives materials which produce thermal, luminous or sound effects, gas, smoke and their combination as a result of a self-sustaining chemical reaction. Therefore, pyrotechnics can be used as a seismic source that is designed to release accumulated energy in a form of seismic wave recorded by tremor sensors (geophones after its passage through the rock mass. The aim of this paper was to determine the utility of pyrotechnics for shallow seismic engineering. The work presented comparing the conventional method of seismic wave excitation for seismic refraction method like plate and hammer and activating of firecrackers on the surface. The energy released by various sources and frequency spectra was compared for the two types of sources. The obtained results did not determine which sources gave the better results but showed very interesting aspects of using pyrotechnics in seismic measurements for example the use of pyrotechnic materials in MASW.

Mini-Sosie - a new concept in high-resolution seismic surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiles, C J

1977-12-01

Mini-Sosie is a new approach to high-resolution reflection seismics using a nondynamite source. The basic principles is to use an ordinary earth tamper to produce a long duration pseudo-random input pulse train. Returning signals from suitable geophone arrays are decoded in real time by crosscorrelation with the reference signal recorded from a source-sensor attached to the tamper plate. Relatively weak signals are stacked until sufficient amplitude is obtained; most noise is phased out during the decoding process while in-phase seismic events are added, resulting in good signal-to-noise ratios. The resulting output is the standard field seismogram. The source is relatively quiet and surface damage is insignificant thereby avoiding environmental restrictions. Mini-Sosie is especially useful for shallow investigation to one second (two-way time) and has a wide range of applications from shallow oil and gas exploration, coal, and hard mineral exploration to hydrology and engineering studies.

Reflection seismic methods applied to locating fracture zones in crystalline rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juhlin, C.

1998-01-01

The reflection seismic method is a potentially powerful tool for identifying and localising fracture zones in crystalline rock if used properly. Borehole sonic logs across fracture zones show that they have reduced P-wave velocities compared to the surrounding intact rock. Diagnostically important S-wave velocity log information across the fracture zones is generally lacking. Generation of synthetic reflection seismic data and subsequent processing of these data show that structures dipping up towards 70 degrees from horizontal can be reliably imaged using surface seismic methods. Two real case studies where seismic reflection methods have been used to image fracture zones in crystalline rock are presented. Two examples using reflection seismic are presented. The first is from the 5354 m deep SG-4 borehole in the Middle Urals, Russia where strong seismic reflectors dipping from 25 to 50 degrees are observed on surface seismic reflection data crossing over the borehole. On vertical seismic profile data acquired in the borehole, the observed P-wave reflectivity is weak from these zones, however, strong converted P to S waves are observed. This can be explained by the source of the reflectors being fracture zones with a high P wave to S wave velocity ratio compared to the surrounding rock resulting in a high dependence on the angle of incidence for the reflection coefficient. A high P wave to S wave velocity ratio (high Poisson's ratio) is to be expected in fluid filled fractured rock. The second case is from Aevroe, SE Sweden, where two 1 km long crossing high resolution seismic reflection lines were acquired in October 1996. An E-W line was shot with 5 m geophone and shotpoint spacing and a N-S one with 10 m geophone and shotpoint spacing. An explosive source with a charge size of 100 grams was used along both lines. The data clearly image three major dipping reflectors in the upper 200 ms (600 m). The dipping ones intersect or project to the surface at/or close to

Crustal structure in the Kiruna area, northern Sweden, based on seismic reflection profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Juhojuntti, Niklas; Bergman, Stefan; Olsson, Sverker

2013-04-01

Northernmost Sweden is currently one of the most active mining areas in Europe. In order to better understand the regional three-dimensional crustal structure and to support deep ore exploration, we have acquired a 74 km long seismic reflection profile in the Kiruna area. The upper crust in this area is largely composed of various supracrustal units, which are dominated by metabasalts, acidic metavolcanics and clastic metasedimentary rocks, resting on an Archaean metagranitoid complex. All of these units have been intruded by plutonic rocks, and to variable degrees folded, sheared and metamorphosed, during the Svecokarelian orogeny. The profile crosses several steep ductile shear zones, some of which extend for hundreds of kilometres along strike. Many of the lithological contacts and deformation zones are expected to be seismically reflective. The profile is located only a few kilometres from the world's largest underground iron-ore mine in Kiruna, and closer to the profile there are several known ore bodies, some of which are active exploration targets. For the seismic recording we used approximately 350 geophones in split-spread configuration, at a separation of 25 m. The main seismic source was the Vibsist system (an impact source), which normally was employed at every geophone station. We also fired explosive charges (8-16 kg) at a few locations distributed along the profile to image deeper structures, although at very low resolution. Wireless seismometers were placed along and to the side of the profile, mainly in order to achieve better velocity control and to study out-of-the-plane reflections. Some mining blasts in Kiruna were also recorded. The upper crust in the area is quite reflective, most clearly demonstrated by the dynamite shot records. Some of the reflections appear to originate from steeply dipping structures. The dynamite shot records show a set of reflections at 3-4 s twt, corresponding to a depth of roughly 10 km, the explanation for which is

) Increasing Seismic Resolution in a River Delta Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akubelem, E.C.; De Bruin, J. A.

2003-01-01

Increasing the seismic frequency band on the high frequency side during field seismic data acquisition has always been an important, but difficult goal. An increase in frequency band will improve the resolution and accuracy of the data and have a significant impact on our success in finding and significant impact on our success in finding and developing oil and gas reservoirs. It will for example make it easier to resolve thin beds within a reservoir, therein giving a better handle on volumetrics, and enable better well positioning.An experiment was recently carried out by the SPDC with the aim to extending the seismic frequency band on the high frequency side. If the experiment was successful, it was hoped that seismic acquisition in most of the company's acreage in the Niger Delta and in similar terrain elsewhere on the globe would then adopt the approach. As is well known, the surface layer in the field is generally unconsolidated and has the effect of filtering out high frequencies. In this experiment; the seismic sources and receivers were buried below the thin weathered surface layer, thus avoiding this filtering effect. In this way it was possible to retain higher frequencies and thereby obtain a higher resolution image of the subsurface.There were also some other additional advantages of the approach. Only one geophone was used per station, instead of eighteen, as is traditionally the case in routine work. Recording using the new set-up could continue uninterruptedly during rain, which in big operations will result in a considerable reduction of downtime. Additionally, buried geophones can either be retrieved and used again, or left behind for the purpose of 4D data acquisition in the future.The present experiment has provided some very encouraging results. In the first 2.5 seconds, a better resolution was indeed obtained as was hoped. At deeper levels however, the data quality was found to deteriorate. This aspect of the result now needs to be investigated

Opportunities and pitfalls in surface-wave interpretation

KAUST Repository

Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-21

Many explorationists think of surface waves as the most damaging noise in land seismic data. Thus, much effort is spent in designing geophone arrays and filtering methods that attenuate these noisy events. It is now becoming apparent that surface waves can be a valuable ally in characterizing the near-surface geology. This review aims to find out how the interpreter can exploit some of the many opportunities available in surface waves recorded in land seismic data. For example, the dispersion curves associated with surface waves can be inverted to give the S-wave velocity tomogram, the common-offset gathers can reveal the presence of near-surface faults or velocity anomalies, and back-scattered surface waves can be migrated to detect the location of near-surface faults. However, the main limitation of surface waves is that they are typically sensitive to S-wave velocity variations no deeper than approximately half to one-third the dominant wavelength. For many exploration surveys, this limits the depth of investigation to be no deeper than approximately 0.5-1.0 km.

Faults survey by 3D reflection seismics; Sanjigen hanshaho jishin tansa ni yoru danso chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuchiya, T; Ejiri, T; Yamada, N; Narita, N; Aso, H; Takano, H; Matsumura, M [Dia Consultants Company, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-01

This paper describes fault survey by 3D seismic reflection exploration. Survey has been conducted mainly at flat land area without pavement not in urban area in Japan. Subsurface structure is complicated with intersecting multiple faults. In this area, a lot of geological investigations have been done prior to the seismic reflection exploration. Fairly certain images of faults have been obtained. However, there were still unknown structures. Survey was conducted at an area of 170m{times}280m in the CDP range. Measurements were carried out by using 100 g of dynamite per seismic generation point combined with 40 Hz velocity geophones. Fixed distribution consisting of lattice points of 12{times}12 was adopted as an observation method. In and around the lattice, a great number of explosions were carried out. The CDP stacking method and the method of migration after stacking were used for the data processing. The 3D structures of six horizons and five faults could be interpreted. Interpreted horizons were well agreed with the logging results. 3 figs.

Air launch wireless sensor nodes (ALSN) for battle damage assessment (BDA)

Science.gov (United States)

Back, Jason M.; Beck, Steven D.; Frank, Mark A.; Hoenes, Eric

2006-05-01

This paper summarizes the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) sponsored development and demonstration of an Air Launched Sensor Node (ALSN) system designed to fill DTRA's immediate need to support the Global Strike requirement of weapon-borne deliverable sensors for Battle Damage Assessment (BDA). Unattended ground sensors were integrated into a CBU-103 Tactical Munitions Dispenser (TMD), and flight test demonstrated with the 46 th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, FL. The objectives of the ALSN program were to repackage an existing multi-sensor node system to conform to the payload envelope and deployment configuration design; to integrate this payload into the CBU-103 TMD; and to conduct a combined payload flight test demonstration. The final sensor node included multiple sensors a microphone, a geophone, and multiple directional Passive Infrared (PIR) detectors with processing electronics, a low power wireless communications 802.15.4 mesh network, GPS (Global Positioning System), and power integrated into a form-fit BLU-97 munitions deployable package. This paper will present and discuss the flight test, results, and ALSN performance.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume V S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted S-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-06-06

Velocity measurements in shallow sediments from ground surface to approximately 370 to 400 feet bgs were collected by Redpath Geophysics using impulsive S- and P-wave seismic sources (Redpath 2007). Measurements below this depth within basalt and sedimentary interbeds were made by UTA between October and December 2006 using the T-Rex vibratory seismic source in each of the three boreholes. Results of these measurements including seismic records, wave-arrival identifications and interpreted velocity profiles are presented in the following six volumes: I. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 II. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 III. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 IV. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 V. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 VI. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 In this volume (V), all S-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4996 at the WTP with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver.

Deep Downhole Seismic Testing at the Waste Treatment Plant Site, Hanford, WA. Volume VI S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 Seismic Records, Wave-Arrival Identifications and Interpreted S-Wave Velocity Profile.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stokoe, Kenneth H.; Li, Song Cheng; Cox, Brady R.; Menq, Farn-Yuh

2007-06-06

Velocity measurements in shallow sediments from ground surface to approximately 370 to 400 feet bgs were collected by Redpath Geophysics using impulsive S- and P-wave seismic sources (Redpath 2007). Measurements below this depth within basalt and sedimentary interbeds were made by UTA between October and December 2006 using the T-Rex vibratory seismic source in each of the three boreholes. Results of these measurements including seismic records, wave-arrival identifications and interpreted velocity profiles are presented in the following six volumes: I. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 II. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 III. P-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 IV. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4993 V. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4996 VI. S-Wave Measurements in Borehole C4997 In this volume (VI), all S-wave measurements are presented that were performed in Borehole C4997 at the WTP with T-Rex as the seismic source and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) 3-D wireline geophone as the at-depth borehole receiver.

Opportunities and pitfalls in surface-wave interpretation

KAUST Repository

Schuster, Gerard T.; Li, Jing; Lu, Kai; Metwally, Ahmed Mohsen Hassan; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Hanafy, Sherif

2017-01-01

Many explorationists think of surface waves as the most damaging noise in land seismic data. Thus, much effort is spent in designing geophone arrays and filtering methods that attenuate these noisy events. It is now becoming apparent that surface waves can be a valuable ally in characterizing the near-surface geology. This review aims to find out how the interpreter can exploit some of the many opportunities available in surface waves recorded in land seismic data. For example, the dispersion curves associated with surface waves can be inverted to give the S-wave velocity tomogram, the common-offset gathers can reveal the presence of near-surface faults or velocity anomalies, and back-scattered surface waves can be migrated to detect the location of near-surface faults. However, the main limitation of surface waves is that they are typically sensitive to S-wave velocity variations no deeper than approximately half to one-third the dominant wavelength. For many exploration surveys, this limits the depth of investigation to be no deeper than approximately 0.5-1.0 km.

Laboratory coupling tests for optimum land streamer design over sand dunes surface

KAUST Repository

Almalki, Hashim

2012-02-26

The cost of data acquisition in land is becoming a major issue as we strive to cover larger areas with seismic surveys at high resolution. Over sand dunes the problem is compounded by the week coupling obtain using geophones, which often forces us to bury the phone. A major challenge is designing such a land streamer system that combines durability, mobility and the required coupling. We share a couple of such designs and discuss the merits behind such designs and test their capability. The testing includes, the level of coupling, mobility and drag over sand surfaces. For specific designs loose sand can accumulate inside the steamer reducing its mobility. On the other hand, poor coupling will attenuate the high frequencies and cause an effective delay in the signal. The weight of the streamer is also an important factor in both mobility and coupling as it adds to the coupling it reduces the mobility of the streamer. We study the impact of weight and base plate surface area on the seismic signal quality, as well as the friction factor of different designs.

Parsimonious Refraction Interferometry and Tomography

KAUST Repository

Hanafy, Sherif

2017-02-04

We present parsimonious refraction interferometry and tomography where a densely populated refraction data set can be obtained from two reciprocal and several infill shot gathers. The assumptions are that the refraction arrivals are head waves, and a pair of reciprocal shot gathers and several infill shot gathers are recorded over the line of interest. Refraction traveltimes from these shot gathers are picked and spawned into O(N2) virtual refraction traveltimes generated by N virtual sources, where N is the number of geophones in the 2D survey. The virtual traveltimes can be inverted to give the velocity tomogram. This enormous increase in the number of traveltime picks and associated rays, compared to the many fewer traveltimes from the reciprocal and infill shot gathers, allows for increased model resolution and a better condition number with the system of normal equations. A significant benefit is that the parsimonious survey and the associated traveltime picking is far less time consuming than that for a standard refraction survey with a dense distribution of sources.

Surface and body waves from surface and underground explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusubov, A.S.

1976-06-01

The characteristics of surface and ground waves were recorded for surface and underground explosions up to 100 tons and 40 kt in magnitude, respectively, and a preliminary analysis of these results is presented. The experiments were conducted at NTS in the Yucca Flats, Nevada. Ground motions were detected with triaxial geophones along seismic lines extending up to 16 miles from the point of explosions. A comparison of Rayleigh waves generated by surface and underground explosions in the same lake bed is presented indicating a very different behavior of surface and ground waves from the two types of explosions. The magnitude of the transverse wave for surface shots was smaller by a factor of two than its longitudinal counterpart. The dependence of apparent periods on the blast energy was not apparent at a fixed distance from the explosions. Changes in the apparent period with distance for both types of explosion are compared indicating a strong layering effect of the lake bed. The ground motion study was complimented by excavation of cavities generated by the explosions

Determination of bedrock depth at Faculty of Medicine Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta by using seismic refraction method

Science.gov (United States)

Pridasiwi, A. T.; Legowo, B.; Koesuma, S.

2018-03-01

The study of determination of bedrock depth has been done at Faculty of Medicine Sebelas Maret University Surakarta using seismic refraction method. The study was conducted on 3 lines using seismograph PASI type 16S24-P with spread length of 46 meters, interval between geophone 2 meters, 5 shots in each spread. Data processing is done using WinSism11.6 software and intercept time calculation method. Results of seismic data processing obtained 2 dimensions interpretation of 3 layers structure. In the first line, the P wave velocity (600-2000) m/s with the depth of 11 meters, the second line (400-2000) m/s with the depth of 11 meters and the third line (600-2000) m/s with the depth of 7 meters. Based on the P wave velocity that have been correlated with the drill data, the rock lithology of the 3 lines are consist of top soil, sand with silt and clay (massif). It was concluded that bedrock lies at depth 11 meters.

Seismic monitoring of ground caving processes associated with longwall mining of coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatherly, P.; Luo, X.; Dixon, R.; McKavanagh, B.

1997-01-01

At the Gordonstone Coal Mine in Central Queensland, Australia, a microseismic monitoring study was undertaken to investigate the extent of ground failure caused by longwall mining. Twenty seven triaxial geophones were deployed in three vertical boreholes and over a six week period more than 1200 events were recorded. The seismicity correlated with periods of longwall production and occurred mainly within the 250 m wide mining panel. There was an arcuate zone of activity which extended from behind the face, at the sides of the panel and up to 70 m ahead of the face in the middle. There was lesser activity to a depth of about 30 m into the floor. The focal mechanisms show that reverse faulting was dominant. The presence of activity and reverse faulting ahead of the face was an unexpected result. However, piezometer readings at the time of the study and subsequent numerical modelling have supported this finding. This was the first detailed microseismic monitoring study of caving in an Australian underground coal mine. 9 refs., 6 figs

Investigation of Fault Zones In The Penninic Gneiss Complex of The Swiss Central Alps Using Tomograhic Inversion of The Seismic Wavefield Along Tunnels

Science.gov (United States)

Giese, R.; Klose, C.; Otto, P.; Selke, C.; Borm, G.

Underground seismic investigations have been carried out since March 2000 in the Faido adit of the Gotthard Base Tunnel (Switzerland) and the Piora exploration adit. Both adits cut metamorphic rock formations of the Leventina and Lucomagno Gneiss Complexes. The seismic measurements in the Faido Adit were carried out every 200 m during the excavation work with the Integrated Seismic Imaging System (ISIS) developed by the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam in cooperation with Amberg Measuring Technique, Switzerland. This system provides high resolution seismic images via an array of stan- dard anchor rods containing 3D-geophones which can be installed routinely during the excavation process. The seismic source is a repetitive pneumatic impact hammer. For each measurement in the Faido adit, seismic energy was transmitted from 30 to 50 source points distributed along the tunnel wall at intervals of 1.0 to 1.5 m. In the Piora exploration adit a 2D grid of 441 source points distributed along a distance of 147 tunnel meters were measured. In both adits the shots were recorded by arrays of 8 to 16 three - component geophone anchor rods glued into 2 m deep boreholes at intervals of 9 m - 10 m. The total length of all profiles was about 850 m. Seismic sections show first P-wave energy at frequencies up to 2 kHz and S-wave energy up to 1.3 kHz. Reflection energy was observed from distances of up to 350 m for P-waves and 200 m for S-waves. The dominant frequencies of reflective energy were found between 600 and 800 Hz for P-waves and between 200 and 400 Hz for S-waves. The corresponding wave lengths were 8 to 10 m. We used the first arrival times of P- and S- waves to calculate tomographic inversions. The 2D-velocity models for P- and S-waves in the Faido adit revealed a near field of 2 to 3 m from the tunnel surface which is characterized by strong velocity variations: 3000 to 5700 m/s for P-wave velocity (Vp) and 2000 to 3000 m/s for S-wave velocity (Vs). High velocity zones

Seismic Prediction While Drilling (SPWD): Seismic exploration ahead of the drill bit using phased array sources

Science.gov (United States)

Jaksch, Katrin; Giese, Rüdiger; Kopf, Matthias

2010-05-01

In the case of drilling for deep reservoirs previous exploration is indispensable. In recent years the focus shifted more on geological structures like small layers or hydrothermal fault systems. Beside 2D- or 3D-seismics from the surface and seismic measurements like Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) or Seismic While Drilling (SWD) within a borehole these methods cannot always resolute this structures. The resolution is worsen the deeper and smaller the sought-after structures are. So, potential horizons like small layers in oil exploration or fault zones usable for geothermal energy production could be failed or not identified while drilling. The application of a device to explore the geology with a high resolution ahead of the drill bit in direction of drilling would be of high importance. Such a device would allow adjusting the drilling path according to the real geology and would minimize the risk of discovery and hence the costs for drilling. Within the project SPWD a device for seismic exploration ahead of the drill bit will be developed. This device should allow the seismic exploration to predict areas about 50 to 100 meters ahead of the drill bit with a resolution of one meter. At the GFZ a first prototype consisting of different units for seismic sources, receivers and data loggers has been designed and manufactured. As seismic sources four standard magnetostrictive actuators and as receivers four 3-component-geophones are used. Every unit, actuator or geophone, can be rotated in steps of 15° around the longitudinal axis of the prototype to test different measurement configurations. The SPWD prototype emits signal frequencies of about 500 up to 5000 Hz which are significant higher than in VSP and SWD. An increased radiation of seismic wave energy in the direction of the borehole axis allows the view in areas to be drilled. Therefore, every actuator must be controlled independently of each other regarding to amplitude and phase of the source signal to

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves: Field data test

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun; AlTheyab, Abdullah; Hanafy, Sherif M.; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We have developed a methodology for detecting the presence of near-surface heterogeneities by naturally migrating backscattered surface waves in controlled-source data. The near-surface heterogeneities must be located within a depth of approximately one-third the dominant wavelength λ of the strong surface-wave arrivals. This natural migration method does not require knowledge of the near-surface phase-velocity distribution because it uses the recorded data to approximate the Green’s functions for migration. Prior to migration, the backscattered data are separated from the original records, and the band-passed filtered data are migrated to give an estimate of the migration image at a depth of approximately one-third λ. Each band-passed data set gives a migration image at a different depth. Results with synthetic data and field data recorded over known faults validate the effectiveness of this method. Migrating the surface waves in recorded 2D and 3D data sets accurately reveals the locations of known faults. The limitation of this method is that it requires a dense array of receivers with a geophone interval less than approximately one-half λ.

Application of Double-Difference Seismic Tomography to Carbon Sequestration Monitoring at the Aneth Oil Field, Utah

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nino Ripepi

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Double difference seismic tomography was performed using travel time data from a carbon sequestration site at the Aneth oil field in southeast Utah as part of a Department of Energy initiative on monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA of sequestered CO2. A total of 1211 seismic events were recorded from a borehole array consisting of 23 geophones. Artificial velocity models were created to determine the likelihood of detecting a CO2 plume with an unfavorable event and receiver arrangement. In tests involving artificially modeled ray paths through a velocity model, ideal event and receiver arrangements clearly show velocity reductions. When incorporating the unfavorable event and station locations from the Aneth Unit into synthetic models, the ability to detect velocity reductions is greatly diminished. Using the actual, recorded travel times, the Aneth Unit results show differences between a synthetic baseline model and the travel times obtained in the field, but the differences do not clearly indicate a region of injected CO2. MVA accuracy and precision may be improved through the use of a receiver array that provides more comprehensive ray path coverage, and a more detailed baseline velocity model.

Attenuation Model Using the Large-N Array from the Source Physics Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Atterholt, J.; Chen, T.; Snelson, C. M.; Mellors, R. J.

2017-12-01

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) consists of a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site. SPE seeks to better characterize the influence of subsurface heterogeneities on seismic wave propagation and energy dissipation from explosions. As a part of this experiment, SPE-5, a 5000 kg TNT equivalent chemical explosion, was detonated in 2016. During the SPE-5 experiment, a Large-N array of 996 geophones (half 3-component and half z-component) was deployed. This array covered an area that includes loosely consolidated alluvium (weak rock) and weathered granite (hard rock), and recorded the SPE-5 explosion as well as 53 weight drops. We use these Large-N recordings to develop an attenuation model of the area to better characterize how geologic structures influence source energy partitioning. We found a clear variation in seismic attenuation for different rock types: high attenuation (low Q) for alluvium and low attenuation (high Q) for granite. The attenuation structure correlates well with local geology, and will be incorporated into the large simulation effort of the SPE program to validate predictive models. (LA-UR-17-26382)

Passive monitoring for near surface void detection using traffic as a seismic source

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y.; Kuzma, H. A.; Rector, J.; Nazari, S.

2009-12-01

In this poster we present preliminary results based on our several field experiments in which we study seismic detection of voids using a passive array of surface geophones. The source of seismic excitation is vehicle traffic on nearby roads, which we model as a continuous line source of seismic energy. Our passive seismic technique is based on cross-correlation of surface wave fields and studying the resulting power spectra, looking for "shadows" caused by the scattering effect of a void. High frequency noise masks this effect in the time domain, so it is difficult to see on conventional traces. Our technique does not rely on phase distortions caused by small voids because they are generally too tiny to measure. Unlike traditional impulsive seismic sources which generate highly coherent broadband signals, perfect for resolving phase but too weak for resolving amplitude, vehicle traffic affords a high power signal a frequency range which is optimal for finding shallow structures. Our technique results in clear detections of an abandoned railroad tunnel and a septic tank. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a technology for the simultaneous imaging of shallow underground structures and traffic monitoring near these structures.

Real-Time Seismic Data from the Bottom Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xavier Roset

2018-04-01

Full Text Available An anchored marine seismometer, acquiring real-time seismic data, has been built and tested. The system consists of an underwater seismometer, a surface buoy, and a mooring line that connects them. Inductive communication through the mooring line provides an inexpensive, reliable, and flexible solution. Prior to the deployment the dynamics of the system have been simulated numerically in order to find optimal materials, cables, buoys, and connections under critical marine conditions. The seismometer used is a high sensitivity triaxial broadband geophone able to measure low vibrational signals produced by the underwater seismic events. The power to operate the surface buoy is provided by solar panels. Additional batteries are needed for the underwater unit. In this paper we also present the first results and an earthquake detection of a prototype system that demonstrates the feasibility of this concept. The seismometer transmits continuous data at a rate of 1000 bps to a controller equipped with a radio link in the surface buoy. A GPS receiver on the surface buoy has been configured to perform accurate timestamps on the seismic data, which makes it possible to integrate the seismic data from these marine seismometers into the existing seismic network.

Experiment of exploration using the active-faults exploration system; Katsudanso tansa system wo mochiita chika tansa jikken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikada, H; Sato, H; Iwasaki, T; Hirata, N [The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan). Earthquake Research Institute; Ikeda, Y [The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Science; Ikawa, T; Kawabe, Y; Aoki, Y [JAPEX Geoscience Institute, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-01

A system for exploration of active-faults by seismic reflection profiling method was introduced at Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo. A test-run was conducted to check the performance of this system at Ranzan, Saitama Prefecture. This paper describes the confirmed performance of mini-VIB as a wide band frequency seismic source, the quality of data obtained using a digital data acquisition system, and problems for data processing of fault exploration in the future. For the test-run at Ranzan, two-dimensional exploration was conducted by the quasi-three-dimensional data acquisition method using three geophones of 8 Hz, 28 Hz, and 40 Hz, simply arranged in parallel on the measurement line. Using an active seismic vibrator, mini-VIB, data acquisition of faults in the wide band frequency was achieved, which would result in the highly accurate imaging. Operation of data acquisition and processing systems is easy, and the system can be also used as a kind of black box. The existing methods are to be used sufficiently as a tool for imaging of faults. Further research for accumulating experience may become necessary toward the extension of the system expected in the future. 5 refs., 6 figs.

Compressive and Shear Wave Velocity Profiles using Seismic Refraction Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziman, M; Hazreek, Z A M; Azhar, A T S; Haimi, D S

2016-01-01

Seismic refraction measurement is one of the geophysics exploration techniques to determine soil profile. Meanwhile, the borehole technique is an established way to identify the changes of soil layer based on number of blows penetrating the soil. Both techniques are commonly adopted for subsurface investigation. The seismic refraction test is a non-destructive and relatively fast assessment compared to borehole technique. The soil velocities of compressive wave and shear wave derived from the seismic refraction measurements can be directly utilised to calculate soil parameters such as soil modulus and Poisson’s ratio. This study investigates the seismic refraction techniques to obtain compressive and shear wave velocity profile. Using the vertical and horizontal geophones as well as vertical and horizontal strike directions of the transient seismic source, the propagation of compressive wave and shear wave can be examined, respectively. The study was conducted at Sejagung Sri Medan. The seismic velocity profile was obtained at a depth of 20 m. The velocity of the shear wave is about half of the velocity of the compression wave. The soil profiles of compressive and shear wave velocities were verified using the borehole data and showed good agreement with the borehole data. (paper)

Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of backscattered surface waves: Field data test

KAUST Repository

Liu, Zhaolun

2017-03-06

We have developed a methodology for detecting the presence of near-surface heterogeneities by naturally migrating backscattered surface waves in controlled-source data. The near-surface heterogeneities must be located within a depth of approximately one-third the dominant wavelength λ of the strong surface-wave arrivals. This natural migration method does not require knowledge of the near-surface phase-velocity distribution because it uses the recorded data to approximate the Green’s functions for migration. Prior to migration, the backscattered data are separated from the original records, and the band-passed filtered data are migrated to give an estimate of the migration image at a depth of approximately one-third λ. Each band-passed data set gives a migration image at a different depth. Results with synthetic data and field data recorded over known faults validate the effectiveness of this method. Migrating the surface waves in recorded 2D and 3D data sets accurately reveals the locations of known faults. The limitation of this method is that it requires a dense array of receivers with a geophone interval less than approximately one-half λ.

Locating sources within a dense sensor array using graph clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstoft, P.; Riahi, N.

2017-12-01

We develop a model-free technique to identify weak sources within dense sensor arrays using graph clustering. No knowledge about the propagation medium is needed except that signal strengths decay to insignificant levels within a scale that is shorter than the aperture. We then reinterpret the spatial coherence matrix of a wave field as a matrix whose support is a connectivity matrix of a graph with sensors as vertices. In a dense network, well-separated sources induce clusters in this graph. The geographic spread of these clusters can serve to localize the sources. The support of the covariance matrix is estimated from limited-time data using a hypothesis test with a robust phase-only coherence test statistic combined with a physical distance criterion. The latter criterion ensures graph sparsity and thus prevents clusters from forming by chance. We verify the approach and quantify its reliability on a simulated dataset. The method is then applied to data from a dense 5200 element geophone array that blanketed of the city of Long Beach (CA). The analysis exposes a helicopter traversing the array and oil production facilities.

Dispersion calculation method based on S-transform and coordinate rotation for Love channel waves with two components

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Lei; Zhang, Yugui

2017-08-01

Dispersion analysis is an important part of in-seam seismic data processing, and the calculation accuracy of the dispersion curve directly influences pickup errors of channel wave travel time. To extract an accurate channel wave dispersion curve from in-seam seismic two-component signals, we proposed a time-frequency analysis method based on single-trace signal processing; in addition, we formulated a dispersion calculation equation, based on S-transform, with a freely adjusted filter window width. To unify the azimuth of seismic wave propagation received by a two-component geophone, the original in-seam seismic data undergoes coordinate rotation. The rotation angle can be calculated based on P-wave characteristics, with high energy in the wave propagation direction and weak energy in the vertical direction. With this angle acquisition, a two-component signal can be converted to horizontal and vertical directions. Because Love channel waves have a particle vibration track perpendicular to the wave propagation direction, the signal in the horizontal and vertical directions is mainly Love channel waves. More accurate dispersion characters of Love channel waves can be extracted after the coordinate rotation of two-component signals.

Table-top earthquakes; a demonstration of seismology for teachers and students that can be used to augment lessons in earth science, physics, math, social studies, geography

Science.gov (United States)

Lahr, J.C.

1998-01-01

The apparatus consists of a heavy object that is dragged steadily with an elastic cord. Although pulled with a constant velocity, the heavy object repeatedly slides and then stops. A small vibration sensor, attached to a computer display, graphically monitors this intermittent motion. 2 This intermittent sliding motion mimics the intermittent fault slippage that characterizes the earthquake fault zones. In tectonically active regions, the Earth's outer brittle shell, which is about 50 km thick, is slowly deformed elastically along active faults. As the deformation increases, stress also increases, until fault slippage releases the stored elastic energy. This process is called elastic rebound. Detailed instructions are given for assembly and construction of this demonstration. Included are suggested sources for the vibration sensor (geophone) and the computer interface. Exclusive of the personal computer, the total cost is between $125 and $150. I gave a talk at the Geological Society of America's Cordilleran Section Centennial meeting on June 2, 1999. The slides show how this table-top demonstration can be used to help meet many of the K-12 teaching goals described in Benchmarks for Science Literacy (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993).

Passive monitoring using traffic noise recordings - case study on the Steinachtal Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Salvermoser, Johannes; Stähler, Simon; Hadziioannou, Céline

2015-04-01

Civil structures age continuously. The early recognition of potentially critical damages is an important economical issue, but also one of public safety. Continuous tracking of small changes in the medium by using passive methods would offer an extension to established active non-destructive testing procedures at relatively low cost. Here we present a case study of structural monitoring using continuous recordings of traffic noise on a 200 meter long reinforced concrete highway bridge in Germany. Over two months of continuos geophone records are used in the frequency range of 2-8 Hz. Using passive image interferometry, evaluation of hourly cross-correlations between recordings at pairs of receivers yield velocity variations in the range of -1.5% to +2.1%. We were able to correlate our outcomes with temperature measurements of the same two month period. The measured velocity changes scale with the temperature variations with on average a dv/v of 0.064% per degree Celsius. This value is in accordance with other studies of concrete response to temperature, confirming that we are able to observe subtle changes with physical origin. It is shown that traffic noise is temporally homogenenous enough to fulfill the requirements of passive image interferometry.

Wave-equation dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-12-08

We present the theory for wave-equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. The dispersion curves are obtained from Rayleigh waves recorded by vertical-component geophones. Similar to wave-equation traveltime tomography, the complicated surface wave arrivals in traces are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the picked dispersion curves in the phase-velocity and frequency domains. Solutions to the elastic wave equation and an iterative optimization method are then used to invert these curves for 2-D or 3-D S-wave velocity models. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation dispersion inversion (WD), does not require the assumption of a layered model and is significantly less prone to the cycle-skipping problems of full waveform inversion. The synthetic and field data examples demonstrate that WD can approximately reconstruct the S-wave velocity distributions in laterally heterogeneous media if the dispersion curves can be identified and picked. The WD method is easily extended to anisotropic data and the inversion of dispersion curves associated with Love waves.

A flexible data fusion architecture for persistent surveillance using ultra-low-power wireless sensor networks

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Jeffrey A.; McLaughlin, Keith L.; Sereno, Thomas J.

2011-06-01

We have developed a flexible, target-driven, multi-modal, physics-based fusion architecture that efficiently searches sensor detections for targets and rejects clutter while controlling the combinatoric problems that commonly arise in datadriven fusion systems. The informational constraints imposed by long lifetime requirements make systems vulnerable to false alarms. We demonstrate that our data fusion system significantly reduces false alarms while maintaining high sensitivity to threats. In addition, mission goals can vary substantially in terms of targets-of-interest, required characterization, acceptable latency, and false alarm rates. Our fusion architecture provides the flexibility to match these trade-offs with mission requirements unlike many conventional systems that require significant modifications for each new mission. We illustrate our data fusion performance with case studies that span many of the potential mission scenarios including border surveillance, base security, and infrastructure protection. In these studies, we deployed multi-modal sensor nodes - including geophones, magnetometers, accelerometers and PIR sensors - with low-power processing algorithms and low-bandwidth wireless mesh networking to create networks capable of multi-year operation. The results show our data fusion architecture maintains high sensitivities while suppressing most false alarms for a variety of environments and targets.

Soil classification in 15 accelerographic stations, using methods based on ambient vibrations and VS30

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Victor

2014-01-01

The techniques H/V, FK and SPAC were applied, all based on the measurement of surface waves main generated by ambient vibrations, for the soil characterization of 15 selected sites. 12 of them corresponding to accelerographic stations of the Laboratorio de Ingenieria Sismica of the Universidad de Costa Rica. 8 sensors (triaxial geophones) were placed for that purpose in circular arrayz, and spectral ratios (from H/V) dispersion curves (from FK) and autocorrelation curves (from SPAC) were obtained for each site considered. The soil type was determined, based on above, according to the site characteristic period (T 0 ) read from H/V. Each site was also classified according to the Seismic Code of Costa Rica (2010) and the parameter Vs30 calculated from the inversion of dispersion curves and autocorrelation. The values of T 0 vary between 0,3 s to 1,5 s and the Vs30 between 244 m/s to 379 m/s have indicated that soils correspond to S 3 (soft soil, 67% of all cases). The discovery of sites whose classification corresponds to S 1 (rock) or S 4 (very soft soil) was discarded. (author) [es

CalMagNet – an array of search coil magnetometers monitoring ultra low frequency activity in California

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Dunson

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The California Magnetometer Network (CalMagNet consists of sixty-eight triaxial search-coil magnetometer systems measuring Ultra Low Frequency (ULF, 0.001–16 Hz, magnetic field fluctuations in California. CalMagNet provides data for comprehensive multi-point measurements of specific events in the Pc 1–Pc 5 range at mid-latitudes as well as a systematic, long-term study of ULF signals in active fault regions in California. Typical events include geomagnetic micropulsations and spectral resonant structures associated with the ionospheric Alfvén resonator. This paper provides a technical overview of the CalMagNet sensors and data processing systems. The network is composed of ten reference stations and fifty-eight local monitoring stations. The primary instruments at each site are three orthogonal induction coil magnetometers. A geophone monitors local site vibration. The systems are designed for future sensor expansion and include resources for monitoring four additional channels. Data is currently sampled at 32 samples per second with a 24-bit converter and time tagged with a GPS-based timing system. Several examples of representative magnetic fluctuations and signals as measured by the array are given.

Real-Time Seismic Data from the Bottom Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Roset, Xavier; Trullols, Enric; Artero-Delgado, Carola; Prat, Joana; Del Río, Joaquin; Massana, Immaculada; Carbonell, Montserrat; Barco de la Torre, Jaime; Toma, Daniel Mihai

2018-04-08

An anchored marine seismometer, acquiring real-time seismic data, has been built and tested. The system consists of an underwater seismometer, a surface buoy, and a mooring line that connects them. Inductive communication through the mooring line provides an inexpensive, reliable, and flexible solution. Prior to the deployment the dynamics of the system have been simulated numerically in order to find optimal materials, cables, buoys, and connections under critical marine conditions. The seismometer used is a high sensitivity triaxial broadband geophone able to measure low vibrational signals produced by the underwater seismic events. The power to operate the surface buoy is provided by solar panels. Additional batteries are needed for the underwater unit. In this paper we also present the first results and an earthquake detection of a prototype system that demonstrates the feasibility of this concept. The seismometer transmits continuous data at a rate of 1000 bps to a controller equipped with a radio link in the surface buoy. A GPS receiver on the surface buoy has been configured to perform accurate timestamps on the seismic data, which makes it possible to integrate the seismic data from these marine seismometers into the existing seismic network.

Acoustic-Seismic Coupling in Porous Ground - Measurements and Analysis for On-Site-Inspection Support

Science.gov (United States)

Liebsch, Mattes; Gorschlüter, Felix; Altmann, Jürgen

2014-05-01

acoustic signals and geophones were buried in different depths to measure the soil velocity. Additionally, a wooden box coated with acoustic damping foam was placed over some acoustic and seismic sensors to reduce the power of incident acoustic signals and thus the locally created seismic vibrations (under the box). The reduced soil velocity measured by geophones under the box corresponds mainly to vibrations created by acoustic-seismic coupling outside the box which travel through the soil and reach the sensor. Under certain conditions of frequency and incident angle of acoustic signals an increased seismic response was observed. This might indicate the excitation of seismic surface waves and is of special interest for the evaluation. The project aims to deliver a better understanding of the interaction of acoustic waves with the ground when hitting the surface. Recommendations for sensitive seismic measurements during CTBTO on-site inspections will be developed to reduce disturbing vibrations caused by airborne sources.

Mechanism of microearthquakes within the Cigar Lake mine, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Adamova, Petra; Šílený, Jan

2015-04-01

The moment tensor (MT) used today as a universal tool for descriptions of the mechanism, captures general balanced dipole sources. However, in the case of small-scale earthquakes, the moment tensor needs not always be reliably determined. In an effort to fit the data, there may be notable non-shear components caused by a low quality of input data. Implementation of a constrained model of the mechanism, described by less parameters than the traditional MT, can reduce the error in the retrieved source mechanism. In addition, constraining the source model to determine directly a simpler one is convenient for describing the physical phenomena expected for a particular focus. An opening of new fractures can be described, to a first approximation, by a tensile crack, optionally combined with a shear slip. The reverse motion describes a closing of a vacancy. This model, alternative to the MT, is called a shear-tensile crack (STC) source model. The combination is practical, and can be used both to identify events that reflect purely mode-I (tensile/implosion) failure and to determine the dilation angle of the fracture undergoing shear. Its application is useful in situations where there is a physical reason to expect volume changes in the foci of seismogenic events, which is the case of many processes taking place in induced seismicity. The Cigar Lake mine is the second largest high grade uranium deposit in the world: it is located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. A microseismic monitoring system was installed as a tool to locate potential ground movements during or after the mine dewatering process. The microseismic monitoring system initially included six monitoring boreholes. Each site is equipped with four three-component geophones stationed between 275 - 575 meters in depth. The seventh borehole is configured with eight geophones: four near surface string and the other four in a lower positioned string. The approximate surveillance coverage of the microseismic

Seismic monitoring experiment of raise boring in 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saari, J.; Malm, M.

2015-01-01

In Olkiluoto, Posiva Oy has operated a local seismic network since February 2002. The purpose of the microearthquake measurements at Olkiluoto is to improve understanding of the structure, behaviour and long term stability of the bedrock. The studies include both tectonic and excavation-induced microearthquakes. An additional task of monitoring is related to safeguarding of ONKALO. The possibility to excavate an illegal access to ONKALO has been concerned when the safeguards are discussed. Therefore all recorded explosions in the Olkiluoto area and in ONKALO are located. If a concentration of explosions is observed, the origin of that is found out. Also a concept of hidden illegal explosions, detonated at the same time as the real excavation blasts, has been examined. According to the experience gained in Olkiluoto, it can be concluded that, as long the seismic network is in operation and the results are analysed by a skilled person, it is practically impossible to do illegal undetected excavation by blasting within the Olkiluoto seismic network area. In this report a possibility of seismic monitoring of undeclared excavation done by tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been investigated. In the earlier investigations the instruments were at the ground surface and the sensors were triaxial short period (1 Hz) geophones or broadband geophones. The characteristics (frequency content, polarity and amplitude) of the continuous seismic vibration generated by TMB were studied. The onset time of the seismic signal were not distinguished. Altogether 16 new 10 kHz accelerometers were installed in boreholes inside ONKALO March 2012. The sensors comprised a new subnetwork that monitored the raise boring of two shafts done 2014, from the level -455 m to the level -290 m. The aim was to record the seismic signal generated when the drill bit hits the rock at the moment the tunnel boring begins. Altogether 113 seismic signals generated by the drill bit were located during the

Seismic monitoring experiment of raise boring in 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saari, J.; Malm, M. [AaF-Consult Oy, Espoo (Finland)

2015-01-15

In Olkiluoto, Posiva Oy has operated a local seismic network since February 2002. The purpose of the microearthquake measurements at Olkiluoto is to improve understanding of the structure, behaviour and long term stability of the bedrock. The studies include both tectonic and excavation-induced microearthquakes. An additional task of monitoring is related to safeguarding of ONKALO. The possibility to excavate an illegal access to ONKALO has been concerned when the safeguards are discussed. Therefore all recorded explosions in the Olkiluoto area and in ONKALO are located. If a concentration of explosions is observed, the origin of that is found out. Also a concept of hidden illegal explosions, detonated at the same time as the real excavation blasts, has been examined. According to the experience gained in Olkiluoto, it can be concluded that, as long the seismic network is in operation and the results are analysed by a skilled person, it is practically impossible to do illegal undetected excavation by blasting within the Olkiluoto seismic network area. In this report a possibility of seismic monitoring of undeclared excavation done by tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been investigated. In the earlier investigations the instruments were at the ground surface and the sensors were triaxial short period (1 Hz) geophones or broadband geophones. The characteristics (frequency content, polarity and amplitude) of the continuous seismic vibration generated by TMB were studied. The onset time of the seismic signal were not distinguished. Altogether 16 new 10 kHz accelerometers were installed in boreholes inside ONKALO March 2012. The sensors comprised a new subnetwork that monitored the raise boring of two shafts done 2014, from the level -455 m to the level -290 m. The aim was to record the seismic signal generated when the drill bit hits the rock at the moment the tunnel boring begins. Altogether 113 seismic signals generated by the drill bit were located during the

Seismic Prediction While Drilling (SPWD: Looking Ahead of the Drill Bit by Application of Phased Array Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Groh

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Geophysical exploration is indispensable for planning deep drilling. Usually 2D- or 3D-seismics investigations are applied and, depending on the resulting geologic model for the underground, the drill site and drilling path are determined. In recent years the focus of exploration has shifted towards small-scale geological structures such as local layers and faults. Depending on the source frequencies and the target depth, 2D- or 3D-seismics from surface cannot always resolve such structures in particular at larger depths. In general, signal frequencies of about 30–70 Hz are typical for surface seismic methods. The deeper and smaller the sought-after structures are, the worse will be the resolution. Therefore, borehole seismic measurements like Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP or Seismic While Drilling (SWD have been developed (Fig. 1. For the VSP method geophones are normally integrated in the borehole, while the seismicsource generates seismic waves at the surface. The SWD method uses the drill bit as the seismic source. Hence, the quality of the seismic signals is highly dependent on the drilled rock and the type of drill bit, but even well-suited rock conditions and adequate drilling may not provide sufficient data quality.

Monitoring microearthquakes with the San Andreas fault observatory at depth

Science.gov (United States)

Oye, V.; Ellsworth, W.L.

2007-01-01

In 2005, the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) was drilled through the San Andreas Fault zone at a depth of about 3.1 km. The borehole has subsequently been instrumented with high-frequency geophones in order to better constrain locations and source processes of nearby microearthquakes that will be targeted in the upcoming phase of SAFOD. The microseismic monitoring software MIMO, developed by NORSAR, has been installed at SAFOD to provide near-real time locations and magnitude estimates using the high sampling rate (4000 Hz) waveform data. To improve the detection and location accuracy, we incorporate data from the nearby, shallow borehole (???250 m) seismometers of the High Resolution Seismic Network (HRSN). The event association algorithm of the MIMO software incorporates HRSN detections provided by the USGS real time earthworm software. The concept of the new event association is based on the generalized beam forming, primarily used in array seismology. The method requires the pre-computation of theoretical travel times in a 3D grid of potential microearthquake locations to the seismometers of the current station network. By minimizing the differences between theoretical and observed detection times an event is associated and the location accuracy is significantly improved.

Characterization of rotary-percussion drilling as a seismic-while-drilling source

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Yingjian; Hurich, Charles; Butt, Stephen D.

2018-04-01

This paper focuses on an evaluation of rotary-percussion drilling (RPD) as a seismic source. Two field experiments were conducted to characterize seismic sources from different rocks with different strengths, i.e. weak shale and hard arkose. Characterization of RPD sources consist of spectral analysis and mean power measurements, along with field measurements of the source radiation patterns. Spectral analysis shows that increase of rock strength increases peak frequency and widens bandwidth, which makes harder rock more viable for seismic-while-drilling purposes. Mean power analysis infers higher magnitude of body waves in RPD than in conventional drillings. Within the horizontal plane, the observed P-wave energy radiation pattern partially confirms the theoretical radiation pattern under a single vertical bit vibration. However a horizontal lobe of energy is observed close to orthogonal to the axial bit vibration. From analysis, this lobe is attributed to lateral bit vibration, which is not documented elsewhere during RPD. Within the horizontal plane, the observed radiation pattern of P-waves is generally consistent with a spherically-symmetric distribution of energy. In addition, polarization analysis is conducted on P-waves recorded at surface geophones for understanding the particle motions. P-wave particle motions are predominantly in the vertical direction showing the interference of the free-surface.

Monitoring of surface deformation and microseismicity applied to radioactive waste disposal through hydraulic fracturing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stow, S.H.; Haase, C.S.; Switek, J.; Holzhausen, G.R.; Majer, E.; Applied Geomechanics, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA; Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA)

1985-01-01

Low-level liquid nuclear wastes are disposed of at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by the hydrofracture process. Wastes are mixed with cement and other additives to form a slurry that is injected into shale of low permeability at 300 m depth. The slurry spreads radially along bedding plane fractures before setting as a grout. Different methods for monitoring the location and behavior of the fractures have been investigated. Radioactive grout sheets can be located by gamma-ray logging of cased observation wells. Two other methods are based on the fact that the ground surface is deformed by the injection. The first entails surface leveling of a series of benchmarks; uplift up to 2.5 cm occurs. The second method involves use of tiltmeters that are sensitive and measure ground deformation in real time during an injection. Both methods show subsidence during the weeks following an injection. Interpretive models for the tiltmeter data are based on the elastic response of isotropic and anisotropic media to the inflation of a fluid-filled fracture. A fourth monitoring method is based on microseismicity. Geophone arrays were used to characterize the fracture process and to provide initial assessment of the feasibility of using seismic measurements to map the fractures as they form. An evaluation of each method is presented

Surface gravity waves and their acoustic signatures, 1-30 Hz, on the mid-Pacific sea floor.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, W E; Munk, Walter

2013-10-01

In 1999, Duennebier et al. deployed a hydrophone and geophone below the conjugate depth in the abyssal Pacific, midway between Hawaii and California. Real time data were transmitted for 3 yr over an abandoned ATT cable. These data have been analyzed in the frequency band 1 to 30 Hz. Between 1 and 6 Hz, the bottom data are interpreted as acoustic radiation from surface gravity waves, an extension to higher frequencies of a non-linear mechanism proposed by Longuet-Higgins in 1950 to explain microseisms. The inferred surface wave spectrum for wave lengths between 6 m and 17 cm is saturated (wind-independent) and roughly consistent with the traditional Phillips κ(-4) wave number spectrum. Shorter ocean waves have a strong wind dependence and a less steep wave number dependence. Similar features are found in the bottom record between 6 and 30 Hz. But this leads to an enigma: The derived surface spectrum inferred from the Longuet-Higgins mechanism with conventional assumptions for the dispersion relation is associated with mean square slopes that greatly exceed those derived from glitter. Regardless of the generation mechanism, the measured bottom intensities between 10 and 30 Hz are well below minimum noise standards reported in the literature.

Posiva microseismic network. Core drilling of drillholes ONK-PP348...351 in ONKALO at Olkiluoto 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toropainen, V. [Suomen Malmi Oy, Espoo (Finland)

2014-04-15

Suomen Malmi Oy (Smoy) core drilled four drillholes for the Posiva's ONKALO microseismic network in ONKALO at Eurajoki, 2012. The drillholes are used for geophone instrumentation and geological characterization. The drillholes ONKPP348... 351 were core drilled in February 2012. All the drillholes are ∼ 9.40 m by length. The drillholes are 56.5 mm by diameter. The drillholes were drilled in deep angles to the floors of the access tunnel and three niches near each other at access tunnel chainages 3019 - 3080. The hydraulic DE 130 drilling rig was used. The drilling water was taken from the ONKALO drilling water pipeline and premixed sodium fluorescein was used as a label agent in the drilling water. The drillholes were measured with EMS deviation survey tool. In addition to drilling the drillcores were logged and reported by geologist. Geological logging included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracture parameters, fractured zones, core loss, weathering, fracture frequency, RQD and rock quality. The main rock types in the drillcores are diatexitic gneiss and pegmatitic granite. The average fracture frequency of the drillcores range from 1.2 to 2.4 pc/m and the average RQD value from 96.6 % to 98.6 %. Two fractured zones were intersected. (orig.)

Design and development of digital seismic amplifier recorder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samsidar, Siti Alaa; Afuar, Waldy; Handayani, Gunawan, E-mail: gunawanhandayani@gmail.com [Department of Physics, ITB (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

A digital seismic recording is a recording technique of seismic data in digital systems. This method is more convenient because it is more accurate than other methods of seismic recorders. To improve the quality of the results of seismic measurements, the signal needs to be amplified to obtain better subsurface images. The purpose of this study is to improve the accuracy of measurement by amplifying the input signal. We use seismic sensors/geophones with a frequency of 4.5 Hz. The signal is amplified by means of 12 units of non-inverting amplifier. The non-inverting amplifier using IC 741 with the resistor values 1KΩ and 1MΩ. The amplification results were 1,000 times. The results of signal amplification converted into digital by using the Analog Digital Converter (ADC). Quantitative analysis in this study was performed using the software Lab VIEW 8.6. The Lab VIEW 8.6 program was used to control the ADC. The results of qualitative analysis showed that the seismic conditioning can produce a large output, so that the data obtained is better than conventional data. This application can be used for geophysical methods that have low input voltage such as microtremor application.

A Framework for Occupancy Tracking in a Building via Structural Dynamics Sensing of Footstep Vibrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey D. Poston

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Counting the number of occupants in building areas over time—occupancy tracking—provides valuable information for responding to emergencies, optimizing thermal conditions or managing personnel. This capability is distinct from tracking individual building occupants as they move within a building, has lower complexity than conventional tracking algorithms require, and avoids privacy concerns that tracking individuals may pose. The approach proposed here is a novel combination of data analytics applied to measurements from a building’s structural dynamics sensors (e.g., accelerometers or geophones. Specifically, measurements of footstep-generated structural waves provide evidence of occupancy in a building area. These footstep vibrations can be distinguished from other vibrations, and, once identified, the footsteps can be located. These locations, in turn, form the starting point of estimating occupancy in an area. In order to provide a meaningful occupancy count, however, it is first necessary to associate discrete footsteps with individuals. The proposed framework incorporates a tractable algorithm for this association task. The proposed algorithms operate online, updating occupancy count over time as new footsteps are detected. Experiments with measurements from a public building illustrate the operation of the proposed framework. This approach offers an advantage over others based on conventional technologies by avoiding the cost of a separate sensor system devoted to occupancy tracking.

Accelerometer Sensor Specifications to Predict Hydrocarbon Using Passive Seismic Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. H. Md Khir

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The ambient seismic ground noise has been investigated in several surveys worldwide in the last 10 years to verify the correlation between observed seismic energy anomalies at the surface and the presence of hydrocarbon reserves beneath. This is due to the premise that anomalies provide information about the geology and potential presence of hydrocarbon. However a technology gap manifested in nonoptimal detection of seismic signals of interest is observed. This is due to the fact that available sensors are not designed on the basis of passive seismic signal attributes and mainly in terms of amplitude and bandwidth. This is because of that fact that passive seismic acquisition requires greater instrumentation sensitivity, noise immunity, and bandwidth, with active seismic acquisition, where vibratory or impulsive sources were utilized to receive reflections through geophones. Therefore, in the case of passive seismic acquisition, it is necessary to select the best monitoring equipment for its success or failure. Hence, concerning sensors performance, this paper highlights the technological gap and motivates developing dedicated sensors for optimal solution at lower frequencies. Thus, the improved passive seismic recording helps in oil and gas industry to perform better fracture mapping and identify more appropriate stratigraphy at low frequencies.

Posiva microseismic network. Core drilling of drillholes ONK-PP348...351 in ONKALO at Olkiluoto 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toropainen, V.

2014-04-01

Suomen Malmi Oy (Smoy) core drilled four drillholes for the Posiva's ONKALO microseismic network in ONKALO at Eurajoki, 2012. The drillholes are used for geophone instrumentation and geological characterization. The drillholes ONKPP348... 351 were core drilled in February 2012. All the drillholes are ∼ 9.40 m by length. The drillholes are 56.5 mm by diameter. The drillholes were drilled in deep angles to the floors of the access tunnel and three niches near each other at access tunnel chainages 3019 - 3080. The hydraulic DE 130 drilling rig was used. The drilling water was taken from the ONKALO drilling water pipeline and premixed sodium fluorescein was used as a label agent in the drilling water. The drillholes were measured with EMS deviation survey tool. In addition to drilling the drillcores were logged and reported by geologist. Geological logging included the following parameters: lithology, foliation, fracture parameters, fractured zones, core loss, weathering, fracture frequency, RQD and rock quality. The main rock types in the drillcores are diatexitic gneiss and pegmatitic granite. The average fracture frequency of the drillcores range from 1.2 to 2.4 pc/m and the average RQD value from 96.6 % to 98.6 %. Two fractured zones were intersected. (orig.)

Modeling Water Motion near Seismic Waves Propagating across a Graded Seabed, as Generated by Man-Made Impacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard A. Hazelwood

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Seismic interface waves generated by seabed impacts are believed to have biological importance. Various wave types are of interest to seismologists, who can minimize the unwanted, but often dominant, ground roll waves with suitable instrumentation. Waves made by dredging and piling have been measured using geophones and found to be of this interface type, which propagate much more slowly than the pressure waves in the water column above. Short interface wavelets of a few cycles were modeled using transient finite element analysis (FEA. Wavelets with low losses have been modeled using graded sediment data from the literature. They do not radiate energy away from the interface because the evanescent acoustic pressures they generate decay rapidly with distance from the seabed. Associated water particle velocities are much greater than would be expected from similar acoustic pressure measurements in a free field. This motion is significant to aquatic life which is dependent on inertial sensors (otoliths, etc. to respond to the environment. Additional amplification of the horizontal seabed motion of the adjacent water is predicted for a short seismic wavelet modeled in a graded solid seabed. Further recent analysis studied the distribution of the energy flux within the sediment layers.

a Comparative Case Study of Reflection Seismic Imaging Method

Science.gov (United States)

Alamooti, M.; Aydin, A.

2017-12-01

Seismic imaging is the most common means of gathering information about subsurface structural features. The accuracy of seismic images may be highly variable depending on the complexity of the subsurface and on how seismic data is processed. One of the crucial steps in this process, especially in layered sequences with complicated structure, is the time and/or depth migration of seismic data.The primary purpose of the migration is to increase the spatial resolution of seismic images by repositioning the recorded seismic signal back to its original point of reflection in time/space, which enhances information about complex structure. In this study, our objective is to process a seismic data set (courtesy of the University of South Carolina) to generate an image on which the Magruder fault near Allendale SC can be clearly distinguished and its attitude can be accurately depicted. The data was gathered by common mid-point method with 60 geophones equally spaced along an about 550 m long traverse over a nearly flat ground. The results obtained from the application of different migration algorithms (including finite-difference and Kirchhoff) are compared in time and depth domains to investigate the efficiency of each algorithm in reducing the processing time and improving the accuracy of seismic images in reflecting the correct position of the Magruder fault.

Seismic Imaging of the Source Physics Experiment Site with the Large-N Seismic Array

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, T.; Snelson, C. M.; Mellors, R. J.

2017-12-01

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) consists of a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site. The goal of SPE is to understand seismic wave generation and propagation from these explosions. To achieve this goal, we need an accurate geophysical model of the SPE site. A Large-N seismic array that was deployed at the SPE site during one of the chemical explosions (SPE-5) helps us construct high-resolution local geophysical model. The Large-N seismic array consists of 996 geophones, and covers an area of approximately 2 × 2.5 km. The array is located in the northern end of the Yucca Flat basin, at a transition from Climax Stock (granite) to Yucca Flat (alluvium). In addition to the SPE-5 explosion, the Large-N array also recorded 53 weight drops. Using the Large-N seismic array recordings, we perform body wave and surface wave velocity analysis, and obtain 3D seismic imaging of the SPE site for the top crust of approximately 1 km. The imaging results show clear variation of geophysical parameter with local geological structures, including heterogeneous weathering layer and various rock types. The results of this work are being incorporated in the larger 3D modeling effort of the SPE program to validate the predictive models developed for the site.

Monitoring of surface deformation and microseismicity applied to radioactive waste disposal through hydraulic fracturing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stow, S.H.; Haase, C.S.; Switek, J.; Holzhausen, G.R.; Majer, E.

1985-01-01

Low-level liquid nuclear wastes are disposed of at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by the hydrofracture process. Wastes are mixed with cement and other additives to form a slurry that is injected into shale of low permeability at 300 m depth. The slurry spreads radially along bedding plane fractures before setting as a grout. Different methods for monitoring the location and behavior of the fractures have been investigated. Radioactive grout sheets can be located by gamma-ray logging of cased observation wells. Two other methods are based on the fact that the ground surface is deformed by the injection. The first entails surface leveling of a series of benchmarks; uplift up to 2.5 cm occurs. The second method involves use of tiltmeters that are sensitive and measure ground deformation in real time during an injection. Both methods show subsidence during the weeks following an injection. Interpretive models for the tiltmeter data are based on the elastic response of isotropic and anisotropic media to the inflation of a fluid-filled fracture. A fourth monitoring method is based on microseismicity. Geophone arrays were used to characterize the fracture process and to provide initial assessment of the feasibility of using seismic measurements to map the fractures as they form. An evaluation of each method is presented. 8 refs., 6 figs

Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiments 2 and 3 (SPE-2 and SPE-3) Nevada National Security Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Townsend, Margaret [National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States). Nevada Test Site; Obi, Curtis [National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States). Nevada Test Site

2015-01-26

The second Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-2) was conducted in Nevada on October 25, 2011, at 1900:00.011623 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The explosive source was 997 kilograms (kg) trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent of sensitized heavy ammonium fuel oil (SHANFO) detonated at a depth of 45.7 meters (m). The third Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-3) was conducted in Nevada on July 24, 2012, at 1800:00.44835 GMT. The explosive source was 905 kg TNT equivalent of SHANFO detonated at a depth of 45.8 m. Both shots were recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 m) and far-field (100 m or greater) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes at 15, 46, and 55 m depths around the shot and a set of single-component vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network was composed of a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 m to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the second and third Source Physics Experiment shots and the various types of near-field and far-field data that are available.

Seismic signal and noise on Europa

Science.gov (United States)

Panning, Mark; Stähler, Simon; Bills, Bruce; Castillo Castellanos, Jorge; Huang, Hsin-Hua; Husker, Allen; Kedar, Sharon; Lorenz, Ralph; Pike, William T.; Schmerr, Nicholas; Tsai, Victor; Vance, Steven

2017-10-01

Seismology is one of our best tools for detailing interior structure of planetary bodies, and a seismometer is included in the baseline and threshold mission design for the upcoming Europa Lander mission. Guiding mission design and planning for adequate science return, though, requires modeling of both the anticipated signal and noise. Assuming ice seismicity on Europa behaves according to statistical properties observed in Earth catalogs and scaling cumulative seismic moment release to the moon, we can simulate long seismic records and estimate background noise and peak signal amplitudes (Panning et al., 2017). This suggests a sensitive instrument comparable to many broadband terrestrial instruments or the SP instrument from the InSight mission to Mars will be able to record signals, while high frequency geophones are likely inadequate. We extend this analysis to also begin incorporation of spatial and temporal variation due to the tidal cycle, which can help inform landing site selection. We also begin exploration of how chaotic terrane at the bottom of the ice shell and inter-ice heterogeneities (i.e. internal melt structures) may affect anticipated seismic observations using 2D numerical seismic simulations.M. P. Panning, S. C. Stähler, H.-H. Huang, S. D. Vance, S. Kedar, V. C. Tsai, W. T. Pike, R. D. Lorenz, “Expected seismicity and the seismic noise environment of Europa,” J. Geophys. Res., in revision, 2017.

Occupant traffic estimation through structural vibration sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shijia; Mirshekari, Mostafa; Zhang, Pei; Noh, Hae Young

2016-04-01

The number of people passing through different indoor areas is useful in various smart structure applications, including occupancy-based building energy/space management, marketing research, security, etc. Existing approaches to estimate occupant traffic include vision-, sound-, and radio-based (mobile) sensing methods, which have placement limitations (e.g., requirement of line-of-sight, quiet environment, carrying a device all the time). Such limitations make these direct sensing approaches difficult to deploy and maintain. An indirect approach using geophones to measure floor vibration induced by footsteps can be utilized. However, the main challenge lies in distinguishing multiple simultaneous walkers by developing features that can effectively represent the number of mixed signals and characterize the selected features under different traffic conditions. This paper presents a method to monitor multiple persons. Once the vibration signals are obtained, features are extracted to describe the overlapping vibration signals induced by multiple footsteps, which are used for occupancy traffic estimation. In particular, we focus on analysis of the efficiency and limitations of the four selected key features when used for estimating various traffic conditions. We characterize these features with signals collected from controlled impulse load tests as well as from multiple people walking through a real-world sensing area. In our experiments, the system achieves the mean estimation error of +/-0.2 people for different occupant traffic conditions (from one to four) using k-nearest neighbor classifier.

Interlobate esker architecture and related hydrogeological features derived from a combination of high-resolution reflection seismics and refraction tomography, Virttaankangas, southwest Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Maries, Georgiana; Ahokangas, Elina; Mäkinen, Joni; Pasanen, Antti; Malehmir, Alireza

2017-05-01

A novel high-resolution (2-4 m source and receiver spacing) reflection and refraction seismic survey was carried out for aquifer characterization and to confirm the existing depositional model of the interlobate esker of Virttaankangas, which is part of the Säkylänharju-Virttaankangas glaciofluvial esker-chain complex in southwest Finland. The interlobate esker complex hosting the managed aquifer recharge (MAR) plant is the source of the entire water supply for the city of Turku and its surrounding municipalities. An accurate delineation of the aquifer is therefore critical for long-term MAR planning and sustainable use of the esker resources. Moreover, an additional target was to resolve the poorly known stratigraphy of the 70-100-m-thick glacial deposits overlying a zone of fractured bedrock. Bedrock surface as well as fracture zones were confirmed through combined reflection seismic and refraction tomography results and further validated against existing borehole information. The high-resolution seismic data proved successful in accurately delineating the esker cores and revealing complex stratigraphy from fan lobes to kettle holes, providing valuable information for potential new pumping wells. This study illustrates the potential of geophysical methods for fast and cost-effective esker studies, in particular the digital-based landstreamer and its combination with geophone-based wireless recorders, where the cover sediments are reasonably thick.

High Definition Seismic and Microseismic Data Acquisition Using Distributed and Engineered Fiber Optic Acoustic Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, T.; Farhadiroushan, M.; Clarke, A.; Miller, D.; Gillies, A.; Shatalin, S.; Naldrett, G.; Milne, C.

2017-12-01

The benefits of Distributed Acoustic Sensors (DAS) have been demonstrated in number of seismic applications. Over the past few years Silixa have successfully used DAS to record microseismic events during hydraulic fracturing and re-fracking operations. Detection has been successful in a number of configurations, where the fibre has been in a horizontal treatment well, horizontal well adjacent to the treatment, or vertical observation well. We will discuss the sensitivity of the measurement, range of measurement, ability to localise the events and characteristics of the microseismic event. In addition to discussing the theory we will present case studies showing the detection and localisation and how these compare to conventional microseismic detection techniques.We also discuss the benefit of the low frequency response of DAS for measuring the strain field induced along the sensing fibre cable during the treatment and while monitoring the adjacent wells. In addition a step change in performance can be offered by the new engineered Carina fibre optic sensing system developed by Silixa. The Carina sensing system is being tested and it has been demonstrated that an improvement in signal-to-noise performance by a factor of hundred (100x) can be achieved. The initial results demonstrate the potential for acquiring high definition seismic data in the most challenging environments beyond the capabilities of current geophones.

Predicting the liquefaction phenomena from shear velocity profiling: Empirical approach to 6.3 Mw, May 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartantyo, Eddy, E-mail: hartantyo@ugm.ac.id [PhD student, Physics Department, FMIPA, UGM. Sekip Utara Yogyakarta 55281 Indonesia (Indonesia); Brotopuspito, Kirbani S.; Sismanto; Waluyo [Geophysics Laboratory, FMIPA, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sekip Utara Yogyakarta 55281 (Indonesia)

2015-04-24

The liquefactions phenomena have been reported after a shocking 6.5Mw earthquake hit Yogyakarta province in the morning at 27 May 2006. Several researchers have reported the damage, casualties, and soil failure due to the quake, including the mapping and analyzing the liquefaction phenomena. Most of them based on SPT test. The study try to draw the liquefaction susceptibility by means the shear velocity profiling using modified Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW). This paper is a preliminary report by using only several measured MASW points. The study built 8-channel seismic data logger with 4.5 Hz geophones for this purpose. Several different offsets used to record the high and low frequencies of surface waves. The phase-velocity diagrams were stacked in the frequency domain rather than in time domain, for a clearer and easier dispersion curve picking. All codes are implementing in Matlab. From these procedures, shear velocity profiling was collected beneath each geophone’s spread. By mapping the minimum depth of shallow water table, calculating PGA with soil classification, using empirical formula for saturated soil weight from shear velocity profile, and calculating CRR and CSR at every depth, the liquefaction characteristic can be identify in every layer. From several acquired data, a liquefiable potential at some depth below water table was obtained.

Microseismic Monitoring Design Optimization Based on Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kovaleva, Y.; Tamimi, N.; Ostadhassan, M.

2017-12-01

Borehole microseismic monitoring of hydraulic fracture treatments of unconventional reservoirs is a widely used method in the oil and gas industry. Sometimes, the quality of the acquired microseismic data is poor. One of the reasons for poor data quality is poor survey design. We attempt to provide a comprehensive and thorough workflow, using multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA), to optimize planning micriseismic monitoring. So far, microseismic monitoring has been used extensively as a powerful tool for determining fracture parameters that affect the influx of formation fluids into the wellbore. The factors that affect the quality of microseismic data and their final results include average distance between microseismic events and receivers, complexity of the recorded wavefield, signal-to-noise ratio, data aperture, etc. These criteria often conflict with each other. In a typical microseismic monitoring, those factors should be considered to choose the best monitoring well(s), optimum number of required geophones, and their depth. We use MDCA to address these design challenges and develop a method that offers an optimized design out of all possible combinations to produce the best data acquisition results. We believe that this will be the first research to include the above-mentioned factors in a 3D model. Such a tool would assist companies and practicing engineers in choosing the best design parameters for future microseismic projects.

Caracterización geosísmica de un sector de traza de la Ruta Nº 40: Provincia de Santa Cruz - Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armando Luis Imhof

2010-12-01

determination permitted to assess blasting or ripper. The study area presents a typical steppe patagonian landscape with basaltic formations indicating old volcanism. At surface, fine to medium-coarse alluvial soil was observed detecting on occasions organic material and besides great basaltic rocks spreading somewhere. Fifty seismic arrays were performed, deployed linearly one after the other along the trace. At each one, five records were taken, symmetrically upon the array center. Geophones and shooting points were determined upon prior proofs tests and space availability. Generally array extension ranged among 25m and 100m, being 5m the geophone gap, allowing thus a great survey detail. The amount and distribution of shootings had for objective to calculate with utmost precision apparent velocities and their true ones derived; refractor inclinations and rock basement; assuring at least a 15m depth investigation. At the processing stage, first picking were determined, which were displayed versus geophones distances, i.e. time-distance or 'dromocrone' graphs. After calculating critical distances, apparent velocities, were estimated. Then, two interpretation methods were carried through: Intercept Time Method (ITM; and Generalized Reciprocal Method (GRM. With the latter, true velocities and depths beneath each geophone were calculated, and with the former, beneath each shot-point, extending so the determinations. The correlation with geologic data was performed using visual inspection and very scarce geologic information available. At last, seismic profiles were developed in separate form according to trace outreaching showing lateral and in-depth variations of compression wave velocity. In both survey areas, two well different layers were detected, being the first a thin sand-muddy alluvial fill-up and the inferior, altered rock (basalt (Zone 1; or compact alluvial terrain, wet to saturated. Information supported by geoseismic refraction method using GRM with 5 emission

Reflection seismic imaging of the upper crystalline crust for characterization of potential repository sites: Fine tuning the seismic source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Juhlin, C.; Palm, H.; Bergman, B. [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Earth Sciences

2001-09-01

in 150 cm deep 20 mm wide shot hole that are cased to 16 mm. Both these shot holes can be drilled with handheld equipment making drilling possible even in difficult terrain with minimal damage to the environment. We refer to the combination of using small charge sizes and shot hole dimensions as the 'slim hole method'. Geophones are preferably planted in 8 mm holes drilled in bedrock. If no bedrock is present it is better to plant the geophones at locations with thick soil cover rather than in soil cover that is only 20-40 cm thick. If the cover is only this thick then it should be mechanically removed. One of the most important factors in producing high quality images is that the data are acquired with a high fold. High fold implies that the data are stacked together numerous times in order to increase the signal to noise ratio. Shot points should be located at every station to suppress the source generated noise. Shooting several times at the same station does not reduce source generated noise.

Energy budgets of mining-induced earthquakes and their interactions with nearby stopes

Science.gov (United States)

McGarr, A.

2000-01-01

In the early 1960's, N.G.W. Cook, using an underground network of geophones, demonstrated that most Witwatersrand tremors are closely associated with deep level gold mining operations. He also showed that the energy released by the closure of the tabular stopes at depths of the order of 2 km was more than sufficient to account for the mining-induced earthquakes. I report here updated versions of these two results based on more modern underground data acquired in the Witwatersrand gold fields. Firstly, an extensive suite of in situ stress data indicate that the ambient state of crustal stress here is close to the failure state in the absence of mining even though the tectonic setting is thoroughly stable. Mining initially stabilizes the rock mass by reducing the pore fluid pressure from its initial hydrostatic state to nearly zero. The extensive mine excavations, as Cook showed, concentrate the deviatoric stresses, in localized regions of the abutments, back into a failure state resulting in seismicity. Secondly, there appears to be two distinct types of mining-induced earthquakes: the first is strongly coupled to the mining and involves shear failure plus a coseismic volume reduction; the second type is not evidently coupled to any particular mine face, shows purely deviatoric failure, and is presumably caused by more regional changes in the state of stress due to mining. Thirdly, energy budgets for mining induced earthquakes of both types indicate that, of the available released energy, only a few per cent is radiated by the seismic waves with the majority being consumed in overcoming fault friction. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.In the early 1960's, N.G.W. Cook, using an underground network of geophones, demonstrated that most Witwatersrand tremors are closely associated with deep level gold mining operations. He also showed that the energy released by the closure of the tabular stopes at depths of the order of 2 km was more than sufficient to account for the

Acquisition and deconvolution of seismic signals by different methods to perform direct ground-force measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Poletto, Flavio; Schleifer, Andrea; Zgauc, Franco; Meneghini, Fabio; Petronio, Lorenzo

2016-12-01

We present the results of a novel borehole-seismic experiment in which we used different types of onshore-transient-impulsive and non-impulsive-surface sources together with direct ground-force recordings. The ground-force signals were obtained by baseplate load cells located beneath the sources, and by buried soil-stress sensors installed in the very shallow-subsurface together with accelerometers. The aim was to characterize the source's emission by its complex impedance, function of the near-field vibrations and soil stress components, and above all to obtain appropriate deconvolution operators to remove the signature of the sources in the far-field seismic signals. The data analysis shows the differences in the reference measurements utilized to deconvolve the source signature. As downgoing waves, we process the signals of vertical seismic profiles (VSP) recorded in the far-field approximation by an array of permanent geophones cemented at shallow-medium depth outside the casing of an instrumented well. We obtain a significant improvement in the waveform of the radiated seismic-vibrator signals deconvolved by ground force, similar to that of the seismograms generated by the impulsive sources, and demonstrates that the results obtained by different sources present low values in their repeatability norm. The comparison evidences the potentiality of the direct ground-force measurement approach to effectively remove the far-field source signature in VSP onshore data, and to increase the performance of permanent acquisition installations for time-lapse application purposes.

Fracture detection, mapping, and analysis of naturally fractured gas reservoirs using seismic technology. Final report, November 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-01

Many basins in the Rocky Mountains contain naturally fractured gas reservoirs. Production from these reservoirs is controlled primarily by the shape, orientation and concentration of the natural fractures. The detection of gas filled fractures prior to drilling can, therefore, greatly benefit the field development of the reservoirs. The objective of this project was to test and verify specific seismic methods to detect and characterize fractures in a naturally fractured reservoir. The Upper Green River tight gas reservoir in the Uinta Basin, Northeast Utah was chosen for the project as a suitable reservoir to test the seismic technologies. Knowledge of the structural and stratigraphic geologic setting, the fracture azimuths, and estimates of the local in-situ stress field, were used to guide the acquisition and processing of approximately ten miles of nine-component seismic reflection data and a nine-component Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP). Three sources (compressional P-wave, inline shear S-wave, and cross-line, shear S-wave) were each recorded by 3-component (3C) geophones, to yield a nine-component data set. Evidence of fractures from cores, borehole image logs, outcrop studies, and production data, were integrated with the geophysical data to develop an understanding of how the seismic data relate to the fracture network, individual well production, and ultimately the preferred flow direction in the reservoir. The multi-disciplinary approach employed in this project is viewed as essential to the overall reservoir characterization, due to the interdependency of the above factors.

Improved Holistic Analysis of Rayleigh Waves for Single- and Multi-Offset Data: Joint Inversion of Rayleigh-Wave Particle Motion and Vertical- and Radial-Component Velocity Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Dal Moro, Giancarlo; Moustafa, Sayed S. R.; Al-Arifi, Nassir S.

2018-01-01

Rayleigh waves often propagate according to complex mode excitation so that the proper identification and separation of specific modes can be quite difficult or, in some cases, just impossible. Furthermore, the analysis of a single component (i.e., an inversion procedure based on just one objective function) necessarily prevents solving the problems related to the non-uniqueness of the solution. To overcome these issues and define a holistic analysis of Rayleigh waves, we implemented a procedure to acquire data that are useful to define and efficiently invert the three objective functions defined from the three following "objects": the velocity spectra of the vertical- and radial-components and the Rayleigh-wave particle motion (RPM) frequency-offset data. Two possible implementations are presented. In the first case we consider classical multi-offset (and multi-component) data, while in a second possible approach we exploit the data recorded by a single three-component geophone at a fixed offset from the source. Given the simple field procedures, the method could be particularly useful for the unambiguous geotechnical exploration of large areas, where more complex acquisition procedures, based on the joint acquisition of Rayleigh and Love waves, would not be economically viable. After illustrating the different kinds of data acquisition and the data processing, the results of the proposed methodology are illustrated in a case study. Finally, a series of theoretical and practical aspects are discussed to clarify some issues involved in the overall procedure (data acquisition and processing).

Quantitative elastic migration. Applications to 3D borehole seismic surveys; Migration elastique quantitative. Applications a la sismique de puits 3D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clochard, V.

1998-12-02

3D VSP imaging is nowadays a strategic requirement by petroleum companies. It is used to precise in details the geology close to the well. Because of the lack of redundancy and limited coverage in the data. this kind of technology is more restrictive than surface seismic which allows an investigation at a higher scale. Our contribution was to develop an elastic quantitative imagine (GRT migration) which can be applied to 3 components borehole dataset. The method is similar to the Kirchhoff migration using sophistical weighting of the seismic amplitudes. In reality. GRT migration uses pre-calculated Green functions (travel time. amplitude. polarization). The maps are obtained by 3D ray tracing (wavefront construction) in the velocity model. The migration algorithm works with elementary and independent tasks. which is useful to process different kind of dataset (fixed or moving geophone antenna). The study has been followed with validations using asymptotic analytical solution. The ability of reconstruction in 3D borehole survey has been tested in the Overthrust synthetic model. The application to a real circular 3D VSP shows various problems like velocity model building, anisotropy factor and the preprocessing (deconvolution. wave mode separation) which can destroy seismic amplitudes. An isotropic 3 components preprocessing of the whole dataset allows a better lateral reconstruction. The choice of a big migration aperture can help the reconstruction of strong geological dip in spite of migration smiles. Finally, the methodology can be applied to PS converted waves. (author)

Microseismic monitoring of columnar jointed basalt fracture activity: a trial at the Baihetan Hydropower Station, China

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bing-Rui; Li, Qing-Peng; Feng, Xia-Ting; Xiao, Ya-Xun; Feng, Guang-Liang; Hu, Lian-Xing

2014-10-01

Severe stress release has occurred to the surrounding rocks of the typically columnar jointed basalt after excavation at the Baihetan Hydropower Station, Jinsha River, China, where cracking, collapse, and other types of failure may take place occasionally due to relaxation fracture. In order to understand the relaxation fracture characteristics of the columnar jointed basalt in the entire excavation process at the diversion tunnel of the Baihetan Hydropower Station, real-time microseismic monitoring tests were performed. First, the applicability of a geophone and accelerometer was analyzed in the columnar jointed basalt tunnel, and the results show that the accelerometer was more applicable to the cracking monitoring of the columnar jointed basalt. Next, the waveform characteristics of the microseismic signals were analyzed, and the microseismic signals were identified as follows: rock fracture signal, drilling signal, electrical signal, heavy vehicle passing signal, and blast signal. Then, the attenuation characteristics of the microseismic signals in the columnar jointed basalt tunnel were studied, as well as the types and characteristics of the columnar jointed basalt fracture. Finally, location analysis was conducted on the strong rock fracture events, in which four or more sensors were triggered, to obtain the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics and laws of the columnar jointed basalt relaxation fracture after excavation. The test results are not only of important reference value to the excavation and support of diversion tunnel at the Baihetan Hydropower Station, but also of great referential significance and value to the conduction of similar tests.

Geotomography using refraction fan shots

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlis, Gary L.

1986-05-01

This paper introduces a new method for imaging lateral variations in the seismic velocity structure of the earth. The discussion is centered around the geometry of a pilot experiment conducted in Salt Creek valley near Bloomington, Indiana, but the methodology is more general in scope. In the pilot experiment, 24 explosions were fired at equal intervals around a circular area 190 m in diameter and recorded by geophones positioned diametrically opposite the source. Travel time residuals for the fan shots are inverted to estimate lateral velocity variations in a two-dimensional, bowl-shaped image reconstruction region under the circular array. A simple damped least squares inversion worked poorly when delay times were included as additional free parameters in the solution. A parameter separation procedure was more successful. The value of these data in determining structure was analyzed using synthetic data and resolving power calculations. Structure could be determined to high accuracy with little distortion in the center of the circular region where rays crossed from all directions, but results were comparatively poor near the fringes of the region where angular coverage was more limited. Inversion of the Salt Creek data indicates the observed variations in the residuals can be almost completely accounted for by variations in the weathered layer. The refractor velocity is nearly constant to a precision of 0.005 s/km, but there is a suggestion of a slight velocity decrease in the refractor at higher elevations above the water table.

Methodology for tomographic imaging ahead of mining using the shearer as a seismic source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, A.; Luo, X. [CSIRO Exploration and Mining, Kenmore, Qld. (Australia)

2009-03-15

Poor rock conditions in a coal long wall panel can result in roof collapse when a problematic zone is mined, significantly interrupting mine production. The ability to image rock conditions (stress and degree of fracturing) ahead of the face gives the miners the ability to respond proactively to such problems. This method uses the energy from mining machinery, in this case a coal shearer, to produce an image of the rock velocity ahead of the mining face without interrupting mining. Data from an experiment illustrates the concept. Geophones installed in gate-road roofs record the noise generated by the shearer after it has traversed the panel ahead of the mining face. A generalized crosscorrelation of the signals from pairs of sensors determines relative arrival times from the continuous seismic noise produced by the shearer. These relative times can then be inverted for a velocity structure. The crosscorrelations, performed in the frequency domain, are weighted by a confidence value derived from the spectral coherence between the traces. This produces stable crosscorrelation lags in the presence of noise. The errors in the time-domain data are propagated through to the relative traveltimes and then to the final tomographic velocity image, yielding an estimate of the uncertainty in velocity at each point. This velocity image can then be used to infer information about the stress and fracture state of the rock, providing advance warning of potentially hazardous zones.

The Measurand Framework: Scaling Exploratory Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, D.; MacLean, L. S.; Kappler, K. N.; Bleier, T.

2017-12-01

Since 2005 QuakeFinder (QF) has acquired a unique dataset with outstanding spatial and temporal sampling of earth's time varying magnetic field along several active fault systems. This QF network consists of 124 stations in California and 45 stations along fault zones in Greece, Taiwan, Peru, Chile and Indonesia. Each station is equipped with three feedback induction magnetometers, two ion sensors, a 4 Hz geophone, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor. Data are continuously recorded at 50 Hz with GPS timing and transmitted daily to the QF data center in California for analysis. QF is attempting to detect and characterize anomalous EM activity occurring ahead of earthquakes. In order to analyze this sizable dataset, QF has developed an analytical framework to support processing the time series input data and hypothesis testing to evaluate the statistical significance of potential precursory signals. The framework was developed with a need to support legacy, in-house processing but with an eye towards big-data processing with Apache Spark and other modern big data technologies. In this presentation, we describe our framework, which supports rapid experimentation and iteration of candidate signal processing techniques via modular data transformation stages, tracking of provenance, and automatic re-computation of downstream data when upstream data is updated. Furthermore, we discuss how the processing modules can be ported to big data platforms like Apache Spark and demonstrate a migration path from local, in-house processing to cloud-friendly processing.

Downhole seismic monitoring with Virtual Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Bakulin, A.; Calvert, R.

2005-12-01

Huge quantities of remaining oil and gas reserves are located in very challenging geological environments covered by salt, basalt or other complex overburdens. Conventional surface seismology struggles to deliver images necessary to economically explore them. Even if those reserves are found by drilling successful production critically depends on our ability to ``see" in real time where fluids are drawn from and how pressure changes throughout the reservoirs. For relatively simple overburdens surface time-lapse (4D) seismic monitoring became industry choice for aerial reservoir surveillance. For complex overburdens, 4D seismic does not have enough resolution and repeatability to answer the questions of reservoir engineers. For instance, often reservoir changes are too small to be detected from surface or these changes occur in such pace that all wells will be placed before we can detect them which greatly reduces the economical impact. Two additional challenges are present in real life that further complicate active monitoring: first, near-surface condition do change between the surveys (water level movement, freezing/thawing, tide variations etc) and second, repeating exact same acquisition geometry at the surface is difficult in practice. Both of these things may lead to false 4D response unrelated to reservoir changes. Virtual Source method (VSM) has been recently proposed as a way to eliminate overburden distortions for imaging and monitoring. VSM acknowledges upfront that our data inversion techniques are unable to unravel the details of the complex overburdens to the extent necessary to remove the distortions caused by them. Therefore VSM advocates placing permanent downhole geophones below that most complex overburden while still exciting signals with a surface sources. For instance, first applications include drilling instrumented wells below complicated near-surface, basalt or salt layer. Of course, in an ideal world we would prefer to have both downhole

Delineating Bukit Bunuh impact crater boundary by geophysical and geotechnical investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azwin, I. N., E-mail: nurazwinismail@yahoo.com; Rosli, S.; Nordiana, M. M.; Ragu, R. R.; Mark, J. [Geophysics Section, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang (Malaysia); Mokhtar, S. [Centre for Global Archaeological Research Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang (Malaysia)

2015-03-30

Evidences of crater morphology and shock metamorphism in Bukit Bunuh, Lenggong, Malaysia were found during the archaeological research conducted by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia. In order to register Bukit Bunuh as one of the world meteorite impact site, detailed studies are needed to verify the boundary of the crater accordingly. Geophysical study was conducted utilising the seismic refraction and 2-D electrical resistivity method. Seismic refraction survey was done using ABEM MK8 24 channel seismograph with 14Hz geophones and 40kg weight drop while 2-D electrical resistivity survey was performed using ABEM SAS4000 Terrameter and ES10-64C electrode selector with pole-dipole array. Bedrock depths were digitized from the sections obtained. The produced bedrock topography map shows that there is low bedrock level circulated by high elevated bedrock and interpreted as crater and rim respectively with diameter approximately 8km. There are also few spots of high elevated bedrock appear at the centre of the crater which interpreted as rebounds zone. Generally, the research area is divided into two layers where the first layer with velocity 400-1100 m/s and resistivity value of 10-800 Om predominantly consists of alluvium mix with gravel and boulders. Second layer represents granitic bedrock with depth of 5-50m having velocity >2100 m/s and resistivity value of >1500 Om. This research is strengthen by good correlation between geophysical data and geotechnical borehole records executed inside and outside of the crater, on the rim, as well as at the rebound area.

Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiments 2 and 3 (SPE-2 and SPE-3) Nevada National Security Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Townsend, Margaret [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Las Vegas, NV (United States); Obi, Curtis [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Las Vegas, NV (United States)

2015-04-30

The second Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-2) was conducted in Nevada on October 25, 2011, at 1900:00.011623 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The explosive source was 997 kilograms (kg) trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent of sensitized heavy ammonium fuel oil (SHANFO) detonated at a depth of 45.7 meters (m). The third Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-3) was conducted in Nevada on July 24, 2012, at 1800:00.44835 GMT. The explosive source was 905 kg TNT equivalent of SHANFO detonated at a depth of 45.8 m. Both shots were recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 m) and far-field (100 m or greater) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes at 15, 46, and 55 m depths around the shot and a set of single-component vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network was composed of a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 m to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the second and third Source Physics Experiment shots and the various types of near-field and farfield data that are available.This revised document includes reports on baseline shift corrections for the SPE-2 and SPE-3 shots that were missing from the original January 2015 version.

Seismic reflection data report: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site, Southeastern New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hern, J.L.; Powers, D.W.; Barrows, L.J.

1978-12-01

Three seismic reflection (Vibroseis) surveys conducted from 1976 through 1978 by Sandia Laboratories to support investigations for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are described. Volume I describes the purpose, field parameters, and data processing parameters. Volume II contains uninterpreted processed lines and shotpoint maps. Data interpretations will be the subject of the subsequent reports. The data collected during these three surveys total 77 line miles; 72 line miles of this are on or very near the WIPP site. The first of the surveys (1976 SAN) covered 25 line miles and was conducted similarly to previous petroleum industry surveys in the area. 1976 SAN supplemented existing petroleum industry data. The two subsequent surveys (1977 X and 1978 Y) used shorter geophone spacings (110'), higher signal frequencies (up to 100 Hz), and higher data sampling rates (2 ms.) to better define the shallow zone (less than 4000') of primary interest. 1977 X contained 47 line miles on or near the WIPP site and over several structural features northwest of the site. 1978 Y contains 5 line miles over a one square mile area near the center of the WIPP site. These data show increasing discrimination of shallow reflectors as data collection parameters were modified. Data tables of recording and processing parameters are included. A fourth Vibroseis survey was conducted at the WIPP site in 1978 by Grant Geophysical Company for Bechtel; the data are not in final form and are not included. Petroleum industry data and an inconclusive weight-drop survey, conducted in 1976, are also not included in this report

Non-invasive shallow seismic source comparison for hazardous waste site investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doll, W.E.

1994-01-01

Many commonly used shallow seismic sources are unacceptable for hazardous waste site investigations because they risk exhumation of contaminants in the soil, they add contaminants (e.g. lead) which are not allowed by regulations, or they add new migration paths for contaminants. Furthermore, recently developed high frequency vibrators for shallow investigations could be more effective at some sites than non-invasive impulsive sources because of their ability to tailor the source spectrum and reduce interference. The authors show preliminary results of a comparison test of eight non-invasive impulsive and swept sources in preparation for seismic reflection profiling on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee. Well log data are used to determine geologic contacts and to generate synthetic seismograms for the site. Common midpoint (CMP) seismic data for each source were collected at 95 geophone groups from 125 shot points along a 400m test line. Hydrophone data were obtained at 1.5m spacing between 61m and 133m depth in a hole near the center of the CMP line. As of March, 1994, brute stacks have been completed for three of the eight sources. Depth penetration is demonstrated in brute stacks and shot gathers, which show a 200ms reflector for all of the sources tested along portions of the line. Source effectiveness will also be evaluated by comparing images of several shallower reflectors (40--150ms) which are apparent in many of the records. Imaging of these reflectors appears to depend upon the ability of the source to generate sufficient high frequency energy (>100 Hz)

Time-Dependent Moment Tensors of the First Four Source Physics Experiments (SPE) Explosions

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X.

2015-12-01

We use mainly vertical-component geophone data within 2 km from the epicenter to invert for time-dependent moment tensors of the first four SPE explosions: SPE-1, SPE-2, SPE-3 and SPE-4Prime. We employ a one-dimensional (1D) velocity model developed from P- and Rg-wave travel times for Green's function calculations. The attenuation structure of the model is developed from P- and Rg-wave amplitudes. We select data for the inversion based on the criterion that they show consistent travel times and amplitude behavior as those predicted by the 1D model. Due to limited azimuthal coverage of the sources and the mostly vertical-component-only nature of the dataset, only long-period, diagonal components of the moment tensors are well constrained. Nevertheless, the moment tensors, particularly their isotropic components, provide reasonable estimates of the long-period source amplitudes as well as estimates of corner frequencies, albeit with larger uncertainties. The estimated corner frequencies, however, are consistent with estimates from ratios of seismogram spectra from different explosions. These long-period source amplitudes and corner frequencies cannot be fit by classical P-wave explosion source models. The results motivate the development of new P-wave source models suitable for these chemical explosions. To that end, we fit inverted moment-tensor spectra by modifying the classical explosion model using regressions of estimated source parameters. Although the number of data points used in the regression is small, the approach suggests a way for the new-model development when more data are collected.

On the Acoustic Filtering of the Pipe and Sensor in a Buried Plastic Water Pipe and its Effect on Leak Detection: An Experimental Investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrício Almeida

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Acoustic techniques have been used for many years to find and locate leaks in buried water distribution systems. Hydrophones and accelerometers are typically used as sensors. Although geophones could be used as well, they are not generally used for leak detection. A simple acoustic model of the pipe and the sensors has been proposed previously by some of the authors of this paper, and their model was used to explain some of the features observed in measurements. However, simultaneous measurements of a leak using all three sensor-types in controlled conditions for plastic pipes has not been reported to-date and hence they have not yet been compared directly. This paper fills that gap in knowledge. A set of measurements was made on a bespoke buried plastic water distribution pipe test rig to validate the previously reported analytical model. There is qualitative agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions in terms of the differing filtering properties of the pipe-sensor systems. A quality measure for the data is also presented, which is the ratio of the bandwidth over which the analysis is carried out divided by the centre frequency of this bandwidth. Based on this metric, the accelerometer was found to be the best sensor to use for the test rig described in this paper. However, for a system in which the distance between the sensors is large or the attenuation factor of the system is high, then it would be advantageous to use hydrophones, even though they are invasive sensors.

On the acoustic filtering of the pipe and sensor in a buried plastic water pipe and its effect on leak detection: an experimental investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Fabrício; Brennan, Michael; Joseph, Phillip; Whitfield, Stuart; Dray, Simon; Paschoalini, Amarildo

2014-03-20

Acoustic techniques have been used for many years to find and locate leaks in buried water distribution systems. Hydrophones and accelerometers are typically used as sensors. Although geophones could be used as well, they are not generally used for leak detection. A simple acoustic model of the pipe and the sensors has been proposed previously by some of the authors of this paper, and their model was used to explain some of the features observed in measurements. However, simultaneous measurements of a leak using all three sensor-types in controlled conditions for plastic pipes has not been reported to-date and hence they have not yet been compared directly. This paper fills that gap in knowledge. A set of measurements was made on a bespoke buried plastic water distribution pipe test rig to validate the previously reported analytical model. There is qualitative agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions in terms of the differing filtering properties of the pipe-sensor systems. A quality measure for the data is also presented, which is the ratio of the bandwidth over which the analysis is carried out divided by the centre frequency of this bandwidth. Based on this metric, the accelerometer was found to be the best sensor to use for the test rig described in this paper. However, for a system in which the distance between the sensors is large or the attenuation factor of the system is high, then it would be advantageous to use hydrophones, even though they are invasive sensors.

Artillery localization using networked wireless ground sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, David C.

2002-08-01

This paper presents the results of an installation of four acoustic/seismic ground sensors built using COTS computers and networking gear and operating on a continuous basis at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. A description of the design can be found as well, which is essentially a Windows 2000 PC with 24-bit data acquisition, GPS timing, and environmental sensors for wind and temperature. A 4-element square acoustic array 1.8m on a side can be used to detect the time and angle of arrival of the muzzle blast and the impact explosion. A 3-component geophone allows the seismic wave direction to be estimated. The 8th channel of the 24-bit data acquisition system has a 1-pulse-per-second time signal from the GPS. This allows acoustic/seismic 'snapshots' to be coherently related from multiple disconnected ground sensor nodes. COTS 2.4 GHz frequency hopping radios (802.11 standard) are used with either omni or yagi antennas depending on the location on the range. Localization of the artillery or impact can be done by using the time and angle of arrival of the waves at 2 or more ground sensor locations. However, this straightforward analysis can be significantly complicated by weather and wind noise and is also the subject of another research contract. This work will present a general description of the COTS ground sensor installation, show example data autonomously collected including agent-based atmospheric data, and share some of the lessons learned from operating a Windows 2000 based system continuously outdoors.

Scaling relationships between bed load volumes, transport distances, and stream power in steep mountain channels

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Johannes M.; Turowski, Jens M.; Rickenmann, Dieter; Hegglin, Ramon; Arrigo, Sabrina; Mao, Luca; Kirchner, James W.

2014-03-01

Bed load transport during storm events is both an agent of geomorphic change and a significant natural hazard in mountain regions. Thus, predicting bed load transport is a central challenge in fluvial geomorphology and natural hazard risk assessment. Bed load transport during storm events depends on the width and depth of bed scour, as well as the transport distances of individual sediment grains. We traced individual gravels in two steep mountain streams, the Erlenbach (Switzerland) and Rio Cordon (Italy), using magnetic and radio frequency identification tags, and measured their bed load transport rates using calibrated geophone bed load sensors in the Erlenbach and a bed load trap in the Rio Cordon. Tracer transport distances and bed load volumes exhibited approximate power law scaling with both the peak stream power and the cumulative stream energy of individual hydrologic events. Bed load volumes scaled much more steeply with peak stream power and cumulative stream energy than tracer transport distances did, and bed load volumes scaled as roughly the third power of transport distances. These observations imply that large bed load transport events become large primarily by scouring the bed deeper and wider, and only secondarily by transporting the mobilized sediment farther. Using the sediment continuity equation, we can estimate the mean effective thickness of the actively transported layer, averaged over the entire channel width and the duration of individual flow events. This active layer thickness also followed approximate power law scaling with peak stream power and cumulative stream energy and ranged up to 0.57 m in the Erlenbach, broadly consistent with independent measurements.

Integration of DAS (distributed acoustic sensing) vertical seismic profile and geostatistically modeled lithology data to characterize an enhanced geothermal system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, S. P.; Trainor Guitton, W.; Team, P.; Pare, A.; Jreij, S.; Powers, H.

2017-12-01

In March 2016, a 4-week field data acquisition took place at Brady's Natural Lab (BNL), an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) in Fallan, NV. During these 4 weeks, a vibe truck executed 6,633 sweeps, recorded by nodal seismometers, horizontal distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) cable, and 400 meters of vertical DAS cable. DAS provides lower signal to noise ratio than traditional geophones but better spatial resolution. The analysis of DAS VSP included Fourier transform, and filtering to remove all up-going energy. Thus, allowing for accurate first arrival picking. We present an example of the Gradual Deformation Method (GDM) using DAS VSP and lithological data to produce a distribution of valid velocity models of BNL. GDM generates continuous perturbations of prior model realizations seeking the best match to the data (i.e. minimize the misfit). Prior model realizations honoring the lithological data were created using sequential Gaussian simulation, a commonly used noniterative geostatistical method. Unlike least-squares-based methods of inversion, GDM readily incorporates a priori information, such as a variogram calculated from well-based lithology information. Additionally, by producing a distribution of models, as opposed to one optimal model, GDM allows for uncertainty quantification. This project aims at assessing the integrated technologies ability to monitor changes in the water table (possibly to one meter resolution) by exploiting the dependence of seismic wave velocities on water saturation of the subsurface. This project, which was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, is a part of the PoroTomo project, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Regularized non-stationary morphological reconstruction algorithm for weak signal detection in microseismic monitoring: methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Weilin; Wang, Runqiu; Chen, Yangkang

2018-05-01

Microseismic signal is typically weak compared with the strong background noise. In order to effectively detect the weak signal in microseismic data, we propose a mathematical morphology based approach. We decompose the initial data into several morphological multiscale components. For detection of weak signal, a non-stationary weighting operator is proposed and introduced into the process of reconstruction of data by morphological multiscale components. The non-stationary weighting operator can be obtained by solving an inversion problem. The regularized non-stationary method can be understood as a non-stationary matching filtering method, where the matching filter has the same size as the data to be filtered. In this paper, we provide detailed algorithmic descriptions and analysis. The detailed algorithm framework, parameter selection and computational issue for the regularized non-stationary morphological reconstruction (RNMR) method are presented. We validate the presented method through a comprehensive analysis through different data examples. We first test the proposed technique using a synthetic data set. Then the proposed technique is applied to a field project, where the signals induced from hydraulic fracturing are recorded by 12 three-component geophones in a monitoring well. The result demonstrates that the RNMR can improve the detectability of the weak microseismic signals. Using the processed data, the short-term-average over long-term average picking algorithm and Geiger's method are applied to obtain new locations of microseismic events. In addition, we show that the proposed RNMR method can be used not only in microseismic data but also in reflection seismic data to detect the weak signal. We also discussed the extension of RNMR from 1-D to 2-D or a higher dimensional version.

Empirical recurrence rates for ground motion signals on planetary surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenz, Ralph D.; Panning, Mark

2018-03-01

We determine the recurrence rates of ground motion events as a function of sensed velocity amplitude at several terrestrial locations, and make a first interplanetary comparison with measurements on the Moon, Mars, Venus and Titan. This empirical approach gives an intuitive order-of-magnitude guide to the observed ground motion (including both tectonic and ocean- and atmosphere-forced signals) of these locations as a guide to instrument expectations on future missions, without invoking interior models and specific sources: for example a Venera-14 observation of possible ground motion indicates a microseismic environment mid-way between noisy and quiet terrestrial locations. Quiet terrestrial regions see a peak velocity amplitude in mm/s roughly equal to 0.3*N(-0.7), where N is the number of "events" (half-hour intervals in which a given peak ground motion is exceeded) observed per year. The Apollo data show endogenous seismic signals for a given recurrence rate that are typically about 10,000 times smaller in amplitude than a quiet site on Earth, although local thermally-induced moonquakes are much more common. Viking data masked for low-wind periods appear comparable with a quiet terrestrial site, whereas a Venera observation of microseisms suggests ground motion more similar to a more active terrestrial location. Recurrence rate plots from in-situ measurements provide a context for seismic instrumentation on future planetary missions, e.g. to guide formulation of data compression schemes. While even small geophones can discriminate terrestrial activity rates, observations with guidance accelerometers are typically too insensitive to provide meaningful constraints (i.e. a non-zero number of "events") on actual ground motion observations unless operated for very long periods.

3D Seismic Imaging over a Potential Collapse Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Gritto, Roland; O'Connell, Daniel; Elobaid Elnaiem, Ali; Mohamed, Fathelrahman; Sadooni, Fadhil

2016-04-01

The Middle-East has seen a recent boom in construction including the planning and development of complete new sub-sections of metropolitan areas. Before planning and construction can commence, however, the development areas need to be investigated to determine their suitability for the planned project. Subsurface parameters such as the type of material (soil/rock), thickness of top soil or rock layers, depth and elastic parameters of basement, for example, comprise important information needed before a decision concerning the suitability of the site for construction can be made. A similar problem arises in environmental impact studies, when subsurface parameters are needed to assess the geological heterogeneity of the subsurface. Environmental impact studies are typically required for each construction project, particularly for the scale of the aforementioned building boom in the Middle East. The current study was conducted in Qatar at the location of a future highway interchange to evaluate a suite of 3D seismic techniques in their effectiveness to interrogate the subsurface for the presence of karst-like collapse structures. The survey comprised an area of approximately 10,000 m2 and consisted of 550 source- and 192 receiver locations. The seismic source was an accelerated weight drop while the geophones consisted of 3-component 10 Hz velocity sensors. At present, we analyzed over 100,000 P-wave phase arrivals and performed high-resolution 3-D tomographic imaging of the shallow subsurface. Furthermore, dispersion analysis of recorded surface waves will be performed to obtain S-wave velocity profiles of the subsurface. Both results, in conjunction with density estimates, will be utilized to determine the elastic moduli of the subsurface rock layers.

Insight into subdecimeter fracturing processes during hydraulic fracture experiment in Äspö hard rock laboratory, Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Kwiatek, Grzegorz; Martínez-Garzón, Patricia; Plenkers, Katrin; Leonhardt, Maria; Zang, Arno; Dresen, Georg; Bohnhoff, Marco

2017-04-01

We analyze the nano- and picoseismicity recorded during a hydraulic fracturing in-situ experiment performed in Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden. The fracturing experiment included six fracture stages driven by three different water injection schemes (continuous, progressive and pulse pressurization) and was performed inside a 28 m long, horizontal borehole located at 410 m depth. The fracturing process was monitored with two different seismic networks covering a wide frequency band between 0.01 Hz and 100000 Hz and included broadband seismometers, geophones, high-frequency accelerometers and acoustic emission sensors. The combined seismic network allowed for detection and detailed analysis of seismicity with moment magnitudes MW<-4 (source sizes approx. on cm scale) that occurred solely during the hydraulic fracturing and refracturing stages. We relocated the seismicity catalog using the double-difference technique and calculated the source parameters (seismic moment, source size, stress drop, focal mechanism and seismic moment tensors). The physical characteristics of induced seismicity are compared to the stimulation parameters and to the formation parameters of the site. The seismic activity varies significantly depending on stimulation strategy with conventional, continuous stimulation being the most seismogenic. We find a systematic spatio-temporal migration of microseismic events (propagation away and towards wellbore injection interval) and temporal transitions in source mechanisms (opening - shearing - collapse) both being controlled by changes in fluid injection pressure. The derived focal mechanism parameters are in accordance with the local stress field orientation, and signify the reactivation of pre-existing rock flaws. The seismicity follows statistical and source scaling relations observed at different scales elsewhere, however, at an extremely low level of seismic efficiency.

Direct seismic detection of gas hydrates using multi-component seismology : a case study from the mid-Norwegian margin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bunz, S.; Mienert, J. [Tromso Univ., Tromso (Norway). Dept. of Geology; Chand, S. [Norwegian Geological Survey, Trondheim (Norway)

2008-07-01

Gas hydrates are important as a possible future energy resource, in submarine landsliding and in global climate change as they contain more carbon than any other global reservoir and are plentiful on continental margins worldwide. It is therefore necessary to identify and map the distribution of gas hydrates in a fast and basin-wide approach. Information about the distribution of gas hydrates can be obtained using multi-component seismology. In the marine environment shear waves (S-waves) can be generated by conversion from a downward-propagating compressional wave (P-wave) upon reflection at a sedimentary interface. The upward-propagating S-wave can be recorded at the ocean floor using vertical and horizontal geophones. On the mid-Norwegian margin, a combined analysis of the independently obtained parameters, P-wave velocity and Vp/Vs-ratio, of ocean-bottom cable data enables the direct detection of gas hydrates with higher certainty and assessment of their grain-scale distribution and its controlling parameters. In order to directly image gas hydrates and to directly assess their grain-scale distribution, a model was developed to evaluate the distribution of the ratio of P- and S-wave velocities, Vp/Vs, along the ocean-bottom cable line. The study also evaluated possible controlling mechanisms for the distribution of gas hydrates. The paper provided detailed information on the distribution of gas hydrates and gas within the sediments through analyses of seismic velocities, obtained from multi-channel or ocean-bottom seismic data. It was concluded that gas hydrates are distributed both with and without affecting the shear strength of the sediments. 13 refs., 6 figs.

Seismic Investigation of the Glacier de la Plaine Morte, Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

Laske, Gabi; Lindner, Fabian; Walter, Fabian; Krage, Manuel

2017-04-01

Glacier de la Plaine Morte is a plateau glacier along the border between Valais and Berne cantons. It covers a narrow elevation range and is extremely vulnerable to climate change. During snow melt, it feeds three marginal lakes that have experienced sudden subglacial drainage in recent years, thereby causing flooding in the Simme Valley below. Of greatest concern is Lac des Faverges at the southeastern end of the glacier that has drained near the end of July in recent years, with flood levels reaching capacity of flood control systems downstream. The lake levels are carefully monitored but precise prediction has not yet been achieved. In the search for precursory ice fracturing to the lake drainage to improve forecast, four seismic arrays comprised of five short-period borehole seismometers provided by Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich as well as fifteen 3-component geophones from the Geophysical Instrument Pool Potsdam (GIPP) collected continuous seismic data for about seven weeks during the summer of 2016. We present initial results on discharge dynamics as well as changing noise levels and seismicity before, during and after the drainage of Lac des Faverges. Compared to previous recent years, the 2016 drainage of Lac des Faverges occurred unusually late on August 28. With an aperture between 100 and 200 m, the small arrays recorded many hundred ice quakes per day. A majority of the events exhibits clearly dispersed, high-frequency Rayleigh waves at about 10 Hz and higher. A wide distribution of events allows us to study azimuthal anisotropy and its relationship with the orientation of glacial crevasses.

Seismic monitoring of the unstable rock slope at Aaknes, Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, M.; Blikra, L. H.

2009-04-01

The unstable rock slope at Aaknes has an estimated volume of about 70 million cubic meters, and parts of the slope are moving at a rate between 2-15 cm/year. Amongst many other direct monitoring systems we have installed a small-scale seismic network (8 three-component geophones over an area of 250 x 150 meters) in order to monitor microseismic events related to the movement of the slope. The network has been operational since November 2005 with only a few short-term outages. Seismic data are transferred in real-time from the site to NORSAR for automatic detection processing. The resulting detection lists and charts and the associated waveform are forwarded immediately to the early warning centre of the Municipality of Stranda. Furthermore, we make them available after a delay of about 10-15 minutes on our public project web page (http://www.norsar.no/pc-47-48-Latest-Data.aspx). Seismic monitoring provides independent and complementary data to the more direct monitoring systems at Aaknes. We observe increased seismic activity in periods of heavy rain fall or snow melt, when laser ranging data and extensometer readings indicate temporary acceleration phases of the slope. The seismic network is too small and the velocity structure is too heterogeneous in order to obtain reliable localizations of the microseismic events. In summer 2009 we plan to install a high-sensitive broadband seismometer (60 s - 100 Hz) in the middle of the unstable slope. This will allow us to better constrain the locations of the microseismic events and to investigate potential low-frequency signals associated with the slope movement.

Microseismic response characteristics modeling and locating of underground water supply pipe leak

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J.; Liu, J.

2015-12-01

In traditional methods of pipeline leak location, geophones must be located on the pipe wall. If the exact location of the pipeline is unknown, the leaks cannot be identified accurately. To solve this problem, taking into account the characteristics of the pipeline leak, we propose a continuous random seismic source model and construct geological models to investigate the proposed method for locating underground pipeline leaks. Based on two dimensional (2D) viscoacoustic equations and the staggered grid finite-difference (FD) algorithm, the microseismic wave field generated by a leaking pipe is modeled. Cross-correlation analysis and the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm were utilized to obtain the time difference and the leak location. We also analyze and discuss the effect of the number of recorded traces, the survey layout, and the offset and interval of the traces on the accuracy of the estimated location. The preliminary results of the simulation and data field experiment indicate that (1) a continuous random source can realistically represent the leak microseismic wave field in a simulation using 2D visco-acoustic equations and a staggered grid FD algorithm. (2) The cross-correlation method is effective for calculating the time difference of the direct wave relative to the reference trace. However, outside the refraction blind zone, the accuracy of the time difference is reduced by the effects of the refracted wave. (3) The acquisition method of time difference based on the microseismic theory and SA algorithm has a great potential for locating leaks from underground pipelines from an array located on the ground surface. Keywords: Viscoacoustic finite-difference simulation; continuous random source; simulated annealing algorithm; pipeline leak location

Approximate Seismic Diffusive Models of Near-Receiver Geology: Applications from Lab Scale to Field

Science.gov (United States)

King, Thomas; Benson, Philip; De Siena, Luca; Vinciguerra, Sergio

2017-04-01

This paper presents a novel and simple method of seismic envelope analysis that can be applied at multiple scales, e.g. field, m to km scale and laboratory, mm to cm scale, and utilises the diffusive approximation of the seismic wavefield (Wegler, 2003). Coefficient values for diffusion and attenuation are obtained from seismic coda energies and are used to describe the rate at which seismic energy is scattered and attenuated into the local medium around a receiver. Values are acquired by performing a linear least squares inversion of coda energies calculated in successive time windows along a seismic trace. Acoustic emission data were taken from piezoelectric transducers (PZT) with typical resonance frequency of 1-5MHz glued around rock samples during deformation laboratory experiments carried out using a servo-controlled triaxial testing machine, where a shear/damage zone is generated under compression after the nucleation, growth and coalescence of microcracks. Passive field data were collected from conventional geophones during the 2004-2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens volcano (MSH), USA where a sudden reawakening of the volcanic activity and a new dome growth has occurred. The laboratory study shows a strong correlation between variations of the coefficients over time and the increase of differential stress as the experiment progresses. The field study links structural variations present in the near-surface geology, including those seen in previous geophysical studies of the area, to these same coefficients. Both studies show a correlation between frequency and structural feature size, i.e. landslide slip-planes and microcracks, with higher frequencies being much more sensitive to smaller scale features and vice-versa.

Use of three-dimensional, high-resolution seismic technology to optimize the location of remedial systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bainer, R.W.; Adams, M.L.

1993-02-01

Two three-dimensional (3-D), high-resolution seismic reflection pilot studies were conducted in California at two sites, where the primary contaminants of concern are solvents. Identify pathways of contaminant migration. Determine the subsurface stratigraphy and structure to optimize the location for placement of remedial systems. The geology at the first site, located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, is characterized by unconsolidated alluvium. Ground water varies in depth from about 30 to 100 ft. The site typically is subjected to extensive cultural noise. The second site, in Southern California, is located in a broad, synclinal depression in the Transverse Range. Shallow alluvium overlies a marine turbidite sequence that crops out as massive sandstone beds. Field work for both surveys took place in August 1992. A Bison Model 90120-A, 120-channel (DIFP) seismograph was used to record the data. Thirty-hertz, natural-frequency geophones were used to receive the data, and an Elastic Wave Generator (EWG) was used as the seismic source. The use of a signal-stacking, noninvasive source was found to be an effective method of overriding background noise at the sites. Prior to the commencement of the 3-D pilot studies, a two-dimensional (2-D) profile was recorded to test the acquisition parameters, which included the geometry of the survey, digital sample rate, and analog filter settings. The data were monitored in the field with a Bison 486 Explorer outdoor computer. The 2-D data were processed and displayed in the field. Both sites displayed coherent seismic reflections from the depths of interest on the field-stacked sections

Joint body- and surface-wave tomography of Yucca Flat, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Toney, L. D.; Abbott, R. E.; Preston, L. A.

2017-12-01

In 2015, Sandia National Laboratories conducted an active-source seismic survey of Yucca Flat (YF), Nevada, on the Nevada National Security Site. YF hosted over 650 underground nuclear tests (UGTs) between 1957 and 1992. Data from this survey will help characterize the geologic structure and bulk properties of the region, informing models for the next phase of the Source Physics Experiments. The survey source was a 13,000-kg weight drop at 91 locations along a 19-km N-S transect and 56 locations along an 11-km E-W transect. Over 350 three-component 2-Hz geophones were variably spaced at 10, 20, and 100 m along each line; we used a roll-along survey geometry to ensure 10-m receiver spacing within 2 km of the source. We applied the multiple filter technique to the dataset using a comb of 30 narrow bandpass filters with center frequencies ranging from 1 to 50 Hz. After manually windowing out the fundamental Rayleigh-wave arrival, we picked group-velocity dispersion curves for 50,000 source-receiver pairs. We performed a joint inversion of group-velocity dispersion and existing body-wave travel-time picks for the shear- and compressional-wave velocity structure of YF. Our final models reveal significant Vp / Vs anomalies in the vicinities of legacy UGT sites. The velocity structures corroborate existing seismo-stratigraphic models of YF derived from borehole and gravity data. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc. for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Evaluation of local site effect in the western side of the Suez Canal area by applying H/V and MASW techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Emad K.; Shokry, M. M. F.; Hassoup, Awad; Helal, A. M. A.

2016-11-01

The soft sediments are one of the most important factors responsible for the amplification of the seismic ground motion in an area of study. Three components, single-station microtremor measurements were performed at 61 sites along the Suez Canal to estimate the fundamental frequencies of the soil and corresponding H/V amplitude ratios by using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method. We have applied the investigations of the shear wave velocity for supplementing the existing seismic microzonation of the Suez Canal. The multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) tests were done along the Suez Canal in the three cities, Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said using 24 channels digital engineering seismograph with 4.5 Hz geophones from September 2014 to January 2015 to get the shear wave velocity VS30. The SeisImager/SW software was used for analyzing the data, and 1D-shear wave velocity model have achieved for each site. The HVSR curves show that the fundamental frequency values are ranging from 0.57 to 1.08 Hz, and H/V amplitude ratios are ranging from 4.05 to 6.46. The average values of VS30 are (548, 301), (241, 319), (194, 110, 238) for Suez, Ismailia, and Port Said respectively. The average of shear wave velocity up to 30 m depth is estimated and used for site classification based on the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) classification. The majority of the sites was classified as Class D (stiff soil) except one site at Port Said city is classified as Class E (soft soils), and another site in the Suez city is classified as Class C (hard rock).

Subsurface Profile Mapping using 3-D Compressive Wave Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hazreek Z A M

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Geotechnical site investigation related to subsurface profile mapping was commonly performed to provide valuable data for design and construction stage based on conventional drilling techniques. From past experience, drilling techniques particularly using borehole method suffer from limitations related to expensive, time consuming and limited data coverage. Hence, this study performs subsurface profile mapping using 3-D compressive wave imaging in order to minimize those conventional method constraints. Field measurement and data analysis of compressive wave (p-wave, vp was performed using seismic refraction survey (ABEM Terraloc MK 8, 7 kg of sledgehammer and 24 units of vertical geophone and OPTIM (SeisOpt@Picker & SeisOpt@2D software respectively. Then, 3-D compressive wave distribution of subsurface studied was obtained using analysis of SURFER software. Based on 3-D compressive wave image analyzed, it was found that subsurface profile studied consist of three main layers representing top soil (vp = 376 – 600 m/s, weathered material (vp = 900 – 2600 m/s and bedrock (vp > 3000 m/s. Thickness of each layer was varied from 0 – 2 m (first layer, 2 – 20 m (second layer and 20 m and over (third layer. Moreover, groundwater (vp = 1400 – 1600 m/s starts to be detected at 2.0 m depth from ground surface. This study has demonstrated that geotechnical site investigation data related to subsurface profiling was applicable to be obtained using 3-D compressive wave imaging. Furthermore, 3-D compressive wave imaging was performed based on non destructive principle in ground exploration thus consider economic, less time, large data coverage and sustainable to our environment.

Eneolithic mine Prljuša: Mali Šturac archaeological and geophysical investigations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonović Dragana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Eneolithic copper mine at Mali Šturac was discovered in 1980 and subsequently investigated to a smaller extent from 1981 to 1987. In 2010 the investigations at Prljuša were reactivated with the aim of defining how much and how long the mine had been exploited during prehistory. Pilot geophysical studies were followed by more extensive explorations in 2011. They focused on a zone related to Shafts 4 and 6, discovered in 1987. The geophysical explorations have comprised the methods of selfpotential - SP, electrical scanning - ES and seismic profiling with one geophone - SGRP. The explorations covered a surface of 400 m² including five sections, each 50 m long, with 2 m intervals between them. These investigations identified underground channels in Shaft 4 and Shaft 6. Three meters below Shaft 4, a large underground gallery was found and in the continuation of the entrance of Shaft 6, a 10 m long horizontal channel was detected. Northwards from Shaft 4 and Shaft 6, at a distance of 6-8 m, at least six mining shafts were detected. However, they are not visible on the surface because their entrances are filled with loose material. The investigations carried out in 2011 proved that geophysical investigations are an efficient method for studying old mining works and, therefore, it has been decided to continue with this type of exploration. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177020: Archaeology of Serbia: cultural identity, integration factors, technological processes and the role of the Central Balkans in the development of European prehistory i br. 177023: Cultural changes and population movements in the early prehistory of the Central Balkans

Capabilities of seismic and georadar 2D/3D imaging of shallow subsurface of transport route using the Seismobile system

Science.gov (United States)

Pilecki, Zenon; Isakow, Zbigniew; Czarny, Rafał; Pilecka, Elżbieta; Harba, Paulina; Barnaś, Maciej

2017-08-01

In this work, the capabilities of the Seismobile system for shallow subsurface imaging of transport routes, such as roads, railways, and airport runways, in different geological conditions were presented. The Seismobile system combines the advantages of seismic profiling using landstreamer and georadar (GPR) profiling. It consists of up to four seismic measuring lines and carriage with a suspended GPR antenna. Shallow subsurface recognition may be achieved to a maximum width of 10.5 m for a distance of 3.5 m between the measurement lines. GPR measurement is performed in the axis of the construction. Seismobile allows the measurement time, labour and costs to be reduced due to easy technique of its installation, remote data transmission from geophones to accompanying measuring modules, automated location of the system based on GPS and a highly automated method of seismic wave excitation. In this paper, the results of field tests carried out in different geological conditions were presented. The methodologies of acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic and GPR measurements were broadly described. Seismograms and its spectrum registered by Seismobile system were compared to the ones registered by Geode seismograph of Geometrix. Seismic data processing and interpretation software allows for the obtaining of 2D/3D models of P- and S-wave velocities. Combined seismic and GPR results achieved sufficient imaging of shallow subsurface to a depth of over a dozen metres. The obtained geophysical information correlated with geological information from the boreholes with good quality. The results of performed tests proved the efficiency of the Seismobile system in seismic and GPR imaging of a shallow subsurface of transport routes under compound conditions.

High-resolution seismic reflection study, Vacherie Dome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-06-01

A high-resolution seismic reflection study, consisting of recording, processing, and interpreting four seismic reflection lines, was made at Vacherie Dome, Louisiana. The presumed shape of the dome, as pictured in the geologic area characterization report by Law Engineering Testing Company in 1982, was based largely on interpretation of gravity data, constrained by a few wells and exploration-type seismic profiles. The purpose of the study was to obtain refined profiles of the dome above -914 m (-3000 ft) elevation. Additional study had been recommended by Louisiana State University in 1967 and the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation in 1981 because the interpreted size of Vacherie Dome was based on limited seismic and gravity data. Forty-eight traces of seismic data were recorded each time shots were made to generate energy. Twelve-fold, common-depth-point data were obtained using geophone stations spaced at 15-m (50-ft) intervals with shots at 30-m (100-ft) intervals. The time-sampling interval used was 1 ms. Processing intended to enhance resolution included iterative static corrections, deconvolution before stacking, and both time- and depth-migration. The locations of the steep dome sides were inferred primarily from terminations of strong reflections (migrated) from strata near the top of the upper and lower Cretaceous sections. This interpretation agrees closely with the presumed shape from the top of the dome to about -610 m (-2000 ft) elevation, but below this on three of the profiles, this interpretation indicates a steeper salt face than the presumed shape. The area reduction at -914 m (-3000 ft) elevation is estimated to be on the order of 20 percent. 10 references, 11 figures, 4 tables

Refraction and reflection seismic investigations for geological energy-storage site characterization: Dalby (Tornquist Zone), southwest Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Malehmir, Alireza; Bergman, Bo; Andersson, Benjamin; Sturk, Robert; Johansson, Mattis

2017-04-01

Three high-resolution, 5 m shot and receiver spacing using 141-172 receivers, refraction and reflection seismic profiles for the planning of a major underground energy-storage site near the town of Dalby-Lund within the Scania Tornquist suture zone in southwest of Sweden were acquired during August 2015. The site is situated ca. 1 km north of the RFZ (Romeleåsen fault and flexure zone) with a complex geologic and tectonic history. Near vertical dikes are observed from several quarries in the area crosscutting granitic-gneissic-amphibiotic rocks and form clear magnetic lineaments. These dikes likely have also acted as surfaces on which further faulting have occurred. Although a major high-speed and traffic road runs in the middle of the study area, the seismic data show excellent quality particularly for the data along two profiles (profiles 2 and 3) perpendicular to the road, and slightly noisy, due to high wind, for the data along a profile (profile 4) parallel to the road. A bobcat-mounted drop hammer (500 kg) was used to generate the seismic signal. To provide continuity from one side of the road to another, 51 wireless recorders connected to 10 Hz geophones and operating in an autonomous mode were used. GPS times of the source impacts were used to extract the data from the wireless recorders and then merged with the data from the cabled recorders (also 10 Hz geophones). Three shot records per source position were generated and vertically stacked to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. First arrivals are clear in most shot gathers allowing them to be used for traditional refraction seismic data analysis and also for more advanced traveltime tomography. The velocity models obtained through traveltime tomography clearly depict bedrock surface and its undulations and in many places show good correlation with the boreholes recently drilled in the area. At places where bedrock is intersected at greater depths than usual, for example 25 m at one place, depression

Monitoring daily and sub-daily variations in crustal strain with seismic arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, S.; Campillo, M.; van der Hilst, R. D.; Brenguier, F.; Hillers, G.

2017-12-01

We demonstrate that we can monitor deformation of the shallow crust (with hourly temporal resolution) directly with seismic waves, by measuring relative seismic wave speed changes (dv/v) due to relatively known periodical forcing (tides and changes in atmospheric temperature) at Piton de la Fournaise Volcano (PdF), La Réunion. We use ambient seismic noise recorded (for one month) at VolcArray, an experiment with three arrays of 49 vertical-component geophones deployed on a 7x7 grid of approximately 80 m spacing. Through noise-based coda wave interferometry we infer for each array the average relative changes in propagation speed of seismic waves (dv/v) as a function of time, which relate to temporal changes in medium properties within 100m depth. The variations in dv/v ( 0.05%) on time-scales longer than a day are best explained by effects of precipitation on pore pressure. In contrast, the (weaker) daily and sub-daily fluctuations of dv/v ( 0.01%) are likely to be caused by tidal and thermal effects. We verify that the inferred variations of dv/v are unrelated to spatiotemporal changes of noise wavefields. We further compare the power spectrum of dv/v with spectra of simulated tide-induced volumetric strain, temperature records, very broadband (VBB) seismograms, and borehole tilt records. In all five types of data, dominant peaks are found at around diurnal, semi-diurnal, and ter-diurnal frequencies. A comparison of phase and spectra of the data suggests that the tidal and thermal effects on dv/v are of similar magnitude but vary with frequency. Theoretical modeling of tide- and temperature-induced strain in different frequency bands agrees with the relative magnitude of the two effects on dv/v from passive monitoring.

Seismic VSP Investigations at Olkiluoto, 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enescu, N.; Cosma, C.; Balu, L. (Vibrometric, Vantaa (Finland))

2007-08-15

Posiva Oy carries out R and D related tasks for spent nuclear fuel disposal in Finland. The site characterization has been conducted since 1987 in Olkiluoto in western Finland. The ONKALO underground characterization facility has been under construction since 2004. Vibrometric Oy has been contracted to carry out seismic VSP survey in four drillholes in the immediate vicinity of ONKALO, for the characterization of the seismically responsive structures. Four drillholes, KR8, KR27, KR29 and KR38 were included to the project. Seven seismic source locations on ground surface were used for each drillhole. The source locations were optimized with respect to the drillhole and ONKALO and were configured as linear arrays to produce optimum imaging focused on the ONKALO volume. A mechanical Vibsist source, using a hydraulic rock breaker mounted on a 22 t excavator, was used as source of seismic signal. The signal was recorded with downhole 3-component geophones. The recording array was 8-level long, with 5 m spacing between levels. Acquisition was run throughout the drillholes. Processing of the VSP profiles consisted of time decoding of the impact sequences, filtering and image point (IP) transform. The interpretation was carried out interactively, seeking for best match of orientation of each reflection according to different borehole profiles where the features were seen. The interpretations were built as an add-on to a previous seismic model of the site. The most distinct reflectors were interpreted, compiled to as a part of a terrain model composed of 3D surfaces, and transferred digitally together with other results (3D elements of reflector locations) into Posiva's 3D modeling system. Some of the reflectors have already received direct confirmation from ONKALO observations. (orig.)

Riola release report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodward, E.C.

1983-08-04

Eleven hours after execution of the Riola Event (at 0826 PDT on 25 September 1980) in hole U2eq of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a release of radioactivity began. When the seepage stopped at about noon the following day, up to some 3200 Ci of activity had been dispersed by light variable winds. On 26 September, examination of the geophone records showed six hours of low-level, but fairly continuous, activity before the release. Electrical measurements indicated that most cables were still intact to a depth below the stemming platform. A survey of the ground zero area showed that the seepage came through cracks between the surface conductor and the pad, through cracks in the pad, and through a crack adjacent to the pad around the mousehole (a small hole adjacent to the emplacement hole). To preclude undue radiation exposure or injury from a surprise subsidence, safety measures were instituted. Tritium seepage was suffucient to postpone site activities until a box and pipeline were emplaced to contain and remove the gas. Radiation release modeling and calculations were generally consistent with observations. Plug-hole interaction calculations showed that the alluvium near the bottom of the plug may have been overstressed and that improvements in the design of the plug-medium interface can be made. Experimental studies verified that the surface appearance of the plug core was caused by erosion, but, assuming a normal strength for the plug material, that erosion alone could not account for the disappearance of such a large portion of the stemming platform. Samples from downhole plug experiments show that the plug may have been considerably weaker than had been indicted by quality assurance (QA) samples. 19 references, 32 figures, 10 tables.

Applications of a fast, continuous wavelet transform

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dress, W.B.

1997-02-01

A fast, continuous, wavelet transform, based on Shannon`s sampling theorem in frequency space, has been developed for use with continuous mother wavelets and sampled data sets. The method differs from the usual discrete-wavelet approach and the continuous-wavelet transform in that, here, the wavelet is sampled in the frequency domain. Since Shannon`s sampling theorem lets us view the Fourier transform of the data set as a continuous function in frequency space, the continuous nature of the functions is kept up to the point of sampling the scale-translation lattice, so the scale-translation grid used to represent the wavelet transform is independent of the time- domain sampling of the signal under analysis. Computational cost and nonorthogonality aside, the inherent flexibility and shift invariance of the frequency-space wavelets has advantages. The method has been applied to forensic audio reconstruction speaker recognition/identification, and the detection of micromotions of heavy vehicles associated with ballistocardiac impulses originating from occupants` heart beats. Audio reconstruction is aided by selection of desired regions in the 2-D representation of the magnitude of the transformed signal. The inverse transform is applied to ridges and selected regions to reconstruct areas of interest, unencumbered by noise interference lying outside these regions. To separate micromotions imparted to a mass-spring system (e.g., a vehicle) by an occupants beating heart from gross mechanical motions due to wind and traffic vibrations, a continuous frequency-space wavelet, modeled on the frequency content of a canonical ballistocardiogram, was used to analyze time series taken from geophone measurements of vehicle micromotions. By using a family of mother wavelets, such as a set of Gaussian derivatives of various orders, features such as the glottal closing rate and word and phrase segmentation may be extracted from voice data.

Application of underground microseismic monitoring for ground failure and secure longwall coal mining operation: A case study in an Indian mine

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, G. K.; Sivakumar, C.

2018-03-01

Longwall mining technique has been widely used around the globe due to its safe mining process. However, mining operations are suspended when various problems arise like collapse of roof falls, cracks and fractures propagation in the roof and complexity in roof strata behaviors. To overcome these colossal problems, an underground real time microseismic monitoring technique has been implemented in the working panel-P2 in the Rajendra longwall underground coal mine at South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), India. The target coal seams appears at the panel P-2 within a depth of 70 m to 76 m. In this process, 10 to 15 uniaxial geophones were placed inside a borehole at depth range of 40 m to 60 m located over the working panel-P2 with high rock quality designation value for better seismic signal. Various microseismic events were recorded with magnitude ranging from -5 to 2 in the Richter scale. The time-series processing was carried out to get various seismic parameters like activity rate, potential energy, viscosity rate, seismic moment, energy index, apparent volume and potential energy with respect to time. The used of these parameters helped tracing the events, understanding crack and fractures propagation and locating both high and low stress distribution zones prior to roof fall occurrence. In most of the cases, the events were divided into three stage processes: initial or preliminary, middle or building, and final or falling. The results of this study reveal that underground microseismic monitoring provides sufficient prior information of underground weighting events. The information gathered during the study was conveyed to the mining personnel in advance prior to roof fall event. This permits to take appropriate action for safer mining operations and risk reduction during longwall operation.

Acoustic and geophysical measurement of infrasound from turbines at wind farms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hepburn, H.G. [Hepburn Exploration Inc., Canmore, AB (Canada)

2005-07-01

An experiment was conducted at the Castle River Wind Farm in southern Alberta to measure and characterize infrasound from the turbines. The wind farm contains one 600 MW turbine and fifty-nine 660 MW wind turbines. Three types of sensors were used to measure both the low and high frequency acoustic energy and geophysical sound levels. These included low frequency geophones, acoustic microphones and a precision sound analyzer. Data was recorded for low, medium and high wind states, with the entire wind turbine array operating, and with the entire wind farm stopped. Downwind telemetry measurements were recorded for 30 continuous 50 metre offsets, up to a distance of 1450 metres from the wind farm. The objective of the project was to characterize the ambient noise levels and sound emitted by the turbines. Measurements were taken for wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure, atmospheric temperature and turbine related data. Visual observations included atmospheric conditions, extraneous sources of noise such as aircraft, trains, motor vehicle traffic, highway noise, bird song, crickets and the rotational state of the turbines. It was concluded that for studying low frequency sound, the linear dB scale should be used instead of the dBA scale. Measurements of frequencies down to 6.3 Hz, showed that infrasound emission from the Castle River Wind Farm is not a significant concern. Lower frequencies down to about 2.5 Hz also confirmed that infrasound emissions are not significantly above the ambient noise levels. Any infrasound emissions were strongly coupled to the ground and were attenuated quickly. Time domain measurements showed that at all wind speeds and for frequencies up to 270 Hz, wind noise was actually attenuated when the wind farm is in operation. The noise levels were higher when the turbines were not turning. This finding was confirmed through spectral analysis. 12 refs., 2 tabs., 46 figs.

A new moonquake catalog from Apollo 17 seismic data I: Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment: Thermal moonquakes and implications for surface processes

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, R. C.; Dimech, J. L.; Phillips, D.; Molaro, J.; Schmerr, N. C.

2017-12-01

Apollo 17's Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment's (LSPE) primary objective was to constrain the near-surface velocity structure at the landing site using active sources detected by a 100 m-wide triangular geophone array. The experiment was later operated in "listening mode," and early studies of these data revealed the presence of thermal moonquakes - short-duration seismic events associated with terminator crossings. However, the full data set has never been systematically analyzed for natural seismic signal content. In this study, we analyze 8 months of continuous LSPE data using an automated event detection technique that has previously successfully been applied to the Apollo 16 Passive Seismic Experiment data. We detected 50,000 thermal moonquakes from three distinct event templates, representing impulsive, intermediate, and emergent onset of seismic energy, which we interpret as reflecting their relative distance from the array. Impulsive events occur largely at sunrise, possibly representing the thermal "pinging" of the nearby lunar lander, while emergent events occur at sunset, possibly representing cracking or slumping in more distant surface rocks and regolith. Preliminary application of an iterative event location algorithm to a subset of the impulsive waveforms supports this interpretation. We also perform 3D modeling of the lunar surface to explore the relative contribution of the lander, known rocks and surrounding topography to the thermal state of the regolith in the vicinity of the Apollo 17 landing site over the course of the lunar diurnal cycle. Further development of both this model and the event location algorithm may permit definitive discrimination between different types of local diurnal events e.g. lander noise, thermally-induced rock breakdown, or fault creep on the nearby Lee-Lincoln scarp. These results could place important constraints on both the contribution of seismicity to regolith production, and the age of young lobate scarps.

Seismic VSP Investigations at Olkiluoto, 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enescu, N.; Cosma, C.; Balu, L.

2007-08-01

Posiva Oy carries out R and D related tasks for spent nuclear fuel disposal in Finland. The site characterization has been conducted since 1987 in Olkiluoto in western Finland. The ONKALO underground characterization facility has been under construction since 2004. Vibrometric Oy has been contracted to carry out seismic VSP survey in four drillholes in the immediate vicinity of ONKALO, for the characterization of the seismically responsive structures. Four drillholes, KR8, KR27, KR29 and KR38 were included to the project. Seven seismic source locations on ground surface were used for each drillhole. The source locations were optimized with respect to the drillhole and ONKALO and were configured as linear arrays to produce optimum imaging focused on the ONKALO volume. A mechanical Vibsist source, using a hydraulic rock breaker mounted on a 22 t excavator, was used as source of seismic signal. The signal was recorded with downhole 3-component geophones. The recording array was 8-level long, with 5 m spacing between levels. Acquisition was run throughout the drillholes. Processing of the VSP profiles consisted of time decoding of the impact sequences, filtering and image point (IP) transform. The interpretation was carried out interactively, seeking for best match of orientation of each reflection according to different borehole profiles where the features were seen. The interpretations were built as an add-on to a previous seismic model of the site. The most distinct reflectors were interpreted, compiled to as a part of a terrain model composed of 3D surfaces, and transferred digitally together with other results (3D elements of reflector locations) into Posiva's 3D modeling system. Some of the reflectors have already received direct confirmation from ONKALO observations. (orig.)

Characterization of the Vajont landslide (North-Eastern Italy) by means of reflection and surface wave seismics

Science.gov (United States)

Petronio, Lorenzo; Boaga, Jacopo; Cassiani, Giorgio

2016-05-01

The mechanisms of the disastrous Vajont rockslide (North-Eastern Italy, October 9, 1963) have been studied in great detail over the past five decades. Nevertheless, the reconstruction of the rockslide dynamics still presents several uncertainties, including those related to the accurate estimation of the actual landslide mass. This work presents the results of a geophysical characterization of the Vajont landslide body in terms of material properties and buried geometry. Both aspects add new information to the existing dataset and will help a better understanding of the rockslide failure mechanisms and dynamics. In addition, some general considerations concerning the intricacies of landslide characterization can be drawn, with due attention to potential pitfalls. The employed techniques are: (i) high resolution P-wave reflection, (ii) high resolution SH-wave reflection, (iii) controlled source surface wave analysis. We adopted as a seismic source a vibrator both for P waves and SH waves, using vertical and horizontal geophones respectively. For the surface wave seismic survey we used a heavy drop-weight source and low frequency receivers. Despite the high noise level caused by the fractured conditions of the large rock body, a common situation in landslide studies, we managed to achieve a satisfying imaging quality of the landslide structure thanks to the large number of active channels, the short receiver interval and the test of appropriate seismic sources. The joint use of different seismic techniques help focus the investigation on the rock mass mechanical properties. Results are in good agreement with the available borehole data, the geological sections and the mechanical properties of the rockmass estimated by other studies. In general the proposed approach is likely to be applicable successfully to similar situations where scattering and other noise sources are a typical bottleneck to geophysical data acquisition on landslide bodies.

Rupture Dynamics and Scaling Behavior of Hydraulically Stimulated Micro-Earthquakes in a Shale Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Viegas, G. F.; Urbancic, T.; Baig, A. M.

2014-12-01

In hydraulic fracturing completion programs fluids are injected under pressure into fractured rock formations to open escape pathways for trapped hydrocarbons along pre-existing and newly generated fractures. To characterize the failure process, we estimate static and dynamic source and rupture parameters, such as dynamic and static stress drop, radiated energy, seismic efficiency, failure modes, failure plane orientations and dimensions, and rupture velocity to investigate the rupture dynamics and scaling relations of micro-earthquakes induced during a hydraulic fracturing shale completion program in NE British Columbia, Canada. The relationships between the different parameters combined with the in-situ stress field and rock properties provide valuable information on the rupture process giving insights into the generation and development of the fracture network. Approximately 30,000 micro-earthquakes were recorded using three multi-sensor arrays of high frequency geophones temporarily placed close to the treatment area at reservoir depth (~2km). On average the events have low radiated energy, low dynamic stress and low seismic efficiency, consistent with the obtained slow rupture velocities. Events fail in overshoot mode (slip weakening failure model), with fluids lubricating faults and decreasing friction resistance. Events occurring in deeper formations tend to have faster rupture velocities and are more efficient in radiating energy. Variations in rupture velocity tend to correlate with variation in depth, fault azimuth and elapsed time, reflecting a dominance of the local stress field over other factors. Several regions with different characteristic failure modes are identifiable based on coherent stress drop, seismic efficiency, rupture velocities and fracture orientations. Variations of source parameters with rock rheology and hydro-fracture fluids are also observed. Our results suggest that the spatial and temporal distribution of events with similar

Seismic signal and noise on Europa and how to use it

Science.gov (United States)

Panning, M. P.; Stähler, S. C.; Bills, B. G.; Castillo, J.; Huang, H. H.; Husker, A. L.; Kedar, S.; Lorenz, R. D.; Pike, W. T.; Schmerr, N. C.; Tsai, V. C.; Vance, S.

2017-12-01

Seismology is one of our best tools for detailing interior structure of planetary bodies, and a seismometer is included in the baseline and threshold mission design for a potential Europa lander mission. Guiding mission design and planning for adequate science return, though, requires modeling of both the anticipated signal and noise. Assuming ice seismicity on Europa behaves according to statistical properties observed in Earth catalogs and scaling cumulative seismic moment release to the moon, we simulate long seismic records and estimate background noise and peak signal amplitudes (Panning et al., 2017). This suggests a sensitive instrument comparable to many broadband terrestrial instruments or the SP instrument from the InSight mission to Mars will be able to record signals, while high frequency geophones are likely inadequate. We extend this analysis to also begin incorporation of spatial and temporal variation due to the tidal cycle, which can help inform landing site selection. We also begin exploration of how chaotic terrane at the bottom of the ice shell and inter-ice heterogeneities (i.e. internal melt structures) may affect predicted seismic observations using 2D numerical seismic simulations. We also show some of the key seismic observations to determine interior properties of Europa (Stähler et al., 2017). M. P. Panning, S. C. Stähler, H.-H. Huang, S. D. Vance, S. Kedar, V. C. Tsai, W. T. Pike, R. D. Lorenz, "Expected seismicity and the seismic noise environment of Europa," J. Geophys. Res., in revision, 2017. S. C. Stähler, M. P. Panning, S. D. Vance, R. D. Lorenz, M. van Driel, T. Nissen-Meyer, S. Kedar, "Seismic wave propagation in icy ocean worlds," J. Geophys. Res., in revision, 2017.

Riola release report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodward, E.C.

1983-01-01

Eleven hours after execution of the Riola Event (at 0826 PDT on 25 September 1980) in hole U2eq of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a release of radioactivity began. When the seepage stopped at about noon the following day, up to some 3200 Ci of activity had been dispersed by light variable winds. On 26 September, examination of the geophone records showed six hours of low-level, but fairly continuous, activity before the release. Electrical measurements indicated that most cables were still intact to a depth below the stemming platform. A survey of the ground zero area showed that the seepage came through cracks between the surface conductor and the pad, through cracks in the pad, and through a crack adjacent to the pad around the mousehole (a small hole adjacent to the emplacement hole). To preclude undue radiation exposure or injury from a surprise subsidence, safety measures were instituted. Tritium seepage was suffucient to postpone site activities until a box and pipeline were emplaced to contain and remove the gas. Radiation release modeling and calculations were generally consistent with observations. Plug-hole interaction calculations showed that the alluvium near the bottom of the plug may have been overstressed and that improvements in the design of the plug-medium interface can be made. Experimental studies verified that the surface appearance of the plug core was caused by erosion, but, assuming a normal strength for the plug material, that erosion alone could not account for the disappearance of such a large portion of the stemming platform. Samples from downhole plug experiments show that the plug may have been considerably weaker than had been indicted by quality assurance (QA) samples. 19 references, 32 figures, 10 tables

Towards Noise Tomography and Passive Monitoring Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Paitz, P.; Fichtner, A.

2017-12-01

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has the potential to revolutionize the field of seismic data acquisition. Thanks to their cost-effectiveness, fiber-optic cables may have the capability of complementing conventional geophones and seismometers by filling a niche of applications utilizing large amounts of data. Therefore, DAS may serve as an additional tool to investigate the internal structure of the Earth and its changes over time; on scales ranging from hydrocarbon or geothermal reservoirs to the entire globe. An additional potential may be in the existence of large fibre networks deployed already for telecommunication purposes. These networks that already exist today could serve as distributed seismic antennas. We investigate theoretically how ambient noise tomography may be used with DAS data. For this we extend the theory of seismic interferometry to the measurement of strain. With numerical, 2D finite-difference examples we investigate the impact of source and receiver effects. We study the effect of heterogeneous source distributions and the cable orientation by assessing similarities and differences to the Green's function. We also compare the obtained interferometric waveforms from strain interferometry to displacement interferometric wave fields obtained with existing methods. Intermediate results show that the obtained interferometric waveforms can be connected to the Green's Functions and provide consistent information about the propagation medium. These simulations will be extended to reservoir scale subsurface structures. Future work will include the application of the theory to real-data examples. The presented research depicts the early stage of a combination of theoretical investigations, numerical simulations and real-world data applications. We will therefore evaluate the potentials and shortcomings of DAS in reservoir monitoring and seismology at the current state, with a long-term vision of global seismic tomography utilizing DAS data from

Baseline seismic survey for the 2nd offshore methane hydrate production test in the Eastern Nankai Trough

Science.gov (United States)

Teranishi, Y.; Inamori, T.; Kobayashi, T.; Fujii, T.; Saeki, T.; Takahashi, H.; Kobayashi, F.

2017-12-01

JOGMEC carries out seismic monitoring surveys before and after the 2nd offshore methane hydrate (MH) production test in the Eastern Nankai Trough and evaluates MH dissociation behavior from the time-lapse seismic response. In 2016, JOGMEC deployed Ocean Bottom Cable (OBC) system provided by OCC in the Daini Atsumi Knoll with water depths of 900-1100 m. The main challenge of the seismic survey was to optimize the cable layout for ensuring an effective time-lapse seismic detectability while overcoming the following two issues: 1. OBC receiver lines were limited to only two lines. It was predicted that the imaging of shallow reflectors would suffer from lack of continuity and resolution due to this limitation of receiver lines. 2. The seafloor and shallow sedimentary layers including monitoring target are dipping to the Northwest direction. It was predicted that the refection points would laterally shift to up-dip direction (Southeast direction). In order to understand the impact of the issues above, the seismic survey was designed with elastic wave field simulation. The reflection seismic survey for baseline data was conducted in August 2016. A total of 70 receiver stations distributed along one cable were deployed successfully and a total of 9952 shots were fired. After the baseline seismic survey, the hydrophone and geophone vertical component datasets were processed as outlined below: designaturing, denoising, surface consistent deconvolution and surface consistent amplitude correction. High-frequency imaging with Reverse Time Migration (RTM) was introduced to these data sets. Improvements in imaging from the RTM are remarkable compared to the Kirchhoff migration and the existing Pre-stack time migration with 3D marine surface seismic data obtained and processed in 2002, especially in the following parts. The MH concentrated zone which has complex structures. Below the Bottom Simulating Reflector (BSR) which is present as a impedance-contrast boundary

Imaging San Jacinto Fault damage zone structure using dense linear arrays: application of ambient noise tomography, Rayleigh wave ellipticity, and site amplification

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Lin, F. C.; Allam, A. A.; Ben-Zion, Y.

2017-12-01

The San Jacinto fault is presently the most seismically active component of the San Andreas Transform system in Southern California. To study the damage zone structure, two dense linear geophone arrays (BS and RR) were deployed across the Clark segment of the San Jacinto Fault between Anza and Hemet during winter 2015 and Fall 2016, respectively. Both arrays were 2 km long with 20 m station spacing. Month-long three-component ambient seismic noise data were recorded and used to calculate multi-channel cross-correlation functions. All three-component noise records of each array were normalized simultaneously to retain relative amplitude information between different stations and different components. We observed clear Rayleigh waves and Love waves on the cross-correlations of both arrays at 0.3 - 1 s period. The phase travel times of the Rayleigh waves on both arrays were measured by frequency-time analysis (FTAN), and inverted for Rayleigh wave phase velocity profiles of the upper 500 m depth. For both arrays, we observe prominent asymmetric low velocity zones which narrow with depth. At the BS array near the Hemet Stepover, an approximately 250m wide slow zone is observed to be offset by 75m to the northeast of the surface fault trace. At the RR array near the Anza segment of the fault, a similar low velocity zone width and offset are observed, along with a 10% across-fault velocity contrast. Analyses of Rayleigh wave ellipticity (H/V ratio), Love wave phase travel times, and site amplification are in progress. By using multiple measurements from ambient noise cross-correlations, we can obtain strong constraints on the local damage zone structure of the San Jacinto Fault. The results contribute to improved understanding of rupture directivity, maximum earthquake magnitude and more generally seismic hazard associated with the San Jacinto fault zone.

A field experiment on the controls of sediment transport on bedrock erosion

Science.gov (United States)

Beer, A. R.; Turowski, J. M.; Fritschi, B.; Rieke-Zapp, D.; Campana, L.; Lavé, J.

2012-12-01

The earth`s surface is naturally shaped by interactions of physical and chemical processes. In mountainous regions with steep topography river incision fundamentally controls the geomorphic evolution of the whole landscape. There, erosion of exposed bedrock sections by fluvial sediment transport is an important mechanism forming mountain river channels. The links between bedload transport and bedrock erosion has been firmly established using laboratory experiments. However, there are only few field datasets linking discharge, sediment transport, impact energy and erosion that can be used for process understanding and model evaluation. To fill this gap, a new measuring setup has been commissioned to raise an appropriate simultaneous dataset of hydraulics, sediment transport and bedrock erosion at high temporal and spatial resolution. Two natural stone slabs were installed flush with the streambed of the Erlenbach, a gauged stream in the Swiss Pre-Alps. They are mounted upon force sensors recording vertical pressure und downstream shear caused by passing sediment particles. The sediment transport rates can be assessed using geophone plates and an automated moving basket system taking short-term sediment samples. These devices are located directly downstream of the stone slabs. Bedrock erosion rates are measured continuously with erosion sensors at sub-millimeter accuracy at three points on each slab. In addition, the whole slab topography is surveyed with photogrammetry and a structured-light 3D scanner after individual flood events. Since the installation in 2011, slab bedrock erosion has been observed during several transport events. We discuss the relation between hydraulics, bedload transport, resulting pressure forces on the stone slabs and erosion rates. The aim of the study is the derivation of an empirical process law for fluvial bedrock erosion driven by moving sediment particles.

Detecting Slow Deformation Signals Preceding Dynamic Failure: A New Strategy For The Mitigation Of Natural Hazards (SAFER)

Science.gov (United States)

Vinciguerra, S.; Colombero, C.; Comina, C.; Umili, G.

2015-12-01

Rock slope monitoring is a major aim in territorial risk assessment and mitigation. The use of "site specific" microseismic monitoring systems can allow to detect pre-failure signals in unstable sectors within the rock mass and to predict the possible acceleration to the failure. To this aim multi-scale geophysical methods can provide a unique tool for an high-resolution imaging of the internal structure of the rock mass and constraints on the physical state of the medium. We present here a cross-hole seismic tomography survey coupled with laboratory ultrasonic velocity measurements and determination of physical properties on rock samples to characterize the damaged and potentially unstable granitic cliff of Madonna del Sasso (NW, Italy). Results allowed to achieve two main advances, in terms of obtaining: i) a lithological interpretation of the velocity field obtained at the site, ii) a systematic correlation of the measured velocities with physical properties (density and porosity) and macroscopic features of the granite (weathering and anisotropy) of the cliff. A microseismic monitoring system developed by the University of Turin/Compagnia San Paolo, consisting of a network of 4 triaxial geophones (4.5 Hz) connected to a 12-channel data logger, has been deployed on the unstable granitic cliff. More than 2000 events with different waveforms, duration and frequency content were recorded between November 2013 and July 2014. By inspecting the acquired events we identified the key parameters for a reliable distinction among the nature of each signal, i.e. the signal shape (in terms of amplitude, duration, kurtosis) and the frequency content (maximum frequency content and frequency distribution). Four main classes of recorded signals can be recognised: microseismic events, regional earthquakes, electrical noises and calibration signals, and unclassified events (probably grouping rockfalls, quarry blasts, other anthropic and natural sources of seismic noise).

Microseismic monitoring during Hydraulic stimulation in Pohang (Korea) for EGS pilot project

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, M.; Yoon, B.; Lee, C.; Park, K. G.; Yoon, W. S.; Song, Y.; Lee, T. J.

2017-12-01

Since the geothermal anomaly in the Pohang area has been reported in 1960s, various geological and geophysical surveys have been conducted by Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) including gravity, seismic, airborne magnetic and magneto-telluric surveys. Based on these explorations, the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) pilot project has been carried out in Pohang since the end of 2010. One vertical well (PX-2, MD 4,348 m) and one deviated well (PX-1, MD 4,362 m) have been drilled in granite rock for the EGS. Microseismic (MS) monitoring is the best way to understand how the fracture grows during the hydraulic stimulation. KIGAM has set up 9 shallow borehole stations (100-130 m), 4 surface stations and two borehole geophones (1,350 and 1,550 m deep) within 5 km radius from injection well for the MS monitoring during hydraulic stimulation. The first hydraulic stimulation started on January 29th to February 20th, 2016 at PX-2 and the second stimulation was conducted in PX-1 from December 15th, 2016 to January 11th, 2017. Several hundreds of MS events occurred during stimulation and the biggest event was ML 2.3 during the shut in period of the second stimulation. Based on the results of the MS monitoring, a soft stimulation is scheduled at PX-1 in cooperation with one of the European Horizon2020 project, DESTRESS (Demonstration of soft stimulation treatments of geothermal reservoirs). We will present the MS monitoring system in Pohang and the data of the stimulation with the MS monitoring results. We believe that the data from Pohang will improve the understanding of seismic behavior due to hydraulic stimulation in crystalline rocks and also will contribute to success of the Pohang EGS project.

Magnitude and Rupture Area Scaling Relationships of Seismicity at The Northwest Geysers EGS Demonstration Project

Science.gov (United States)

Dreger, D. S.; Boyd, O. S.; Taira, T.; Gritto, R.

2017-12-01

Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) resource development requires knowledge of subsurface physical parameters to quantify the evolution of fracture networks. Spatio-temporal source properties, including source dimension, rupture area, slip, rupture speed, and slip velocity of induced seismicity are of interest at The Geysers geothermal field, northern California to map the coseismic facture density of the EGS swarm. In this investigation we extend our previous finite-source analysis of selected M>4 earthquakes to examine source properties of smaller magnitude seismicity located in the Northwest Geysers Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) demonstration project. Moment rate time histories of the source are found using empirical Green's function (eGf) deconvolution using the method of Mori (1993) as implemented by Dreger et al. (2007). The moment rate functions (MRFs) from data recorded using the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) short-period geophone network are inverted for finite-source parameters including the spatial distribution of fault slip, rupture velocity, and the orientation of the causative fault plane. The results show complexity in the MRF for the studied earthquakes. Thus far the estimated rupture area and the magnitude-area trend of the smaller magnitude Geysers seismicity is found to agree with the empirical relationships of Wells and Coppersmith (1994) and Leonard (2010), which were developed for much larger M>5.5 earthquakes worldwide indicating self-similar behavior extending to M2 earthquakes. We will present finite-source inversion results of the micro-earthquakes, attempting to extend the analysis to sub Mw, and demonstrate their magnitude-area scaling. The extension of the scaling laws will then enable the mapping of coseismic fracture density of the EGS swarm in the Northwest Geysers based on catalog moment magnitude estimates.

Development and Test of a 1,000 Level 3C Fiber Optic Borehole Seismic Receiver Array Applied to Carbon Sequestration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulsson, Bjorn N.P. [Paulsson, Inc., Van Nuys, CA (United States)

2015-02-28

To address the critical site characterization and monitoring needs for CCS programs, US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Paulsson, Inc. in 2010 a contract to design, build and test a fiber optic based ultra-large bandwidth clamped borehole seismic vector array capable of deploying up to one thousand 3C sensor pods suitable for deployment into high temperature and high pressure boreholes. Paulsson, Inc. has completed a design or a unique borehole seismic system consisting of a novel drill pipe based deployment system that includes a hydraulic clamping mechanism for the sensor pods, a new sensor pod design and most important – a unique fiber optic seismic vector sensor with technical specifications and capabilities that far exceed the state of the art seismic sensor technologies. These novel technologies were all applied to the new borehole seismic system. In combination these technologies will allow for the deployment of up to 1,000 3C sensor pods in vertical, deviated or horizontal wells. Laboratory tests of the fiber optic seismic vector sensors developed during this project have shown that the new borehole seismic sensor technology is capable of generating outstanding high vector fidelity data with extremely large bandwidth: 0.01 – 6,000 Hz. Field tests have shown that the system can record events at magnitudes much smaller than M-2.3 at frequencies up to 2,000 Hz. The sensors have also proved to be about 100 times more sensitive than the regular coil geophones that are used in borehole seismic systems today. The fiber optic seismic sensors have furthermore been qualified to operate at temperatures over 300°C (572°F). The fibers used for the seismic sensors in the system are used to record Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) data allowing additional value added data to be recorded simultaneously with the seismic vector sensor data.

Analysis of microseismic signals and temperature recordings for rock slope stability investigations in high mountain areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Occhiena

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The permafrost degradation is a probable cause for the increase of rock instabilities and rock falls observed in recent years in high mountain areas, particularly in the Alpine region. The phenomenon causes the thaw of the ice filling rock discontinuities; the water deriving from it subsequently freezes again inducing stresses in the rock mass that may lead, in the long term, to rock falls. To investigate these processes, a monitoring system composed by geophones and thermometers was installed in 2007 at the Carrel hut (3829 m a.s.l., Matterhorn, NW Alps. In 2010, in the framework of the Interreg 2007–2013 Alcotra project no. 56 MASSA, the monitoring system has been empowered and renovated in order to meet project needs.

In this paper, the data recorded by this renewed system between 6 October 2010 and 5 October 2011 are presented and 329 selected microseismic events are analysed. The data processing has concerned the classification of the recorded signals, the analysis of their distribution in time and the identification of the most important trace characteristics in time and frequency domain. The interpretation of the results has evidenced a possible correlation between the temperature trend and the event occurrence.

The research is still in progress and the data recording and interpretation are planned for a longer period to better investigate the spatial-temporal distribution of microseismic activity in the rock mass, with specific attention to the relation of microseismic activity with temperatures. The overall goal is to verify the possibility to set up an effective monitoring system for investigating the stability of a rock mass under permafrost conditions, in order to supply the researchers with useful data to better understand the relationship between temperature and rock mass stability and, possibly, the technicians with a valid tool for decision-making.

Rainfall control of debris-flow triggering in the Réal Torrent, Southern French Prealps

Science.gov (United States)

Bel, Coraline; Liébault, Frédéric; Navratil, Oldrich; Eckert, Nicolas; Bellot, Hervé; Fontaine, Firmin; Laigle, Dominique

2017-08-01

This paper investigates the occurrence of debris flow due to rainfall forcing in the Réal Torrent, a very active debris flow-prone catchment in the Southern French Prealps. The study is supported by a 4-year record of flow responses and rainfall events, from three high-frequency monitoring stations equipped with geophones, flow stage sensors, digital cameras, and rain gauges measuring rainfall at 5-min intervals. The classic method of rainfall intensity-duration (ID) threshold was used, and a specific emphasis was placed on the objective identification of rainfall events, as well as on the discrimination of flow responses observed above the ID threshold. The results show that parameters used to identify rainfall events significantly affect the ID threshold and are likely to explain part of the threshold variability reported in the literature. This is especially the case regarding the minimum duration of rain interruption (MDRI) between two distinct rainfall events. In the Réal Torrent, a 3-h MDRI appears to be representative of the local rainfall regime. A systematic increase in the ID threshold with drainage area was also observed from the comparison of the three stations, as well as from the compilation of data from experimental debris-flow catchments. A logistic regression used to separate flow responses above the ID threshold, revealed that the best predictors are the 5-min maximum rainfall intensity, the 48-h antecedent rainfall, the rainfall amount and the number of days elapsed since the end of winter (used as a proxy of sediment supply). This emphasizes the critical role played by short intense rainfall sequences that are only detectable using high time-resolution rainfall records. It also highlights the significant influence of antecedent conditions and the seasonal fluctuations of sediment supply.

HVSR Response Evolution due to Seasonal Variation: Observations from 2 Years of Continuous Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Nurse, K. B.; Milkereit, B.

2017-12-01

The seismic Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio analysis technique reliably gives overburden depth to bedrock, for an independently determined Vs, based on the frequency of the main resonance peak. Above this, smaller resonances reflect the velocity structure within the overburden itself. This range in the HVSR response shows sufficient sensitivity to be exploited as a monitoring tool, to detect change in seismic physical properties and from that, change in overburden conditions. To explore the variation of the response, several 3C geophones have been deployed in southern Ontario, Canada since December 2015 (and ongoing). The local geology is a sedimentary basin with 30m of overburden, a simple 2D environment well suited for the HVSR method. Data are collected for 15s per minute, with an effective frequency band of 2-400Hz. HVSR estimates are produced for each sampling period and archived. Over these two years, winter freeze/thaw, saturated spring and summer draught conditions were sampled. H/V daily averages are dominated by the stable 3Hz resonance due to the overall surface layer, but smaller spectral peaks up to 100Hz are clear and evolve in frequency and amplitude over the collection period. Ground freeze/thaw cycles are clearly evident by significant reduction in the horizontal field, but also the changing of the soil moisture content throughout the year causes subtle shifts in the response (correlated to rain events and water table variation). The long term sampling does show a sensitivity of the HVSR method to the overburden in proximity to the sensor, and suggests a possibility for its use in monitoring soil / water-table conditions. But it also highlights that the estimate from an isolated H/V acquisition does include this variability and needs to be adequately quantified in VS30 estimates.

Virtual source reflection imaging of the Socorro Magma Body, New Mexico, using a dense seismic array

Science.gov (United States)

Finlay, T. S.; Worthington, L. L.; Schmandt, B.; Hansen, S. M.; Bilek, S. L.; Aster, R. C.; Ranasinghe, N. R.

2017-12-01

The Socorro Magma Body (SMB) is one of the largest known actively inflating continental magmatic intrusions. Previous studies have relied on sparse instrument coverage to determine its spatial extent, depth, and seismic signature, which characterized the body as a thin sill with a surface at 19 km below the Earth's surface. However, over the last two decades, InSAR and magneto-telluric (MT) studies have shed new light on the SMB and invigorated the scientific debate of the spatial distribution and uplift rate of the SMB. We return to seismic imaging of the SMB with the Sevilleta Array, a 12-day deployment of approximately 800 vertical component, 10-Hz geophones north of Socorro, New Mexico above and around the estimated northern half of the SMB. Teleseismic virtual source reflection profiling (TVR) employs the free surface reflection off of a teleseismic P as a virtual source in dense arrays, and has been used successfully to image basin structure and the Moho in multiple tectonic environments. The Sevilleta Array recorded 62 teleseismic events greater than M5. Applying TVR to the data collected by the Sevilleta Array, we present stacks from four events that produced the with high signal-to-noise ratios and simple source-time functions: the February 11, 2015 M6.7 in northern Argentina, the February 19, 2015 M5.4 in Kamchatka, Russia, and the February 21, 2015 M5.1 and February 22, 2015 M5.5 in western Colombia. Preliminary results suggest eastward-dipping reflectors at approximately 5 km depth near the Sierra Ladrones range in the northwestern corner of the array. Further analysis will focus on creating profiles across the area of maximum SMB uplift and constraining basin geometry.

Locating S-wave sources for the SPE-5 explosion using time reversal methods and a close-in, 1000 sensor network

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, S. C.; Pitarka, A.; Mellors, R. J.

2016-12-01

The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is producing new data to study the generation of seismic waves from explosive sources. Preliminary results show that far-field S-waves are generated both within the non-elastic volume surrounding explosive sources and by P- to S-wave scattering. The relative contribution of non-elastic phenomenology and elastic-wave scattering to far-field S-waves has been debated for decades, and numerical simulations based on the SPE experiments are addressing this question. The match between observed and simulated data degrades with event-station distance and with increasing time in each seismogram. This suggests that a more accurate model of subsurface elastic properties could result in better agreement between observed and simulated seismograms. A detailed model of subsurface structure has been developed using geologic maps and the extensive database of borehole logs, but uncertainty in structural details remains high. The large N instrument deployment during the SPE-5 experiment offers an opportunity to use time-reversal techniques to back project the wave field into the subsurface to locate significant sources of scattered energy. The large N deployment was nominally 1000, 5 Hz sensors (500 Z and 500 3C geophones) deployed in a roughly rectangular array to the south and east of the SPE-5 shot. Sensor spacing was nominally 50 meters in the interior portion of the array and 100 meters in the outer region, with two dense lines at 25 m spacing. The array covers the major geologic boundary between the Yucca Flat basin and the granitic Climax Stock in which the SPE experiments have been conducted. Improved mapping of subsurface scatterers is expected to result in better agreement between simulated and observed seismograms and aid in our understanding of S-wave generation from explosions. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Refined images of the crust around the SAFOD drill site derived from combined active and passive seismic experiment data

Science.gov (United States)

Roecker, S.; Thurber, C.; Shuler, A.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, H.; Powell, L.

2005-12-01

Five years of effort collecting and analyzing earthquake and explosion data in the vicinity of the SAFOD drill site culminated in the determination of the final trajectory for summer 2005's Phase 2 drilling. The trajectory was defined to optimize the chance of reaching one of two adjacent M2 "target earthquake" fault patches, whose centroids are separated horizontally by about 50 meters, with one or more satellite coreholes planned for Phase 3 drilling in summer 2007. Some of the most critical data for the final targeting were explosion data recorded on a Paulsson Geophysical Services, Inc., 80-element 3-component borehole string and earthquake data recorded on a pair of 3-component Duke University geophones in the SAFOD borehole. We are now utilizing the full 5-year dataset to refine our knowledge of three-dimensional (3D) crustal structure, wave propagation characteristics, and earthquake locations around SAFOD. These efforts are proceeding in parallel in several directions. Improved picks from a careful reanalysis of shear waves observed on the PASO array will be used in deriving an improved tomographic 3D wavespeed model. We are using finite-difference waveform modeling to investigate waveform complexity for earthquakes in and near the target region, including fault-zone head waves and strong secondary S-wave arrivals. A variety of waveform imaging methods are being applied to image fine-scale 3D structure and subsurface scatterers, including fault zones. In the process, we aim to integrate geophysical logging and geologic observations with our models to try to associate the target region earthquake activity, which is occurring on two fault strands about 280 meters apart, with shear zones encountered in the SAFOD Phase-2 borehole. These observations will be agumented and the target earthquake locations further refined over the next 2 years through downhole and surface recording of natural earthquakes and surface shots conducted at PASO station locations.

Manta A New BroadBand OBS

Science.gov (United States)

Hello, Y.; Yegikyan, M.; Charvis, P.; Philippe, O.

2017-12-01

Manta is a new BroadBand OBS developed at Geoazur and commercialized by Osean. The design is inspired by 3-years autonomy MUG-OBS a Multiparameter Ocean Bottom System which carry a lot of sort of sensor types. As Mug-OBS, Manta-OBS rated 6000m is designed to resist a trawling. All the components are non corrosive such polyethylene, titanium and buoyancy is ensured by syntactic foam. Equipped in standard version with a Trillium compact OBS Manta has an autonomy of 18 months, but can accept on its 4 input channels any kind of signal as low as from an hydrophone or larger from other type of a seismometer or accelerometer. Tri-axial geophones unit (2 Hz or 4.5 Hz ) can replace the seismometer and will expend the lifespan for the instrument. The seismometer is encapsulated in a central well established by four panels of the main structure to protect it from sea current convection and is decoupled from main chassis. An health bulletin is recoverable by acoustic any time to facilitate the installation and during a visit when instrument is deployed. Main parameters for acquisition can be changed by acoustics command from surface at any time. Once at the bottom, release for the main sensor installation is programmed on a timer but controlled by the tilt of the OBS. If the tilt is too important based on programmed limits, sensor will not released automatically, but this can be forced by acoustic command after returning the tilt informations to the boat operator. Manta is equipped with flash light and AIS system for easy location at recovery, and can also send it's position by Iridium satellite in case of an unexpected ascent such caused by a possible trawling if deployed in shallow water. Clock drift calculation is automatically made against GPS time signal once the OBS return at the surface. The recovery of the OBS is initiated by an acoustic command. These new features made Manta a very versatile instrument for monitoring earthquakes.

Evaluating sediment transport in flood-driven ephemeral tributaries using direct and acoustic methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, K.

2017-12-01

One common source of uncertainty in sediment transport modeling of large semi-arid rivers is sediment influx delivered by ephemeral, flood-driven tributaries. Large variations in sediment delivery are associated with these regimes due to the highly variable nature of flows within them. While there are many sediment transport equations, they are typically developed for perennial streams and can be inaccurate for ephemeral channels. Discrete, manual sampling is labor intensive and requires personnel to be on site during flooding. In addition, flooding within these tributaries typically last on the order of hours, making it difficult to be present during an event. To better understand these regimes, automated systems are needed to continuously sample bedload and suspended load. In preparation for the pending installation of an automated site on the Arroyo de los Piños in New Mexico, manual sediment and flow samples have been collected over the summer monsoon season of 2017, in spite of the logistical challenges. These data include suspended and bedload sediment samples at the basin outlet, and stage and precipitation data from throughout the basin. Data indicate a complex system; flow is generated primarily in areas of exposed bedrock in the center and higher elevations of the watershed. Bedload samples show a large coarse-grained fraction, with 50% >2 mm and 25% >6 mm, which is compatible with acoustic measuring techniques. These data will be used to inform future site operations, which will combine direct sediment measurement from Reid-type slot samplers and non-invasive acoustic measuring methods. Bedload will be indirectly monitored using pipe-style microphones, plate-style geophones, channel hydrophones, and seismometers. These instruments record vibrations and acoustic signals from bedload impacts and movement. Indirect methods for measuring of bedload have never been extensively evaluated in ephemeral channels in the southwest United States. Once calibrated

High Voltage Seismic Generator

Science.gov (United States)

Bogacz, Adrian; Pala, Damian; Knafel, Marcin

2015-04-01

This contribution describes the preliminary result of annual cooperation of three student research groups from AGH UST in Krakow, Poland. The aim of this cooperation was to develop and construct a high voltage seismic wave generator. Constructed device uses a high-energy electrical discharge to generate seismic wave in ground. This type of device can be applied in several different methods of seismic measurement, but because of its limited power it is mainly dedicated for engineering geophysics. The source operates on a basic physical principles. The energy is stored in capacitor bank, which is charged by two stage low to high voltage converter. Stored energy is then released in very short time through high voltage thyristor in spark gap. The whole appliance is powered from li-ion battery and controlled by ATmega microcontroller. It is possible to construct larger and more powerful device. In this contribution the structure of device with technical specifications is resented. As a part of the investigation the prototype was built and series of experiments conducted. System parameter was measured, on this basis specification of elements for the final device were chosen. First stage of the project was successful. It was possible to efficiently generate seismic waves with constructed device. Then the field test was conducted. Spark gap wasplaced in shallowborehole(0.5 m) filled with salt water. Geophones were placed on the ground in straight line. The comparison of signal registered with hammer source and sparker source was made. The results of the test measurements are presented and discussed. Analysis of the collected data shows that characteristic of generated seismic signal is very promising, thus confirms possibility of practical application of the new high voltage generator. The biggest advantage of presented device after signal characteristics is its size which is 0.5 x 0.25 x 0.2 m and weight approximately 7 kg. This features with small li-ion battery makes

In-situ Planetary Subsurface Imaging System

Science.gov (United States)

Song, W.; Weber, R. C.; Dimech, J. L.; Kedar, S.; Neal, C. R.; Siegler, M.

2017-12-01

Geophysical and seismic instruments are considered the most effective tools for studying the detailed global structures of planetary interiors. A planet's interior bears the geochemical markers of its evolutionary history, as well as its present state of activity, which has direct implications to habitability. On Earth, subsurface imaging often involves massive data collection from hundreds to thousands of geophysical sensors (seismic, acoustic, etc) followed by transfer by hard links or wirelessly to a central location for post processing and computing, which will not be possible in planetary environments due to imposed mission constraints on mass, power, and bandwidth. Emerging opportunities for geophysical exploration of the solar system from Venus to the icy Ocean Worlds of Jupiter and Saturn dictate that subsurface imaging of the deep interior will require substantial data reduction and processing in-situ. The Real-time In-situ Subsurface Imaging (RISI) technology is a mesh network that senses and processes geophysical signals. Instead of data collection then post processing, the mesh network performs the distributed data processing and computing in-situ, and generates an evolving 3D subsurface image in real-time that can be transmitted under bandwidth and resource constraints. Seismic imaging algorithms (including traveltime tomography, ambient noise imaging, and microseismic imaging) have been successfully developed and validated using both synthetic and real-world terrestrial seismic data sets. The prototype hardware system has been implemented and can be extended as a general field instrumentation platform tailored specifically for a wide variety of planetary uses, including crustal mapping, ice and ocean structure, and geothermal systems. The team is applying the RISI technology to real off-world seismic datasets. For example, the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) deployed during the Apollo 17 Moon mission consisted of four geophone instruments

Using Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing to Monitor Large Scale Permafrost Transitions: Preliminary Results from a Controlled Thaw Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Wagner, A. M.; Lindsey, N.; Dou, S.; Bjella, K.; Daley, T. M.; Freifeld, B. M.; Ulrich, C.; Gelvin, A.; Morales, A.; James, S. R.; Saari, S.; Ekblaw, I.; Wood, T.; Robertson, M.; Martin, E. R.

2016-12-01

In a warming world, permafrost landscapes are being rapidly transformed by thaw, yielding surface subsidence and groundwater flow alteration. The same transformations pose a threat to arctic infrastructure and can induce catastrophic failure of the roads, runways, and pipelines on which human habitation depends. Scalable solutions to monitoring permafrost thaw dynamics are required to both quantitatively understand biogeochemical feedbacks as well as to protect built infrastructure from damage. Unfortunately, permafrost alteration happens over the time scale of climate change, years to decades, a decided challenge for testing new sensing technologies in a limited context. One solution is to engineer systems capable of rapidly thawing large permafrost units to allow short duration experiments targeting next-generation sensing approaches. We present preliminary results from a large-scale controlled permafrost thaw experiment designed to evaluate the utility of different geophysical approaches for tracking the cause, precursors, and early phases of thaw subsidence. We focus on the use of distributed fiber optic sensing for this challenge and deployed distributed temperature (DTS), strain (DSS), and acoustic (DAS) sensing systems in a 2D array to detect thaw signatures. A 10 x 15 x 1 m section of subsurface permafrost was heated using an array of 120 downhole heaters (60 w) at an experimental site near Fairbanks, AK. Ambient noise analysis of DAS datasets collected at the plot, coupled to shear wave inversion, was utilized to evaluate changes in shear wave velocity associated with heating and thaw. These measurements were confirmed by seismic surveys collected using a semi-permanent orbital seismic source activated on a daily basis. Fiber optic measurements were complemented by subsurface thermistor and thermocouple arrays, timelapse total station surveys, LIDAR, secondary seismic measurements (geophone and broadband recordings), timelapse ERT, borehole NMR, soil

Imaging Seismic Source Variations Using Back-Projection Methods at El Tatio Geyser Field, Northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, C. L.; Lawrence, J. F.

2014-12-01

During October 2012, 51 geophones and 6 broadband seismometers were deployed in an ~50x50m region surrounding a periodically erupting columnar geyser in the El Tatio Geyser Field, Chile. The dense array served as the seismic framework for a collaborative project to study the mechanics of complex hydrothermal systems. Contemporaneously, complementary geophysical measurements (including down-hole temperature and pressure, discharge rates, thermal imaging, water chemistry, and video) were also collected. Located on the western flanks of the Andes Mountains at an elevation of 4200m, El Tatio is the third largest geyser field in the world. Its non-pristine condition makes it an ideal location to perform minutely invasive geophysical studies. The El Jefe Geyser was chosen for its easily accessible conduit and extremely periodic eruption cycle (~120s). During approximately 2 weeks of continuous recording, we recorded ~2500 nighttime eruptions which lack cultural noise from tourism. With ample data, we aim to study how the source varies spatially and temporally during each phase of the geyser's eruption cycle. We are developing a new back-projection processing technique to improve source imaging for diffuse signals. Our method was previously applied to the Sierra Negra Volcano system, which also exhibits repeating harmonic and diffuse seismic sources. We back-project correlated seismic signals from the receivers back to their sources, assuming linear source to receiver paths and a known velocity model (obtained from ambient noise tomography). We apply polarization filters to isolate individual and concurrent geyser energy associated with P and S phases. We generate 4D, time-lapsed images of the geyser source field that illustrate how the source distribution changes through the eruption cycle. We compare images for pre-eruption, co-eruption, post-eruption and quiescent periods. We use our images to assess eruption mechanics in the system (i.e. top-down vs. bottom-up) and

PBO Borehole Strainmeters: 2017 Episodic Tremor and Slip Event for Southern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada through Olympia, WA, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Van Boskirk, E. J.; Hodgkinson, K. M.; Gottlieb, M. H.; Johnson, W.; Henderson, D. B.; Mencin, D.; Mattioli, G. S.

2017-12-01

-component geophone, and some sites also have co-located PBO GPS and/or pore pressure sensors. www.unavco.orgwww.unavco.org/data/strain-seismic/bsm-data/bsm-data.html

Depth-Dependent Earthquake Properties Beneath Long-Beach, CA: Implications for the Rheology at the Brittle-Ductile Transition Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Inbal, A.; Clayton, R. W.; Ampuero, J. P.

2015-12-01

Except for a few localities, seismicity along faults in southern California is generally confined to depths shallower than 15 km. Among faults hosting deep seismicity, the Newport-Inglewood Fault (NIF), which traverses the Los-Angeles basin, has an exceptionally mild surface expression and low deformation rates. Moreover, the NIF structure is not as well resolved as other, less well instrumented faults because of poor signal-to-noise ratio. Here we use data from three temporary dense seismic arrays, which were deployed for exploration purposes and contain up to several thousands of vertical geophones, to investigate the properties of deep seismicity beneath Long-Beach (LB), Compton and Santa-Fe Springs (SFS). The latter is located 15 km northeast of the NIF, presumably above a major detachment fault underthrusting the basin.Event detection is carried out using a new approach for microseismic multi-channel picking, in which downward-continued data are back-projected onto the volume beneath the arrays, and locations are derived from statistical analysis of back-projection images. Our technique reveals numerous, previously undetected events along the NIF, and confirms the presence of an active shallow structure gently dipping to the north beneath SFS. Seismicity characteristics vary along the NIF strike and dip. While LB seismicity is uncorrelated with the mapped trace of the NIF, Compton seismicity illuminates a sub-vertical fault that extends down to about 20 km. This result, along with the reported high flux of mantle Helium along the NIF (Boles et al., 2015), suggests that the NIF is deeply rooted and acts as a major conduit for mantle fluids. We find that the LB size distribution obeys the typical power-law at shallow depths, but falls off exponentially for events occurring below 20 km. Because deep seismicity occurs uniformly beneath LB, this transition is attributed to a reduction in seismic asperity density with increasing depth, consistent with a transition

Seismic monitoring of an Underground Repository in Salt - Results of the measurements at the Gorleben Exploratory mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altmann, Jurgen

2013-01-01

We have measured seismic and acoustic signals from various mining activities in the Gorleben exploratory mine in Germany, underground at -840 m and at the surface, tasked by the German Support Programme to the IAEA, in order to provide basic knowledge on the detectability of undeclared activities. During 7 weeks total nearly all sources of sound and vibration available in the mine were covered, with sensors at several positions and sources at several sites, sometimes with background signals from on-going exploration elsewhere. The peak-to-peak values of vibration velocity, referred to 100 m distance, range from tenths of micro metres/second for a hand-held chain saw via few μm/s to tens of μm/s for other tools such as picking, for vehicles, drilling and sledge-hammer blows. A grader with compactor plates produces hundreds, and a blast shot around one hundred thousand μm/s. The last two sources could be detected at the surface, too, at about 1.1 km slant distance; blasts were even seen at 5-6 km distance. The signal strengths vary by a factor 2 to 5 for similar conditions. Fitted by a power law, the decrease with distance is with an exponent mostly between -2 and -1. Spectra of seismic signals from periodic sources (such as percussion drilling or vehicle engines) show harmonic series. Rock removal, e.g. by drilling, produces broad-band excitation up to several kilohertz. Acoustic-seismic coupling is relevant. Monitoring could be done with an underground geophone “fence” around the repository, e.g. 500 m from the salt-dome margin and possibly in the salt 1 km off the repository. With that excavation by drilling and blasting could be detected by a simple amplitude criterion. Under which conditions excavation by tunnel boring machine or road header machine and other weaker activities could be detected needs to be studied.

Detecting Seismic Infrasound Signals on Balloon Platforms

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamoorthy, S.; Komjathy, A.; Cutts, J. A.; Pauken, M.; Garcia, R.; Mimoun, D.; Jackson, J. M.; Kedar, S.; Smrekar, S. E.; Hall, J. L.

2017-12-01

The determination of the interior structure of a planet requires detailed seismic investigations - a process that entails the detection and characterization of seismic waves due to geological activities (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.). For decades, this task has primarily been performed on Earth by an ever-expanding network of terrestrial seismic stations. However, on planets such as Venus, where the surface pressure and temperature can reach as high as 90 atmospheres and 450 degrees Celsius respectively, placing seismometers on the planet's surface poses a vexing technological challenge. However, the upper layers of the Venusian atmosphere are more benign and capable of hosting geophysical payloads for longer mission lifetimes. In order to achieve the aim of performing geophysical experiments from an atmospheric platform, JPL and its partners (ISAE-SUPAERO and California Institute of Technology) are in the process of developing technologies for detection of infrasonic waves generated by earthquakes from a balloon. The coupling of seismic energy into the atmosphere critically depends on the density differential between the surface of the planet and the atmosphere. Therefore, the successful demonstration of this technique on Earth would provide ample reason to expect success on Venus, where the atmospheric impedance is approximately 60 times that of Earth. In this presentation, we will share results from the first set of Earth-based balloon experiments performed in Pahrump, Nevada in June 2017. These tests involved the generation of artificial sources of known intensity using a seismic hammer and their detection using a complex network of sensors, including highly sensitive micro-barometers suspended from balloons, GPS receivers, geophones, microphones, and seismometers. This experiment was the first of its kind and was successful in detecting infrasonic waves from the earthquakes generated by the seismic hammer. We will present the first comprehensive analysis

Testing seismic amplitude source location for fast debris-flow detection at Illgraben, Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

Walter, Fabian; Burtin, Arnaud; McArdell, Brian W.; Hovius, Niels; Weder, Bianca; Turowski, Jens M.

2017-06-01

Heavy precipitation can mobilize tens to hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of sediment in steep Alpine torrents in a short time. The resulting debris flows (mixtures of water, sediment and boulders) move downstream with velocities of several meters per second and have a high destruction potential. Warning protocols for affected communities rely on raising awareness about the debris-flow threat, precipitation monitoring and rapid detection methods. The latter, in particular, is a challenge because debris-flow-prone torrents have their catchments in steep and inaccessible terrain, where instrumentation is difficult to install and maintain. Here we test amplitude source location (ASL) as a processing scheme for seismic network data for early warning purposes. We use debris-flow and noise seismograms from the Illgraben catchment, Switzerland, a torrent system which produces several debris-flow events per year. Automatic in situ detection is currently based on geophones mounted on concrete check dams and radar stage sensors suspended above the channel. The ASL approach has the advantage that it uses seismometers, which can be installed at more accessible locations where a stable connection to mobile phone networks is available for data communication. Our ASL processing uses time-averaged ground vibration amplitudes to estimate the location of the debris-flow front. Applied to continuous data streams, inversion of the seismic amplitude decay throughout the network is robust and efficient, requires no manual identification of seismic phase arrivals and eliminates the need for a local seismic velocity model. We apply the ASL technique to a small debris-flow event on 19 July 2011, which was captured with a temporary seismic monitoring network. The processing rapidly detects the debris-flow event half an hour before arrival at the outlet of the torrent and several minutes before detection by the in situ alarm system. An analysis of continuous seismic records furthermore

Testing seismic amplitude source location for fast debris-flow detection at Illgraben, Switzerland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Walter

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Heavy precipitation can mobilize tens to hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of sediment in steep Alpine torrents in a short time. The resulting debris flows (mixtures of water, sediment and boulders move downstream with velocities of several meters per second and have a high destruction potential. Warning protocols for affected communities rely on raising awareness about the debris-flow threat, precipitation monitoring and rapid detection methods. The latter, in particular, is a challenge because debris-flow-prone torrents have their catchments in steep and inaccessible terrain, where instrumentation is difficult to install and maintain. Here we test amplitude source location (ASL as a processing scheme for seismic network data for early warning purposes. We use debris-flow and noise seismograms from the Illgraben catchment, Switzerland, a torrent system which produces several debris-flow events per year. Automatic in situ detection is currently based on geophones mounted on concrete check dams and radar stage sensors suspended above the channel. The ASL approach has the advantage that it uses seismometers, which can be installed at more accessible locations where a stable connection to mobile phone networks is available for data communication. Our ASL processing uses time-averaged ground vibration amplitudes to estimate the location of the debris-flow front. Applied to continuous data streams, inversion of the seismic amplitude decay throughout the network is robust and efficient, requires no manual identification of seismic phase arrivals and eliminates the need for a local seismic velocity model. We apply the ASL technique to a small debris-flow event on 19 July 2011, which was captured with a temporary seismic monitoring network. The processing rapidly detects the debris-flow event half an hour before arrival at the outlet of the torrent and several minutes before detection by the in situ alarm system. An analysis of continuous seismic

Applications of seismic spatial wavefield gradient and rotation data in exploration seismology

Science.gov (United States)

Schmelzbach, C.; Van Renterghem, C.; Sollberger, D.; Häusler, M.; Robertsson, J. O. A.

2017-12-01

Seismic spatial wavefield gradient and rotation data have the potential to open up new ways to address long-standing problems in land-seismic exploration such as identifying and separating P-, S-, and surface waves. Gradient-based acquisition and processing techniques could enable replacing large arrays of densely spaced receivers by sparse spatially-compact receiver layouts or even one single multicomponent station with dedicated instruments (e.g., rotational seismometers). Such approaches to maximize the information content of single-station recordings are also of significant interest for seismic measurements at sites with limited access such as boreholes, the sea bottom, and extraterrestrial seismology. Arrays of conventional three-component (3C) geophones enable measuring not only the particle velocity in three dimensions but also estimating their spatial gradients. Because the free-surface condition allows to express vertical derivatives in terms of horizontal derivatives, the full gradient tensor and, hence, curl and divergence of the wavefield can be computed. In total, three particle velocity components, three rotational components, and divergence, result seven-component (7C) seismic data. Combined particle velocity and gradient data can be used to isolate the incident P- or S-waves at the land surface or the sea bottom using filtering techniques based on the elastodynamic representation theorem. Alternatively, as only S-waves exhibit rotational motion, rotational measurements can directly be used to identify S-waves. We discuss the derivations of the gradient-based filters as well as their application to synthetic and field data, demonstrating that rotational data can be of particular interest to S-wave reflection and P-to-S-wave conversion imaging. The concept of array-derived gradient estimation can be extended to source arrays as well. Therefore, source arrays allow us to emulate rotational (curl) and dilatational (divergence) sources. Combined with 7C

High Resolution Vertical Seismic Profile from the Chicxulub IODP/ICDP Expedition 364 Borehole: Wave Speeds and Seismic Reflectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, C.; Kofman, R.; Schmitt, D. R.; Lofi, J.; Gulick, S. P. S.; Christeson, G. L.; Saustrup, S., Sr.; Morgan, J. V.

2017-12-01

We acquired a closely-spaced vertical seismic profile (VSP) in the Chicxulub K-Pg Impact Crater drilling program borehole to calibrate the existing surface seismic profiles and provide complementary measurements of in situ seismic wave speeds. Downhole seismic records were obtained at spacings ranging from 1.25 m to 5 m along the borehole from 47.5 m to 1325 mwsf (meters wireline below sea floor) (Fig 1a) using a Sercel SlimwaveTM geophone chain (University of Alberta). The seismic source was a 30/30ci Sercel Mini GI airgun (University of Texas), fired a minimum of 5 times per station. Seismic data processing used a combination of a commercial processing package (Schlumberger's VISTA) and MatlabTM codes. The VSP displays detailed reflectivity (Fig. 1a) with the strongest reflection seen at 600 mwsf (280 ms one-way time), geologically corresponding to the sharp contact between the post-impact sediments and the target peak ring rock, thus confirming the pre-drilling interpretations of the seismic profiles. A two-way time trace extracted from the separated up-going wavefield matches the major reflection both in travel time and character. In the granitic rocks that form the peak ring of the Chicxulub impact crater, we observe P-wave velocities of 4000-4500 m/s which are significantly less than the expected values of granitoids ( 6000 m/s) (Fig. 1b). The VSP measured wave speeds are confirmed against downhole sonic logging and in laboratory velocimetry measurements; these data provide additional evidence that the crustal material displaced by the impact experienced a significant amount of damage. Samples and data provided by IODP. Samples can be requested at http://web.iodp.tamu.edu/sdrm after 19 October 2017. Expedition 364 was jointly funded by ECORD, ICDP, and IODP with contributions and logistical support from the Yucatan State Government and UNAM. The downhole seismic chain and wireline system is funded by grants to DRS from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and

2D seismic tomography of Somma- Vesuvius. Description of the experiment and preliminary results.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Milano

1996-06-01

Full Text Available A multidisciplinary project for the investigation of Mt. Vesuvius Structure was started in 1993. The core of the project is represented by a high resolution seismic tomography study by using controlled and natura1 sources. The main research objective is to investigate the feeding system of the vo1cano and to retrieve details of the upper crustal structure in the area. A first 2D using seismic experiment was performed in May 1994, with the aim of studing the feasibility of lIsing tomographic techniques for exploring the vo1cano interiors. Particularly, this experiment was designed to obtain information on the optimal sources-receivers configuration and on the depth extension of the volume sampled by shot-generated seismic waves. 66 three-component seismic stations and 16 single-component analogue instruments were installed by several Italian and French groups to record signals generated by three on-land, underground explosions. Sources and geophones were deployed along a 30-km NW-SE profile passing through the volcano crater. Receivers were placed at an average spacing of 250 m in the middle of the recording line and at 500 m outside. The arrival time data base was complemented by first P and S readings of micro earthquakes which occurred in the recent past within the volcano. The first arrival data set was preliminary used to determine the shallow structure of the volcano by applying Thurber's (1983 tomographic inversion technique. This analysis shows evidence for a high-velocity body which extends vertically from about 400 m below the crater down to at least 3000 m and for a shallow 300-500 m thick low-velocity cover which borders the edifice. Data from the distant shot show evidence for arrivals of deep reflected/converted phases and provide information on the deeper structure under the volcano. The results from the interpretation of 2D data are used for planning a 3D tomographic survey which will be cauied out in 1996.

Subsurface investigation on Quarter 27 of May 15th city, Cairo, Egypt using electrical resistivity tomography and shallow seismic refraction techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sultan Awad Sultan Araffa

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Geophysical tools such as electrical resistivity tomography (ERT and shallow seismic (both P-wave seismic refraction and Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW are interesting techniques for delineating the subsurface configurations as stratigraphy, structural elements, caves and water saturated zones. The ERT technique is used to delineate the contamination, to detect the buried objects, and to quantify some aquifer properties. Eight 2-D (two dimensional electrical resistivity sections were measured using two different configurations (dipole–dipole and Wenner. The spread length is of 96 m and the electrodes spacing are 2, 4 and 6 m, respectively to reach a depth ranging from 13 to 17 m. The results indicate that, the subsurface section is divided into main three geo-electrical units, the first is fractured marl and limestone which exhibits high resistivity values ranging from 40 to 300 ohm m. The second unit is corresponding to marl of moderate resistivity values and the third unit, which is the deeper unit, exhibits very low resistivity values corresponding to clayey marl. The fourth layer is marly clay with water. The presence of clay causes the most geotechnical problems. Fourteen shallow seismic sections (both for P-wave and MASW were carried out using spread of 94 m and geophone spacing of 2 m for each P-wave section. The results demonstrate that the deduced subsurface section consists of four layers, the first layer exhibits very low P-wave velocity ranging from 280 to 420 m/s, the second layer reveals P-wave velocity ranging from 400 to 1200 m/s, the third layer has P-wave velocity ranging from 970 to 2000 m/s and the fourth layer exhibits high velocity ranging from 1900 to 3600 m/s. The ERT and shallow seismic results, reflect the presence of two parallel faults passing through Quarter 27 and trending NW-SE.

Imaging of Scattered Wavefields in Passive and Controlled-source Seismology

KAUST Repository

AlTheyab, Abdullah

2015-12-01

Seismic waves are used to study the Earth, exploit its hydrocarbon resources, and understand its hazards. Extracting information from seismic waves about the Earth’s subsurface, however, is becoming more challenging as our questions become more complex and our demands for higher resolution increase. This dissertation introduces two new methods that use scattered waves for improving the resolution of subsurface images: natural migration of passive seismic data and convergent full-waveform inversion. In the first part of this dissertation, I describe a method where the recorded seismic data are used to image subsurface heterogeneities like fault planes. This method, denoted as natural migration of backscattered surface waves, provides higher resolution images for near-surface faults that is complementary to surface-wave tomography images. Our proposed method differ from contemporary methods in that it does not (1) require a velocity model of the earth, (2) assumes weak scattering, or (3) have a high computational cost. This method is applied to ambient noise recorded by the US-Array to map regional faults across the American continent. Natural migration can be formulated as a least-squares inversion to furtherer enhance the resolution and the quality of the fault images. This inversion is applied to ambient noise recorded in Long Beach, California to reveal a matrix of shallow subsurface faults. The second part of this dissertation describes a convergent full waveform inversion method for controlled source data. A controlled source excites waves that scatter from subsurface reflectors. The scattered waves are recorded by a large array of geophones. These recorded waves can be inverted for a high-resolution image of the subsurface by FWI, which is typically convergent for transmitted arrivals but often does not converge for deep reflected events. I propose a preconditioning approach that extends the ability of FWI to image deep parts of the velocity model, which

Porosity, Fracturing and Alteration of Young Oceanic Crust: New Seismic Analyses at Borehole 504B

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, E. P. M.; Hobbs, R. W.; Peirce, C.; Wilson, D. J.

2017-12-01

DSDP/ODP borehole 504B, drilled 2111 m into 6.9 Ma oceanic crust, provides in-situ core and logging measurements of the lithology, fracturing and porosity of crust originally formed at the Costa Rica Rift and its subsequent alteration by hydrothermal fluids. A recent active seismic survey over the borehole and surrounding area reveals wider spatial variations in velocity that can be related to this porosity and fracturing. Over 10,000 airgun shots were fired in a 30 x 30 km grid over the borehole region, using both high-frequency and low-frequency airgun arrays. The shots were recorded on a 4.5 km-long streamer and 24 ocean-bottom seismographs, each equipped with a three-component geophone and an hydrophone. A vertical hydrophone array recorded the downgoing source wavelet, and underway gravity, magnetic field and multibeam bathymetry data were also recorded. This combined dataset enables the most comprehensive geophysical analysis of this area of crust to date, while the ground-truthing provided by 504B enables us to address the questions of what do the seismic oceanic crustal layers represent and what controls their characteristics as the crust ages? Wide-angle seismic modelling with a Monte Carlo based uncertainty analysis reveals new 2D and 3D Vp and Vs models of the area, which show relatively homogeneous crust around borehole 504B, and place the seismic layer 2B/2C, and seismic layer 2/3 boundaries coincident with fracturing and alteration fronts rather than the lithological boundaries between lavas and dykes, and dykes and gabbros, respectively. Analysis of Poisson's ratio, seismic anisotropy and particle motions reveal patterns in fracturing and porosity across the survey area, and locate possible fossilised hydrothermal circulation cells. These cells appear to have influenced the porosity of the crust through alteration and mineralisation processes, with faults inherited from initial crustal accretion influencing basement topographic highs and providing

Borehole Array Observations of Non-Volcanic Tremor at SAFOD

Science.gov (United States)

Ellsworth, W. L.; Luetgert, J. H.; Oppenheimer, D. H.

2005-12-01

We report on the observation of non-volcanic tremor made in the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth in May, 2005 during the deployment of a multi-level borehole seismic array in the SAFOD main hole. The seismic array consisted of 80 levels of hydraulically-clamped 3-component, 15 Hz omni-directional geophones spaced 15.24 m apart along a 1200 m section of the inclined borehole between 1538 and 2363 m below the ground surface. The array was provided by Paulsson Geophysical Services, Inc. (P/GSI), and recorded at a sample rate of 4000 sps on 24-bit Geode digital recorders provided by Geometrics, Inc. More than 2 TB of continuous data were recorded during the 2-week deployment. Selected local earthquakes and explosions recorded by the array are available at the Northern California Earthquake Data Center, and the entire unedited data set is available as assembled data at the IRIS Data Management Center. Both data sets are currently in the industry standard SEG2 format. Episodes of non-volcanic tremor are common along this reach of the San Andreas Fault according to Nadeau and Dolenc [2004, DOI: 10.1126/science.1107142], with many originating about 30 km southeast of SAFOD beneath the southern end of the Parkfield segment and northern end of the Simmler segment of the fault. We identified tremor episodes using spectrograms routinely produced by the Northern California Seismic Network (http://quake.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/sgrampark.pl) on which they appear as periods of elevated noise relative to the background. A particularly strong tremor episode occurred on May 10, 2005 between 19:39 and 20:00 UTC. In SAFOD, tremor spectral levels exceed the instrumental noise floor to at least 40 Hz. The spatially unaliased recording of the tremor wavefield on the P/GSI array reveal individual phases that can be tracked continuously across the array. The wavefield is composed of both up- and down-going shear waves that form quasi-stationary interference patterns in which areas of

Seismic surface-wave tomography of waste sites. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, T.L.

1998-01-01

'The objective of the Seismic Surface Wave Tomography of Waste Sites is to develop a robust technique for field acquisition and analysis of surface wave data for the interpretation of shallow structures, such as those associated with the burial of wastes. The analysis technique is to be developed and tested on an existing set of seismic data covering the K-901 burial site at the East Tennessee Technology Park. Also, a portable prototype for a field acquisition system will be designed and developed to obtain additional data for analysis and testing of the technique. The portable analysis system will display an image representing the shear-wave velocity structure. The image would be developed in the field from successive data samples. As of May 1998, the author established compatibility with computer programs at Georgia Tech and computed a preliminary singular value decomposition solution for the K-901 data. The analysis included modeling of surface wave dispersion and analysis of velocity structure. The analysis demonstrated that the authors needed additional field data to verify the conclusions and provide independent confirmation of velocity structure. The K-901 site data were obtained with 8 Hz geophones. The frequencies below 8 Hz are strongly attenuated in such recording instruments and are difficult to analyze. In particular, group velocities can have multiple answers for a given frequency. Consequently, without a record of the low-frequency energy, the authors found it difficult to identify the portion of the dispersion curve responsible for the seismogram. In particular, it was difficult to determine if the reverse dispersion observed in the frequencies above 8 Hz was caused by a low velocity layer or caused by observing only the frequencies above the group velocity minimum. In either model, synthetic seismograms can be made to match the observed data for the higher frequencies. The contract for the proposed work was completed in December. The field work was

The QuakeFinder Magnetometer Network - a Platform for Earth and Space Science Research

Science.gov (United States)

Bleier, T.; Kappler, K. N.; Schneider, D.

2016-12-01

QuakeFinder (QF) is a humanitarian research and development project attempting to characterize earth-emitting electromagnetic (EM) signals as potential precursors to earthquakes. Beginning in 2005, QF designed, built, deployed and now maintains an array of 165 remote monitoring stations in 6 countries (US/California, Taiwan, Greece, Indonesia, Peru and Chile). Having amassed approximately 70 TB of data and greater than 140 earthquakes (M4+), QF is focused on the data analysis and signal processing algorithms in our effort to enable a forecasting capability. QF's autonomous stations, located along major fault lines, collect and transmit electromagnetic readings from 3-axis induction magnetometers and positive/negative ion sensors, a geophone, as well as various station health status and local conditions. The induction magnetometers, oriented N-S,E-W and vertically, have a 40 nT range and 1 pT sensitivity. Data is continuously collected at 50 samples/sec (sps), GPS time-stamped and transmitted, primarily through cell phone networks, to our data center in Palo Alto, California. The induction magnetometers routinely detect subtle geomagnetic and ionospheric disturbances as observed worldwide. QF seeks to make available both historic data and the array platform to strategic partners in the EM-related research and operation fields. The QF system will be described in detail with examples of local and regional geomagnetic activity. The stations are robust and will be undergoing a system-level upgrade in the near future. Domestically, QF maintains a 98% `up time' among the 120 stations in California while internationally our metric is typically near 80%. Irregular cell phone reception is chief among the reasons for outages although little data has been lost as the stations can store up to 90 days of data. These data are retrieved by QF personnel or, when communication is reestablished, the QF data ingest process automatically updates the database. Planned station upgrades

Using Earthquake Location and Coda Attenuation Analysis to Explore Shallow Structures Above the Socorro Magma Body, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, J. P.; Bilek, S. L.; Worthington, L. L.; Schmandt, B.; Aster, R. C.

2017-12-01

The Socorro Magma Body (SMB) is a thin, sill-like intrusion with a top at 19 km depth covering approximately 3400 km2 within the Rio Grande Rift. InSAR studies show crustal uplift patterns linked to SMB inflation with deformation rates of 2.5 mm/yr in the area of maximum uplift with some peripheral subsidence. Our understanding of the emplacement history and shallow structure above the SMB is limited. We use a large seismic deployment to explore seismicity and crustal attenuation in the SMB region, focusing on the area of highest observed uplift to investigate the possible existence of fluid/magma in the upper crust. We would expect to see shallower earthquakes and/or higher attenuation if high heat flow, fluid or magma is present in the upper crust. Over 800 short period vertical component geophones situated above the northern portion of the SMB were deployed for two weeks in 2015. This data is combined with other broadband and short period seismic stations to detect and locate earthquakes as well as to estimate seismic attenuation. We use phase arrivals from the full dataset to relocate a set of 33 local/regional earthquakes recorded during the deployment. We also measure amplitude decay after the S-wave arrival to estimate coda attenuation caused by scattering of seismic waves and anelastic processes. Coda attenuation is estimated using the single backscatter method described by Aki and Chouet (1975), filtering the seismograms at 6, 9 and 12 Hz center frequencies. Earthquakes occurred at 2-13 km depth during the deployment, but no spatial patterns linked with the high uplift region were observed over this short duration. Attenuation results for this deployment suggest Q ranging in values of 130 to 2000, averaging around Q of 290, comparable to Q estimates of other studies of the western US. With our dense station coverage, we explore attenuation over smaller scales, and find higher attenuation for stations in the area of maximum uplift relative to stations

Sources of high frequency seismic noise: insights from a dense network of ~250 stations in northern Alsace (France)

Science.gov (United States)

Vergne, Jerome; Blachet, Antoine; Lehujeur, Maximilien

2015-04-01

Monitoring local or regional seismic activity requires stations having a low level of background seismic noise at frequencies higher than few tenths of Hertz. Network operators are well aware that the seismic quality of a site depends on several aspects, among them its geological setting and the proximity of roads, railways, industries or trees. Often, the impact of each noise source is only qualitatively known which precludes estimating the quality of potential future sites before they are tested or installed. Here, we want to take advantage of a very dense temporary network deployed in Northern Alsace (France) to assess the effect of various kinds of potential sources on the level of seismic noise observed in the frequency range 0.2-50 Hz. In September 2014, more than 250 seismic stations (FairfieldNodal@ Zland nodes with 10Hz vertical geophone) have been installed every 1.5 km over a ~25km diameter disc centred on the deep geothermal sites of Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen. This region exhibits variable degrees of human imprints from quite remote areas to sectors with high traffic roads and big villages. It also encompasses both the deep sedimentary basin of the Rhine graben and the piedmont of the Vosges massif with exposed bedrock. For each site we processed the continuous data to estimate probability density functions of the power spectral densities. At frequencies higher than 1 Hz most sites show a clear temporal modulation of seismic noise related to human activity with the well-known variations between day and night and between weekdays and weekends. Moreover we observe a clear evolution of the spatial distribution of seismic noise levels with frequency. Basically, between 0.5 and 4 Hz the geological setting modulates the level of seismic noise. At higher frequencies, the amplitude of seismic noise appears mostly related to the distance to nearby roads. Based on road maps and traffic estimation, a forward approach is performed to model the induced

Theory of supervirtual refraction interferometry

KAUST Repository

Bharadwaj, Pawan; Schuster, Gerard T.; Mallinson, Ian; Dai, Wei

2012-01-01

Inverting for the subsurface velocity distribution by refraction traveltime tomography is a well-accepted imaging method by both the exploration and earthquake seismology communities. A significant drawback, however, is that the recorded traces become noisier with increasing offset from the source position, and so accurate picking of traveltimes in far-offset traces is often prevented. To enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the far-offset traces, we present the theory of supervirtual refraction interferometry where the SNR of far-offset head-wave arrivals can be theoretically increased by a factor proportional to; here, N is the number of receiver or source positions associated with the recording and generation of the head-wave arrival. There are two steps to this methodology: correlation and summation of the data to generate traces with virtual head-wave arrivals, followed by the convolution of the data with the virtual traces to create traces with supervirtual head-wave arrivals. This method is valid for any medium that generates head-wave arrivals recorded by the geophones. Results with both synthetic traces and field data demonstrate the feasibility of this method. There are at least four significant benefits of supervirtual interferometry: (1) an enhanced SNR of far-offset traces so the first-arrival traveltimes of the noisy far-offset traces can be more reliably picked to extend the useful aperture of the data, (2) the SNR of head waves in a trace that arrive later than the first arrival can be enhanced for accurate traveltime picking and subsequent inversion by later-arrival traveltime tomography, (3) common receiver-pair gathers can be analysed to detect the presence of diving waves in the first arrivals, which can be used to assess the nature of the refracting boundary, and (4) the source statics term is eliminated in the correlation operations so that the timing of the virtual traces is independent of the source excitation time. This suggests the

Seismic crustal structure between the Transylvanian Basin and the Black Sea, Romania

Science.gov (United States)

Hauser, F.; Raileanu, V.; Fielitz, W.; Dinu, C.; Landes, M.; Bala, A.; Prodehl, C.

2007-02-01

In order to study the lithospheric structure in Romania a 450 km long WNW-ESE trending seismic refraction project was carried out in August/September 2001. It runs from the Transylvanian Basin across the East Carpathian Orogen and the Vrancea seismic region to the foreland areas with the very deep Neogene Focsani Basin and the North Dobrogea Orogen on the Black Sea. A total of ten shots with charge sizes 300-1500 kg were recorded by over 700 geophones. The data quality of the experiment was variable, depending primarily on charge size but also on local geological conditions. The data interpretation indicates a multi-layered structure with variable thicknesses and velocities. The sedimentary stack comprises up to 7 layers with seismic velocities of 2.0-5.9 km/s. It reaches a maximum thickness of about 22 km within the Focsani Basin area. The sedimentary succession is composed of (1) the Carpathian nappe pile, (2) the post-collisional Neogene Transylvanian Basin, which covers the local Late Cretaceous to Paleogene Tarnava Basin, (3) the Neogene Focsani Basin in the foredeep area, which covers autochthonous Mesozoic and Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks as well as a probably Permo-Triassic graben structure of the Moesian Platform, and (4) the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic rocks of the North Dobrogea Orogen. The underlying crystalline crust shows considerable thickness variations in total as well as in its individual subdivisions, which correlate well with the Tisza-Dacia, Moesian and North Dobrogea crustal blocks. The lateral velocity structure of these blocks along the seismic line remains constant with about 6.0 km/s along the basement top and 7.0 km/s above the Moho. The Tisza-Dacia block is about 33 to 37 km thick and shows low velocity zones in its uppermost 15 km, which are presumably due to basement thrusts imbricated with sedimentary successions related to the Carpathian Orogen. The crystalline crust of Moesia does not exceed 25 km and is covered by up to 22 km of

The Geomechanics of CO₂ Storage in Deep Sedimentary Formations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rutqvist, Jonny [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2012-01-12

This study provides a review of the geomechanics and modeling of geomechanics associated with geologic carbon storage (GCS), focusing on storage in deep sedimentary formations, in particular saline aquifers. The paper first introduces the concept of storage in deep sedimentary formations, the geomechanical processes and issues related with such an operation, and the relevant geomechanical modeling tools. This is followed by a more detailed review of geomechanical aspects, including reservoir stress-strain and microseismicity, well integrity, caprock sealing performance, and the potential for fault reactivation and notable (felt) seismic events. Geomechanical observations at current GCS field deployments, mainly at the In Salah CO₂ storage project in Algeria, are also integrated into the review. The In Salah project, with its injection into a relatively thin, low-permeability sandstone is an excellent analogue to the saline aquifers that might be used for large scale GCS in parts of Northwest Europe, the U.S. Midwest, and China. Some of the lessons learned at In Salah related to geomechanics are discussed, including how monitoring of geomechanical responses is used for detecting subsurface geomechanical changes and tracking fluid movements, and how such monitoring and geomechanical analyses have led to preventative changes in the injection parameters. Recently, the importance of geomechanics has become more widely recognized among GCS stakeholders, especially with respect to the potential for triggering notable (felt) seismic events and how such events could impact the long-term integrity of a CO₂ repository (as well as how it could impact the public perception of GCS). As described in the paper, to date, no notable seismic event has been reported from any of the current CO₂ storage projects, although some unfelt microseismic activities have been detected by geophones. However, potential future commercial GCS operations from large

A Near Real-Time Seismic Exploration and Monitoring (i.e., Ambient Seismic Noise Interferometry) Solution Based Upon a Novel "At the Edge" Approach that Leverages Commercially Available Digitizers, Embedded Systems, and an Open-Source Big Data Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Sepulveda, F.; Thangraj, J. S.; Quiros, D.; Pulliam, J.; Queen, J. H.; Queen, M.; Iovenitti, J. L.

2017-12-01

Seismic interferometry that makes use of ambient noise requires that cross-correlations of data recorded at two or more stations be stacked over a "long enough" time interval that off-axis sources cancel and the estimated inter-station Green's function converges to the actual function. However, the optimal length of the recording period depends on the characteristics of ambient noise at the site, which vary over time and are therefore not known before data acquisition. Data acquisition parameters cannot be planned in ways that will ensure success while minimizing cost and effort. Experiment durations are typically either too long or too short. Automated, in-field processing can provide inter-station Green's functions in near-real-time, allowing for the immediate evaluation of results and enabling operators to alter data acquisition parameters before demobilizing. We report on the design, system integration, and testing of a strategy for the automation of data acquisition, distribution, and processing of ambient noise using industry-standard, widely-available instrumentation (Reftek 130-01 digitizers and 4.5 Hz geophones). Our solution utilizes an inexpensive embedded system (Raspberry Pi 3), which is configured to acquire data from the Reftek and insert it into a big data store called Apache Cassandra. Cassandra distributes and maintains up-to-date copies of the data, through a WiFi network, as defined by tunable consistency levels and replication factors thus allowing for efficient multi-station computations. At regular intervals, data is extracted from Cassandra and is used to compute Green's functions for all receiver pairs. Results are reviewed and progress toward convergence can be assessed. We successfully tested a 20-node prototype of what we call the "Raspberry Pi-Enhanced Reftek" (RaPiER) array at the Soda Lake Geothermal Field in Nevada in June 2017. While intermittent problems with the WiFi network interfered with the real-time data delivery from some

Characterizing Micro- and Macro-Scale Seismicity from Bayou Corne, Louisiana

Science.gov (United States)

Baig, A. M.; Urbancic, T.; Karimi, S.

2013-12-01

The initiation of felt seismicity in Bayou Corne, Louisiana, coupled with other phenomena detected by residents on the nearby housing development, prompted a call to install a broadband seismic network to monitor subsurface deformation. The initial deployment was in place to characterize the deformation contemporaneous with the formation of a sinkhole located in close proximity to a salt dome. Seismic events generated during this period followed a swarm-like behaviour with moment magnitudes culminating around Mw2.5. However, the seismic data recorded during this sequence suffer from poor signal to noise, onsets that are very difficult to pick, and the presence of a significant amount of energy arriving later in the waveforms. Efforts to understand the complexity in these waveforms are ongoing, and involve invoking the complexities inherent in recording in a highly attenuating swamp overlying a complex three-dimensional structure with the strong material property contrast of the salt dome. In order to understand the event character, as well as to locally lower the completeness threshold of the sequence, a downhole array of 15 Hz sensors was deployed in a newly drilled well around the salt dome. Although the deployment lasted a little over a month in duration, over 1000 events were detected down to moment magnitude -Mw3. Waveform quality tended to be excellent, with very distinct P and S wave arrivals observable across the array for most events. The highest magnitude events were seen as well on the surface network and allowed for the opportunity to observe the complexities introduced by the site effects, while overcoming the saturation effects on the higher-frequency downhole geophones. This hybrid downhole and surface array illustrates how a full picture of subsurface deformation is only made possible by combining the high-frequency downhole instrumentation to see the microseismicity complemented with a broadband array to accurately characterize the source

ERT to aid in WSN based early warning system for landslides

Science.gov (United States)

T, H.

2017-12-01

Amrita University's landslide monitoring and early warning system using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) consists of heterogeneous sensors like rain gauge, moisture sensor, piezometer, geophone, inclinometer, tilt meter etc. The information from the sensors are accurate and limited to that point. In order to monitor a large area, ERT can be used in conjunction with WSN technology. To accomplish the feasibility of ERT in landslide early warning along with WSN technology, we have conducted experiments in Amrita's landslide laboratory setup. The experiment was aimed to simulate landslide, and monitor the changes happening in the soil using moisture sensor and ERT. Simulating moisture values from resistivity measurements to a greater accuracy can help in landslide monitoring for large areas. For accomplishing the same we have adapted two mathematical approaches, 1) Regression analysis between resistivity measurements and actual moisture values from moisture sensor, and 2) Using Waxman Smith model to simulate moisture values from resistivity measurements. The simulated moisture values from Waxman Smith model is compared with the actual moisture values and the Mean Square Error (MSE) is found to be 46.33. Regression curve is drawn for the resistivity vs simulated moisture values from Waxman model, and it is compared with the regression curve of actual model, which is shown in figure-1. From figure-1, it is clear that there the regression curve from actual moisture values and the regression curve from simulated moisture values, follow the similar pattern and there is a small difference between them. Moisture values can be simulated to a greater accuracy using actual regression equation, but the limitation is that, regression curves will differ for different sites and different soils. Regression equation from actual moisture values can be used, if we have conducted experiment in the laboratory for a particular soil sample, otherwise with the knowledge of soil properties

Large-N in Volcano Settings: Volcanosri

Science.gov (United States)

Lees, J. M.; Song, W.; Xing, G.; Vick, S.; Phillips, D.

2014-12-01

We seek a paradigm shift in the approach we take on volcano monitoring where the compromise from high fidelity to large numbers of sensors is used to increase coverage and resolution. Accessibility, danger and the risk of equipment loss requires that we develop systems that are independent and inexpensive. Furthermore, rather than simply record data on hard disk for later analysis we desire a system that will work autonomously, capitalizing on wireless technology and in field network analysis. To this end we are currently producing a low cost seismic array which will incorporate, at the very basic level, seismological tools for first cut analysis of a volcano in crises mode. At the advanced end we expect to perform tomographic inversions in the network in near real time. Geophone (4 Hz) sensors connected to a low cost recording system will be installed on an active volcano where triggering earthquake location and velocity analysis will take place independent of human interaction. Stations are designed to be inexpensive and possibly disposable. In one of the first implementations the seismic nodes consist of an Arduino Due processor board with an attached Seismic Shield. The Arduino Due processor board contains an Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 CPU. This 32 bit 84 MHz processor can filter and perform coarse seismic event detection on a 1600 sample signal in fewer than 200 milliseconds. The Seismic Shield contains a GPS module, 900 MHz high power mesh network radio, SD card, seismic amplifier, and 24 bit ADC. External sensors can be attached to either this 24-bit ADC or to the internal multichannel 12 bit ADC contained on the Arduino Due processor board. This allows the node to support attachment of multiple sensors. By utilizing a high-speed 32 bit processor complex signal processing tasks can be performed simultaneously on multiple sensors. Using a 10 W solar panel, second system being developed can run autonomously and collect data on 3 channels at 100Hz for 6 months

Calibration of the seismic velocity structure and understanding of the fault formation in the environs of the Orkney M5.5 earthquake, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Ogasawara, H.; Manzi, M. S.; Durrheim, R. J.; Ogasawara, H.

2017-12-01

In August 2014, the largest seismic event (M5.5) to occur in a South African gold mining district took place near Orkney. The M5.5 event and aftershocks were recorded by strainmeters installed at 3 km depth hundreds of meters above the M5.5 fault, 46 in-mine 4.5Hz triaxial geophone stations at depths of 2-3 km within a hypocentral radius of 2-3 km, and 17 surface strong motion stations (South African Seismograph Network; SANSN) within an epicentral radius of 25 km. Aftershocks were distributed on a nearly vertical plane striking NNW-SSE. The upper edge of this fault was hundreds of meters below the deepest level of the mine. ICDP approved a project "Drilling into seismogenic zones of M2.0-5.5 earthquakes in South African gold mines" to elucidate the details of the events (DSeis; Yabe et al. invited talk in S020 in this AGU). On 1 August 2017 drilling was within a few hundreds of meters of intersecting the M5.5 fault zone. To locate the drilling target accurately it is very important to determine the velocity structure between the seismic events and sensors. We do this by using the interval velocities used to migrate 3D-reflection seismic data that was previously acquired by a mining company to image the gold-bearing reef and any fault structures close to the mining horizon. Less attention was given to the velocities below the mining horizon, as accurate imaging of the geological structure was not as important and very little drilling information was available. We used the known depths of prominent reflectors above the mining horizon to derive the interval velocities needed to convert two-way-travel-time to depth. We constrain the velocity below the mining horizon by comparing the DSeis drilling results with the 3D seismic cube. The geometric data is crucial for the kinematic modeling that Ogasawara et al. (S018 in this AGU) advocates. The efforts will result in a better understanding of the main rupture and aftershocks.

Induced Seismicity Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, S. R.; Jarpe, S.; Harben, P.

2014-12-01

There are many seismological aspects associated with monitoring of permanent storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in geologic formations. Many of these include monitoring underground gas migration through detailed tomographic studies of rock properties, integrity of the cap rock and micro seismicity with time. These types of studies require expensive deployments of surface and borehole sensors in the vicinity of the CO2 injection wells. Another problem that may exist in CO2 sequestration fields is the potential for damaging induced seismicity associated with fluid injection into the geologic reservoir. Seismic hazard monitoring in CO2 sequestration fields requires a seismic network over a spatially larger region possibly having stations in remote settings. Expensive observatory-grade seismic systems are not necessary for seismic hazard deployments or small-scale tomographic studies. Hazard monitoring requires accurate location of induced seismicity to magnitude levels only slightly less than that which can be felt at the surface (e.g. magnitude 1), and the frequencies of interest for tomographic analysis are ~1 Hz and greater. We have developed a seismo/acoustic smart sensor system that can achieve the goals necessary for induced seismicity monitoring in CO2 sequestration fields. The unit is inexpensive, lightweight, easy to deploy, can operate remotely under harsh conditions and features 9 channels of recording (currently 3C 4.5 Hz geophone, MEMS accelerometer and microphone). An on-board processor allows for satellite transmission of parameter data to a processing center. Continuous or event-detected data is kept on two removable flash SD cards of up to 64+ Gbytes each. If available, data can be transmitted via cell phone modem or picked up via site visits. Low-power consumption allows for autonomous operation using only a 10 watt solar panel and a gel-cell battery. The system has been successfully tested for long-term (> 6 months) remote operations over a wide range

a Borehole Seismic System for Active and Passive Seimsic Studies to 3 KM at Ptrc's Aquistore Project

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, D. R.; Nixon, C.; Kofman, R.; White, D. J.; Worth, K.

2015-12-01

We have constructed a downhole seismic recording system for application to depths of nearly 3 km and temperatures up to 135 °C at Aquistore, an independent research and monitoring project in which liquid CO2 is being stored in a brine and sandstone water formation. The key component to this system is a set of commercially available slim-hole 3-C sondes carrying 15 Hz geophones deployable in open and cased boreholes with diameters as small as 57 mm. The system is currently hosted on a 4-conductor wireline with digital information streamed to the surface recording unit. We have further incorporated these sondes into a mobile passive monitoring unit that includes a number of redundancies such as a multiple Tbyte network accessible RAID hard-drive system (NAS) and a self-designed uninterruptible power supply. The system can be remotely controlled via the internet. The system is currently deployed covering a range of depths from 2850 m to 2910 m. Ambient temperatures at this depth are approximately 110 °C with onboard tool temperatures running at 115 °C. Data is continuously streamed to the NAS for archiving, approximately 11 GBytes of data is recorded per day at the sampling period of 0.5 ms. The lack of noise at this depth allows short data snippets to be flagged with a simple amplitude threshold criteria. The greatly reduced data volume of the snippets allows for ready access via the internet to the system for ongoing quality control. Spurious events, mostly small amplitude tube waves originating at or near the surface, are readily discounted. Active seismic measurements are carried out simultaneously but these require that an appropriately accurate independent GPS based time synchronization be used. Various experiences with event detection, orientation of sondes using both explosives and seismic vibrator, potential overheating of the surface electronics, and issues related to loss of shore power provide for a detailed case study. Aquistore, managed by the

Contribution of geophysical studies on detection of the Petrified Frost Qattamiya, Cairo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sultan Awad Sultan Araffa

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Different geophysical tools such as resistivity, seismic refraction, and magnetic survey have been applied to delineate the subsurface stratigraphy and structural elements, which controlled the distribution and origin of the Petrified wood in Qattamiya, Cairo, Egypt. Land magnetic survey was carried out in the study area through two stages, the first stage includes all area by measuring 11,674 stations and the second stage was carried out in the detailed area that was located at the southeastern part of the all area including 9441 stations. All measurements have been corrected for diurnal variation and reduced to the north magnetic pole. The results of magnetic interpretation indicated that the area dissected by different structural elements trend toward NE–SW, NW–SE, N–S and E–W directions. Twenty-eight samples have been collected from the detailed area to analyze for magnetic susceptibility values. Four electrical resistivity tomography (ERT profiles were measured by using dipole–dipole configuration to estimate the vertical and lateral variation of the subsurface sequence. Results of quantitative interpretation of the ERT data indicate that the subsurface sequence consists of different geoelectric units; the first unit is characterized by high resistivity values upto 1000 ohm m corresponding to sand, gravel and Petrified wood at the surface and extends to a depth of a few meters. The second geoelectric unit is corresponding to sandy clay which exhibits moderate resistivity (few hundred ohm m values with thickness ranging from 6 to10 m. The third geoelectric unit is characterized by very low resistivity corresponding to clay of depth ranging from 10 to 30 m overlaying the fourth unit which reached to a depth ranging from 30 to 56 m and characterized by very high resistivity (8000 ohm m corresponding to limestone. Three shallow seismic refraction spreads of geophone spacing 7.5 m were measured to investigate the subsurface

Developments in real-time monitoring for geologic hazard warnings (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Leith, W. S.; Mandeville, C. W.; Earle, P. S.

2013-12-01

Real-time data from global, national and local sensor networks enable prompt alerts and warnings of earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic eruptions, geomagnetic storms , broad-scale crustal deformation and landslides. State-of-the-art seismic systems can locate and evaluate earthquake sources in seconds, enabling 'earthquake early warnings' to be broadcast ahead of the damaging surface waves so that protective actions can be taken. Strong motion monitoring systems in buildings now support near-real-time structural damage detection systems, and in quiet times can be used for state-of-health monitoring. High-rate GPS data are being integrated with seismic strong motion data, allowing accurate determination of earthquake displacements in near-real time. GPS data, combined with rainfall, groundwater and geophone data, are now used for near-real-time landslide monitoring and warnings. Real-time sea-floor water pressure data are key for assessing tsunami generation by large earthquakes. For monitoring remote volcanoes that lack local ground-based instrumentation, the USGS uses new technologies such as infrasound arrays and the worldwide lightning detection array to detect eruptions in progress. A new real-time UV-camera system for measuring the two dimensional SO2 flux from volcanic plumes will allow correlations with other volcano monitoring data streams to yield fundamental data on changes in gas flux as an eruption precursor, and how magmas de-gas prior to and during eruptions. Precision magnetic field data support the generation of real-time indices of geomagnetic disturbances (Dst, K and others), and can be used to model electrical currents in the crust and bulk power system. Ground-induced electrical current monitors are used to track those currents so that power grids can be effectively managed during geomagnetic storms. Beyond geophysical sensor data, USGS is using social media to rapidly detect possible earthquakes and to collect firsthand accounts of the impacts of

Directional topographic site response at Tarzana observed in aftershocks of the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake: Implications for mainshock motions

Science.gov (United States)

Spudich, P.; Hellweg, M.; Lee, W.H.K.

1996-01-01

The Northridge earthquake caused 1.78 g acceleration in the east-west direction at a site in Tarzana, California, located about 6 km south of the mainshock epicenter. The accelerograph was located atop a hill about 15-m high, 500-m long, and 130-m wide, striking about N78??E. During the aftershock sequence, a temporary array of 21 three-component geophones was deployed in six radial lines centered on the accelerograph, with an average sensor spacing of 35 m. Station COO was located about 2 m from the accelerograph. We inverted aftershock spectra to obtain average relative site response at each station as a function of direction of ground motion. We identified a 3.2-Hz resonance that is a transverse oscillation of the hill (a directional topographic effect). The top/base amplification ratio at 3.2 Hz is about 4.5 for horizontal ground motions oriented approximately perpendicular to the long axis of the hill and about 2 for motions parallel to the hill. This resonance is seen most strongly within 50 m of COO. Other resonant frequencies were also observed. A strong lateral variation in attenuation, probably associated with a fault, caused substantially lower motion at frequencies above 6 Hz at the east end of the hill. There may be some additional scattered waves associated with the fault zone and seen at both the base and top of the hill, causing particle motions (not spectral ratios) at the top of the hill to be rotated about 20?? away from the direction transverse to the hill. The resonant frequency, but not the amplitude, of our observed topographic resonance agrees well with theory, even for such a low hill. Comparisons of our observations with theoretical results indicate that the 3D shape of the hill and its internal structure are important factors affecting its response. The strong transverse resonance of the hill does not account for the large east-west mainshock motions. Assuming linear soil response, mainshock east-west motions at the Tarzana accelerograph

Seismic Interferometry of Gulf of Mexico Basin Opening (GUMBO) Data: Extraction of Body and Surface Waves with a Mixed-Mode Array

Science.gov (United States)

Thangraj, J. S.; Quiros, D.; Pulliam, J.

2017-12-01

The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is a relative small oceanic basin that formed by rifting between the continental blocks of North America and Yucatan in the Middle to Late Jurassic. Following the breakup, seafloor spreading continued until the Early Cretaceous. Since then, subsidence and sedimentation have shaped the GoM margin that we see today. To better understand the opening of the GoM, a long-offset (307 km) seismic refraction line was acquired in 2010. The transect was located on the northwest GoM margin, and consisted of several types of instruments. This mixed-mode array combined 31 ocean bottom seismographs (OBS), 412 high-frequency instruments (4.5 Hz geophones with RefTek 125A "Texan" digitizers) and 12 broadband stations. The R/V Iron Cat provided the airgun source used in the refraction experiment. The airgun generated 2028 shots in a period of 2.5 days which were recorded by the entire array. The airgun-generated seismic energy was clearly visible on the OBS recordings, however its amplitude was too low to be discerned on most of the onshore stations. In fact, this energy was only visible on Texan stations 1-50 (station 1 is located at the coast), extending 18 km inland, limiting the extend of the velocity model that can be obtained. Here, we apply seismic interferometry techniques to the 2.5 days of continuous data recorded by the Texan array with the goal of extending the spatial range for which the airgun-generated seismic energy can be observed. Preliminary results show that by treating the 2.5 days of continuously recorded airgun data as ambient noise, and applying time-domain cross-correlation, we can observe energy propagating 50 to 70 km inland with apparent velocities of 1800 - 2200 ms-1. These velocities agree with the compressional seismic velocity for the top 5 km of sediments under the GoM obtained from the OBS records, suggesting that we are observing compressional energy in the virtual source gathers (VSG). We also observe arrivals in the VSG

Adaptive Sensor Tuning for Seismic Event Detection in Environment with Electromagnetic Noise

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Abra E.

The goal of this research is to detect possible microseismic events at a carbon sequestration site. Data recorded on a continuous downhole microseismic array in the Farnsworth Field, an oil field in Northern Texas that hosts an ongoing carbon capture, utilization, and storage project, were evaluated using machine learning and reinforcement learning techniques to determine their effectiveness at seismic event detection on a dataset with electromagnetic noise. The data were recorded from a passive vertical monitoring array consisting of 16 levels of 3-component 15 Hz geophones installed in the field and continuously recording since January 2014. Electromagnetic and other noise recorded on the array has significantly impacted the utility of the data and it was necessary to characterize and filter the noise in order to attempt event detection. Traditional detection methods using short-term average/long-term average (STA/LTA) algorithms were evaluated and determined to be ineffective because of changing noise levels. To improve the performance of event detection and automatically and dynamically detect seismic events using effective data processing parameters, an adaptive sensor tuning (AST) algorithm developed by Sandia National Laboratories was utilized. AST exploits neuro-dynamic programming (reinforcement learning) trained with historic event data to automatically self-tune and determine optimal detection parameter settings. The key metric that guides the AST algorithm is consistency of each sensor with its nearest neighbors: parameters are automatically adjusted on a per station basis to be more or less sensitive to produce consistent agreement of detections in its neighborhood. The effects that changes in neighborhood configuration have on signal detection were explored, as it was determined that neighborhood-based detections significantly reduce the number of both missed and false detections in ground-truthed data. The performance of the AST algorithm was

Rapid Seismic Deployment for Capturing Aftershocks of the September 2017 Tehuantepec, Mexico (M=8.1) and Morelos-Puebla (M=7.1), Mexico Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, A. A.; Karplus, M. S.; Dena, O.; Gonzalez-Huizar, H.; Husker, A. L.; Perez-Campos, X.; Calo, M.; Valdes, C. M.

2017-12-01

The September 7 Tehuantepec, Mexico (M=8.1) and the September 19 Morelos-Puebla, Mexico (M=7.1) earthquakes ruptured with extensional faulting within the Cocos Plate at 70-km and 50-km depth, as it subducts beneath the continental North American Plate. Both earthquakes caused significant damage and loss of life. These events were followed by a M=6.1 extensional earthquake at only 10-km depth in Oaxaca on September 23, 2017. While the Morelos-Puebla earthquake was likely too far away to be statically triggered by the Tehuantepec earthquake, initial Coulomb stress analyses show that the M=6.1 event may have been an aftershock of the Tehuantepec earthquake. Many questions remain about these earthquakes, including: Did the Cocos Plate earthquakes load the upper plate, and could they possibly trigger an equal or larger earthquake on the plate interface? Are these the result of plate bending? Do the aftershocks migrate to the locked zone in the subduction zone? Why did the intermediate depth earthquakes create so much damage? Are these earthquakes linked by dynamic stresses? Is it possible that a potential slow-slip event triggered both events? To address some of these questions, we deployed 10 broadband seismometers near the epicenter of the Tehuantepec, Mexico earthquake and 51 UTEP-owned nodes (5-Hz, 3-component geophones) to record aftershocks and augment networks deployed by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The 10 broadband instruments will be deployed for 6 months, while the nodes were deployed 25 days. The relative ease-of-deployment and larger numbers of the nodes allowed us to deploy them quickly in the area near the M=6.1 Oaxaca earthquake, just a few days after that earthquake struck. We deployed them near the heavily-damaged cities of Juchitan, Ixtaltepec, and Ixtepec as well as in Tehuantepec and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca in order to test their capabilities for site characterization and aftershock studies. This is the first test of these

Geophysical Exploration of Tyuonyi Pueblo in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Sica, C.; Graham, D.; Peacock, E.; Suen, C.; Creighton, A.; Carchedi, C.; Feucht, D. W.; Civitello, J. A.; Jarret, J.; Martin, C.; Ferguson, J. F.; McPhee, D.; Pellerin, L.

2017-12-01

The Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE) class of 2017 carried out near-surface geophysical investigations of the Tyuonyi Pueblo of Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico in order to aid trail planning and identification of archeological features that could potentially be impacted. Tyuonyi is located in Frijoles Canyon, carved by the Rito de los Frijoles, between the SE flank of the Jemez Mountains and the Rio Grande, and contains pueblo room blocks, kivas and cavates that were occupied by ancestral Puebloans between 1350 and 1550 CE. SAGE collected seismic refraction, magnetic, electromagnetic (EM) and GPR data along targeted profiles and grids north and east of Tyuonyi Pueblo. Two 30 X 30 m grids of GPR data were recorded along 1-m spaced lines using the 250 MHz Sensors and Software NOGGIN® 250 Smart Tow and processed using the EKKO Project V5 program. Seismic refraction data were collected using a 48-channel Geometrics Strataview recorder and seven spreads with 0.5 m geophone spacing, a 6 m shot point interval, and a hammer source. Shot point offsets between 0.5 m and 48 m provided overlapping subsurface coverage. Seismic data from SAGE 2016 and 2017 were merged into a 168 m-long profile. Magnetic data were collected along 1-m spaced N-S lines in two 30 X 30 m grids and along the seismic line using a Geometrics 858 cesium vapor magnetometer. In addition, EM data were collected using a Geonics, EM-31 system along the seismic line. A velocity model was created to fit the seismic travel times. The GPR images and seismic model can be used to interpret the Quaternary geology of the site. These data trace incision of the Rito de los Frijoles into the Bandelier Tuff over several stages of the canyon development. The seismic model indicates a number of narrow, shallow channels carved into a broader strath. Holocene alluvial terrace deposits overlie the Bandelier Tuff surface, and the Tyuonyi Pueblo was constructed on top of the highest terrace. On the north

Using Local Event Tomography to Image Changes in the Rock Mass in the Kiirunavaara Iron Ore Mine, Northern Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, B.; Berglund, K.; Tryggvason, A.; Dineva, S.; Jonsson, L.

2017-12-01

Although induced seismic events in a mining environment are a potential hazard, they can be used to gain information about the rock mass in the mine which otherwise would be very difficult to obtain. In this study we use approximately 1.2 million mining induced seismic events in the Kiirunavaara iron ore mine in northernmost Sweden to image the rock mass using local event travel-time tomography. The Kiirunavaara mine is the largest underground iron ore mine in the world. The ore body is a magnetite sheet of 4 km length, with an average thickness of 80 m, which dips approximately 55° to the east. The events are of various origins such as shear slip on fractures, non-shear events and blasts, with magnitudes of up to 2.5. We use manually picked P- and S-wave arrival times from the routine processing in the tomography and we require that both phases are present at at least five geophones. For the tomography we use the 3D local earthquake tomography code PStomo_eq (Tryggvason et al., 2002), which we adjusted to the mining scale. The tomographic images show clearly defined regions of high and low velocities. Prominent low S-velocity zones are associated with mapped clay zones. Regions of ore where mining is ongoing and the near-ore tunnel infrastructure in the foot-wall also show generally low P- and S-velocities. The ore at depths below the current mining levels is imaged both as a low S-velocity zone but even more pronounced as a high Vp/Vs ratio zone. The tomography shows higher P- and S-velocities in the foot-wall away from the areas of mine infrastructure. We relocate all 1.2 million events in the new 3D velocity model. The relocation significantly enhances the clarity of the event distribution in space and we can much more easily identify seismically active structures, such as e.g. the deformation of the ore passes. The large number of events makes it possible to do detailed studies of the temporal evolution of stability in the mine. We present preliminary results

LHC beam stability and feedback control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinhagen, Ralph

2007-01-01

This report presents the stability and the control of the Large Hadron Collider's (LHC) two beam orbits and their particle momenta using beam-based feedback systems. The aim of this report is to contribute to a safe and reliable LHC commissioning and machine operation. The first part of the analysis gives an estimate of the expected sources of orbit and energy perturbations that can be grouped into environmental sources, machine-inherent sources and machine element failures: the slowest perturbation due to ground motion, tides, temperature fluctuations of the tunnel and other environmental influences are described in this report by a propagation model that is both qualitatively and quantitatively supported by geophone and beam motion measurements at LEP and other CERN accelerators. The second part of this analysis deals with the control of the two LHC beams' orbit and energy through automated feedback systems. Based on the reading of the more than 1056 beam position monitors (BPMs) that are distributed over the machine, a central global feedback controller calculates new deflection strengths for the more than 1060 orbit corrector magnets (CODs) that are suitable to correct the orbit and momentum around their references. this report provides an analysis of the BPMs and CODs involved in the orbit and energy feedback. The BPMs are based on a wide-band time normaliser circuit that converts the transverse beam position reading of each individual particle bunch into two laser pulses that are separated by a time delay and transmitted through optical fibres to an acquisition card that converts the delay signals into a digital position. A simple error model has been tested and compared to the measurement accuracy of LHC type BPMs, obtained through beam-based measurements in the SPS. The average beam position is controlled through 1060 superconducting and individually powered corrector dipole magnets. The proposed correction in 'time-domain' consists of a proportional

The Time-Frequency Signatures of Advanced Seismic Signals Generated by Debris Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, C. R.; Huang, C. J.; Lin, C. R.; Wang, C. C.; Kuo, B. Y.; Yin, H. Y.

2014-12-01

The seismic monitoring is expected to reveal the process of debris flow from the initial area to alluvial fan, because other field monitoring techniques, such as the video camera and the ultrasonic sensor, are limited by detection range. For this reason, seismic approaches have been used as the detection system of debris flows over the past few decades. The analysis of the signatures of the seismic signals in time and frequency domain can be used to identify the different phases of debris flow. This study dedicates to investigate the different stages of seismic signals due to debris flow, including the advanced signal, the main front, and the decaying tail. Moreover, the characteristics of the advanced signals forward to the approach of main front were discussed for the warning purpose. This study presents a permanent system, composed by two seismometers, deployed along the bank of Ai-Yu-Zi Creek in Nantou County, which is one of the active streams with debris flow in Taiwan. The three axes seismometer with frequency response of 7 sec - 200 Hz was developed by the Institute of Earth Sciences (IES), Academia Sinica for the purpose to detect debris flow. The original idea of replacing the geophone system with the seismometer technique was for catching the advanced signals propagating from the upper reach of the stream before debris flow arrival because of the high sensitivity. Besides, the low frequency seismic waves could be also early detected because of the low attenuation. However, for avoiding other unnecessary ambient vibrations, the sensitivity of seismometer should be lower than the general seismometer for detecting teleseism. Three debris flows with different mean velocities were detected in 2013 and 2014. The typical triangular shape was obviously demonstrated in time series data and the spectrograms of the seismic signals from three events. The frequency analysis showed that enormous debris flow bearing huge boulders would induce low frequency seismic

Seismic monitoring at the Decatur, Ill., CO2 sequestration demonstration site

Science.gov (United States)

Kaven, Joern; Hickman, Stephen H.; McGarr, Arthur F.; Walter, Steve R.; Ellsworth, William L.

2014-01-01

The viability of carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases depends on the ability to safely sequester large quantities of CO2 over geologic time scales. One concern with CCS is the potential of induced seismicity. We report on ongoing seismic monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at a CCS demonstration site in Decatur, IL, in an effort to understand the potential hazards posed by injection-induced seismicity associated with geologic CO2 sequestration. At Decatur, super-critical CO2 is injected at 2.1 km depth into the 550-m-thick Mt. Simon Sandstone, which directly overlies granitic basement. The primary sealing cap rock is the Eau Claire Shale, a 100- to 150-m-thick unit at a depth of roughly 1.5 km. The USGS seismic network consists of 12 stations, three of which have surface accelerometers and three-component borehole geophones. We derived a one-dimensional velocity models from a vertical seismic profile acquired by Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) and the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) to a depth of 2.2 km, tied into shallow acoustic logs from our borehole stations and assuming a 6 km/sec P-wave velocity for granite below 2.2 km. We further assume a constant ratio of P- to S-wave velocities of 1.83, as derived from velocity model inversions. We use this velocity model to locate seismic events, all of which are within the footprint of our network. So far magnitudes of locatable events range from Mw = -1.52 to 1.07. We further improved the hypocentral precision of microseismic events when travel times and waveforms are sufficiently similar by employing double-difference relocation techniques, with relative location errors less than 80 m horizontally and 100 m vertically. We observe tend to group in three distinct clusters: ∼0.4 to 1.0 km NE, 1.6 to 2.4 km N, and ∼1.8 to 2.6 km WNW from the injection well. The first cluster of microseismicity forms a roughly linear trend, which may represent a pre-existing geologic

Booming Sand Dunes

Science.gov (United States)

Vriend, Nathalie

"Booming" sand dunes are able to produce low-frequency sound that resembles a pure note from a music instrument. The sound has a dominant audible frequency (70-105 Hz) and several higher harmonics and may be heard from far distances away. A natural or induced avalanche from a slip face of the booming dune triggers the emission that may last for several minutes. There are various references in travel literature to the phenomenon, but to date no scientific explanation covered all field observations. This thesis introduces a new physical model that describes the phenomenon of booming dunes. The waveguide model explains the selection of the booming frequency and the amplification of the sound in terms of constructive interference in a confined geometry. The frequency of the booming is a direct function of the dimensions and velocities in the waveguide. The higher harmonics are related to the higher modes of propagation in the waveguide. The experimental validation includes quantitative field research at the booming dunes of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley National Park. Microphone and geophone recordings of the acoustic and seismic emission show a variation of booming frequency in space and time. The analysis of the sensor data quantifies wave propagation characteristics such as speed, dispersion, and nonlinear effects and allows the distinction between the source mechanism of the booming and the booming itself. The migration of sand dunes results from a complicated interplay between dune building, wind regime, and precipitation. The morphological and morphodynamical characteristics of two field locations are analyzed with various geophysical techniques. Ground-penetrating radar images the subsurface structure of the dunes and reveal a natural, internal layering that is directly related to the history of dune migration. The seismic velocity increases abruptly with depth and gradually increases with downhill position due to compaction. Sand sampling shows local

Back-Projection Imaging of extended, high-frequency pre-, co-, and post-eruptive seismicity at El Jefe Geyser, El Tatio Geyser Field, Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, C. L.; Lawrence, J. F.; Beroza, G. C.

2017-12-01

El Tatio Geyser Field in northern Chile is the third largest geyser field in the world. It is comprised of 3 basins that span 10 km x 10 km at an average elevation of 4250 m and contains at least 80 active geysers. Heavy tourist traffic and previous geothermal exploration make the field relatively non-pristine and ideal for performing minimally invasive geophysical experiments. We deployed a dense array of 51 L-28 3-component geophones (1-10 m spacing, corner frequency 4.5 Hz, 1000 Hz sample rate), and 6 Trillium 120 broadband seismometers (2-20 m spacing, long period corner 120 s, 500 Hz sample rate) in a 50 m x 50 m grid in the central Upper Geyser Basin (the largest basin in area at 5 km x 5 km) during October 2012 as part of a collaborative study of hydrothermal systems between Stanford University; U.C. Berkeley; U. of Chile, Santiago; U. of Tokyo; and the USGS. The seismic array was designed to target at El Jefe Geyser (EJG), a columnar geyser (eruption height 1-1.5 m) with a consistent periodic eruption cycle of 132 +/- 3 s. Seismicity at EJG was recorded continuously for 9 days during which 6000 total eruptions occurred. Excluding periods of high anthropogenic noise (i.e. tourist visits, field work), the array recorded 2000 eruptions that we use to create 4D time-lapse images of the evolution of seismic source locations before, during and after EJG eruptions. We use a new back-projection processing technique to locate geyser signals, which tend to be harmonic and diffuse in nature, during characteristic phases of the EJG eruption cycle. We obtain Vp and Vs from ambient-field tomography and estimates of P and S propagation from a hammer source recorded by the array. We use these velocities to back-project and correlate seismic signals from all available receiver-pairs to all potential source locations in a subsurface model assuming straight-line raypaths. We analyze results for individual and concurrent geyser sources throughout an entire EJG eruption cycle

3D shear wave velocity structure revealed with ambient noise tomography on a DAS array

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, X.; Thurber, C. H.; Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.

2017-12-01

sediment thicknesses in the near surface. Shear wave velocities in the northeast corner of the tested area is high whereas loose soil reduces shear wave velocities in the central part of the tested area. This spatial variation pattern is very similar to the results obtained with the ambient noise tomography using the 238-geophone array used the experiment.

Seismic 2D reflection processing and interpretation of shallow refraction data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehman, I.; Heikkinen, E.; Lehtimaeki, T.

2006-12-01

support from geological and hydrological models of the site. The observed reflections coincide with fracturing intensity and Pwave velocity minima from boreholes. Reflections coincide also rather well to the separate 3D seismic results from overlapping area. The results demonstrate that seismic measurements intended for refraction interpretation can also be successfully processed using reflection seismic processing methods. Increasing number of active geophones and shots, and line density, would enhance reliability of the reflections. (orig.)

Landslide and Flood Warning System Prototypes based on Wireless Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Hloupis, George; Stavrakas, Ilias; Triantis, Dimos

2010-05-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are one of the emerging areas that received great attention during the last few years. This is mainly due to the fact that WSNs have provided scientists with the capability of developing real-time monitoring systems equipped with sensors based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). WSNs have great potential for many applications in environmental monitoring since the sensor nodes that comprised from can host several MEMS sensors (such as temperature, humidity, inertial, pressure, strain-gauge) and transducers (such as position, velocity, acceleration, vibration). The resulting devices are small and inexpensive but with limited memory and computing resources. Each sensor node contains a sensing module which along with an RF transceiver. The communication is broadcast-based since the network topology can change rapidly due to node failures [1]. Sensor nodes can transmit their measurements to central servers through gateway nodes without any processing or they make preliminary calculations locally in order to produce results that will be sent to central servers [2]. Based on the above characteristics, two prototypes using WSNs are presented in this paper: A Landslide detection system and a Flood warning system. Both systems sent their data to central processing server where the core of processing routines exists. Transmission is made using Zigbee and IEEE 802.11b protocol but is capable to use VSAT communication also. Landslide detection system uses structured network topology. Each measuring node comprises of a columnar module that is half buried to the area under investigation. Each sensing module contains a geophone, an inclinometer and a set of strain gauges. Data transmitted to central processing server where possible landslide evolution is monitored. Flood detection system uses unstructured network topology since the failure rate of sensor nodes is expected higher. Each sensing module contains a custom water level sensor

Rock mass seismic imaging around the ONKALO tunnel, Olkiluoto 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosma, C.; Cozma, M.; Balu, L.; Enescu, N.

2008-11-01

Posiva Oy prepares for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in bedrock focusing in Olkiluoto, Eurajoki. This is in accordance of the application filed in 1999, the Decision-in-Principle of the State Council in 2000, and ratification by the Parliament in 2001. Vibrometric Oy has performed a tunnel seismic survey in ONKALO access tunnel on a 100 m line in December 2007. Tunnel length (chainage) was 1720 - 1820 m (vertical depth 170 - 180 m). Measurement applied 120 source positions at 1 m spacing, and on the both ends at 4 m spacing. Electromechanical Vibsist-20 tool was used as the source. Hammer produced 15.36 s sweeps. Signal was recorded with 2-component geophone assemblies, installed in 400 mm long, 45 mm drillholes in the tunnel wall. Sweeps were recorded with Summit II seismograph and decoded to seismic traces. Also percussion drill rig, which is used in drilling the blasting holes in tunnel excavation, was tested from a 100-m distance as a seismic source. Signal is equally good as from actual seismic source, and may be applied later on for production. Obtained seismic results were processed with tomographic reconstruction of the first arrivals to P and S wave refraction tomograms, and to tomograms of Young's modulus and Shear Modulus. The obtained values correspond the typical levels known from Olkiluoto. There are indications of lower velocity near tunnel wall, but resolution is not adequate for further interpretation. Some variation of velocity is detected in the rock mass. Seismic data was also processed with normal reflection profile interpretation and migrated. As a result there was obtained reflection images to a 100-m distance from the tunnel. Several reflecting events were observed in the rock mass. Features making an angle of 30 deg or more with tunnel axis can be imaged from distances of tens of metres. Vertical fractures perpendicular to tunnel can be imaged only near the tunnel. Gently dipping features can be imaged below and above. Images are 2D, i

Séparation des ondes P et S à l'aide de la matrice spectrale avec informations à priori The Separation of P and S Waves Using the Spectral Matrix with a Priori Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari J. L.

2006-11-01

velocity of the reflected waves. The proposed filtering technique was applied to seismic waves of the offset VSP type. The VSP was recorded in a well between the depths of 1050 and 1755 m. The tool used was a well geophone with three components. The well crossed a complex geological structure. Processing revealed seismic reflections of compressional and shear waves, associated with steeply sloping markers (10 to 25 degrees. Once we have estimated the velocity fields and the dips by means of charts, the depth migration of the picked time horizons provided a faulted structural model. Wave Separation Method - Generally speaking, the filtering technique using the spectral matrix proposed by Mermoz only allows an automatic separation of the waves in the sense of seismic time/distance curves in a number of specific cases, namely when the waves to be separated are naturally aligned with the eigenvectors of the spectral matrix. In the other situations, the introduction of an a priori information on the apparent velocity of some waves and a limitation of their time duration enable to estimate their associated wave vectors. The use of these vectors and a least square projection method lead to an optimal extraction of these waves, without degrading the other waves. In the Fourier domain, for seismic data D (f composed of N recordings, the spectral matrix M consists in N x N components Mk,1(f. This term represents the cross-spectrum averaged between the recordings dk(t and d1(t. The average is introduced to decorrelate the waves. Two types of averaging are routinely used, frequency averaging and distance averaging. Frequency averaging implies a local stationarity of the signals and favors the waves with very high apparent velocities. Distance averaging favors the signals that are coherent on several recordings, regardless of their apparent velocity. We propose a matrix calculated from the recordings modified to optimize the extraction of the desired wave Wi(f. Optimization is carried

Source localization analysis using seismic noise data acquired in exploration geophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Roux, P.; Corciulo, M.; Campillo, M.; Dubuq, D.

2011-12-01

the dominant noise source by applying an orthogonal projection to the data matrix. It involves an iterative algorithm that will first detect and isolate the main noise source, and then localize a lower-amplitude source through the MFP procedure applied to the new projected dataset. Such processing was automatically applied to a seismic noise dataset acquired in a zone of shallow hydrocarbon extraction. The dataset consists of five-days continuous recordings by 397 geophones in a kilometer scale area. As expected, locations of dominant surface noise sources were in good agreement with human structures while secondary, weaker sources were located at depth and seem related to the extraction process in the hydrocarbon reservoir.

Acoustic-Seismic Coupling of Broadband Signals - Analysis of Potential Disturbances during CTBT On-Site Inspection Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Liebsch, Mattes; Altmann, Jürgen

2015-04-01

For the verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) the precise localisation of possible underground nuclear explosion sites is important. During an on-site inspection (OSI) sensitive seismic measurements of aftershocks can be performed, which, however, can be disturbed by other signals. To improve the quality and effectiveness of these measurements it is essential to understand those disturbances so that they can be reduced or prevented. In our work we focus on disturbing signals caused by airborne sources: When the sound of aircraft (as often used by the inspectors themselves) hits the ground, it propagates through pores in the soil. Its energy is transferred to the ground and soil vibrations are created which can mask weak aftershock signals. The understanding of the coupling of acoustic waves to the ground is still incomplete. However, it is necessary to improve the performance of an OSI, e.g. to address potential consequences for the sensor placement, the helicopter trajectories etc. We present our recent advances in this field. We performed several measurements to record sound pressure and soil velocity produced by various sources, e.g. broadband excitation by jet aircraft passing overhead and signals artificially produced by a speaker. For our experimental set-up microphones were placed close to the ground and geophones were buried in different depths in the soil. Several sensors were shielded from the directly incident acoustic signals by a box coated with acoustic damping material. While sound pressure under the box was strongly reduced, the soil velocity measured under the box was just slightly smaller than outside of it. Thus these soil vibrations were mostly created outside the box and travelled through the soil to the sensors. This information is used to estimate characteristic propagation lengths of the acoustically induced signals in the soil. In the seismic data we observed interference patterns which are likely caused by the

A Fiber-Optic Borehole Seismic Vector Sensor System for Geothermal Site Characterization and Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulsson, Bjorn N.P. [Paulsson, Inc., Van Nuys, CA (United States); Thornburg, Jon A. [Paulsson, Inc., Van Nuys, CA (United States); He, Ruiqing [Paulsson, Inc., Van Nuys, CA (United States)

2015-04-21

that the system can record events at magnitudes much smaller than M-2.6 at frequencies up to 2,000 Hz. The sensors have also proved to be about 100 times more sensitive than the regular coil geophones that are used in borehole seismic systems today. The fiber optic seismic sensors have furthermore been qualified to operate at temperatures over 300°C (572°F). Simultaneously with the fiber optic based seismic 3C vector sensors we are using the lead-in fiber to acquire Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) data from the surface to the bottom of the vector array. While the DAS data is of much lower quality than the vector sensor data it provides a 1 m spatial sampling of the downgoing wavefield which will be used to build the high resolution velocity model which is an essential component in high resolution imaging and monitoring.

Shallow Seismic Reflection Study of Recently Active Fault Scarps, Mina Deflection, Western Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Black, R. A.; Christie, M.; Tsoflias, G. P.; Stockli, D. F.

2006-12-01

During the spring and summer of 2006 University of Kansas geophysics students and faculty acquired shallow, high resolution seismic reflection data over actively deforming alluvial fans developing across the Emmigrant Peak (in Fish Lake Valley) and Queen Valley Faults in western Nevada. These normal faults represent a portion of the transition from the right-lateral deformation associated with the Walker Lane/Eastern California Shear Zone to the normal and left-lateral faulting of the Mina Deflection. Data were gathered over areas of recent high resolution geological mapping and limited trenching by KU students. An extensive GPR data grid was also acquired. The GPR results are reported in Christie, et al., 2006. The seismic data gathered in the spring included both walkaway tests and a short CMP test line. These data indicated that a very near-surface P-wave to S-wave conversion was taking place and that very high quality S-wave reflections were probably dominating shot records to over one second in time. CMP lines acquired during the summer utilized a 144 channel networked Geode system, single 28 hz geophones, and a 30.06 downhole rifle source. Receiver spacing was 0.5 m, source spacing 1.0m and CMP bin spacings were 0.25m for all lines. Surveying was performed using an RTK system which was also used to develop a concurrent high resolution DEM. A dip line of over 400m and a strike line over 100m in length were shot across the active fan scarp in Fish Lake Valley. Data processing is still underway. However, preliminary interpretation of common-offset gathers and brute stacks indicates very complex faulting and detailed stratigraphic information to depths of over 125m. Depth of information was actually limited by the 1024ms recording time. Several west-dipping normal faults downstep towards the basin. East-dipping antithetic normal faulting is extensive. Several distinctive stratigraphic packages are bound by the faults and apparent unconformitites. A CMP dip line

LHC beam stability and feedback control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinhagen, Ralph

2007-07-20

This report presents the stability and the control of the Large Hadron Collider's (LHC) two beam orbits and their particle momenta using beam-based feedback systems. The aim of this report is to contribute to a safe and reliable LHC commissioning and machine operation. The first part of the analysis gives an estimate of the expected sources of orbit and energy perturbations that can be grouped into environmental sources, machine-inherent sources and machine element failures: the slowest perturbation due to ground motion, tides, temperature fluctuations of the tunnel and other environmental influences are described in this report by a propagation model that is both qualitatively and quantitatively supported by geophone and beam motion measurements at LEP and other CERN accelerators. The second part of this analysis deals with the control of the two LHC beams' orbit and energy through automated feedback systems. Based on the reading of the more than 1056 beam position monitors (BPMs) that are distributed over the machine, a central global feedback controller calculates new deflection strengths for the more than 1060 orbit corrector magnets (CODs) that are suitable to correct the orbit and momentum around their references. this report provides an analysis of the BPMs and CODs involved in the orbit and energy feedback. The BPMs are based on a wide-band time normaliser circuit that converts the transverse beam position reading of each individual particle bunch into two laser pulses that are separated by a time delay and transmitted through optical fibres to an acquisition card that converts the delay signals into a digital position. A simple error model has been tested and compared to the measurement accuracy of LHC type BPMs, obtained through beam-based measurements in the SPS. The average beam position is controlled through 1060 superconducting and individually powered corrector dipole magnets. The proposed correction in 'time-domain' consists of a

Hydrocarbon Induced Seismicity in Northern Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Dost, B.; Spetzler, J.; Kraaijpoel, D.; Caccavale, M.

2015-12-01

The northern Netherlands has been regarded aseismic until the first earthquakes started in 1986, after more than 25 years of gas production from the one of the largest on-shore gas-fields in the World, the Groningen field, and accompanying smaller gas fields. Due to the shallow sources, at approximately 3 km depth, even small magnitude events cause considerable damage to buildings in the region. Since the largest recorded event in the Groningen field in 2012 with ML= 3,6, more than 30.000 damage claims were received by the mining company. Since 1995 a seismic monitoring network is operational in the region, consisting of 8 200m deep boreholes with 4 levels of 3C 4,5 Hz geophones. The network was designed for a location threshold of ML=1,5 over a 40x 80 km region. Average station separation was 20 km. At the end of 2014, 245 events have been recorded with ML ≥ 1,5, out of a total of 1100. Since 2003 a new mining law is in place in the Netherlands, which requires for each gas field in production a seismic risk analysis. Initially, due to the small number of events for specific fields, a general hazard (PSHA) was calculated for all gas-fields and a maximum magnitude was estimated at ML = 3,9. Since 2003 an increase in the activity rate is observed for the Groningen field, leading to the development of new models and a re-assessment of parameters like the maximum magnitude. More recently these models are extended to seismic risk, where also the fragility of the regional buildings is taken into account. Understanding the earthquake process is essential in taking mitigation measures. Continued research is focused on reducing the uncertainties in the hazard and risk models and is accompanied by an upgrade of the monitoring network. In 2014 a new dense network was designed to monitor the Groningen gas field in this region (30*40 km) with an average separation of 4 km. This allows an improved location threshold (M>0,5) and location accuracy (50-100m). A detailed P- and S

ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY WITH DOWNHOLE VIBRATION STIMULATION IN OSAGE COUNTY OKLAHOMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert Westermark; J. Ford Brett

2003-11-01

This Final Report covers the entire project from July 13, 2000 to June 30, 2003. The report summarizes the details of the work done on the project entitled ''Enhanced Oil Recovery with Downhole Vibration Stimulation in Osage County Oklahoma'' under DOE Contract Number DE-FG26-00BC15191. The project was divided into nine separate tasks. This report is written in an effort to document the lessons learned during the completion of each task. Therefore each task will be discussed as the work evolved for that task throughout the duration of the project. Most of the tasks are being worked on simultaneously, but certain tasks were dependent on earlier tasks being completed. During the three years of project activities, twelve quarterly technical reports were submitted for the project. Many individual topic and task specific reports were included as appendices in the quarterly reports. Ten of these reports have been included as appendices to this final report. Two technical papers, which were written and accepted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, have also been included as appendices. The three primary goals of the project were to build a downhole vibration tool (DHVT) to be installed in seven inch casing, conduct a field test of vibration stimulation in a mature waterflooded field and evaluate the effects of the vibration on both the produced fluid characteristics and injection well performance. The field test results are as follows: In Phase I of the field test the DHVT performed exceeding well, generating strong clean signals on command and as designed. During this phase Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory had installed downhole geophones and hydrophones to monitor the signal generated by the downhole vibrator. The signals recorded were strong and clear. Phase II was planned to be ninety-day reservoir stimulation field test. This portion of the field tests was abruptly ended after one week of operations, when the DHVT became stuck in the well

Local seismic network at the Olkiluoto site. Annual Report for 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saari, J.; Lakio, A.

2008-05-01

In February 2002, Posiva Oy established a local seismic network of six stations on the island of Olkiluoto. Later, in June 2004, the seismic network was expanded with two new seismic stations. At that time started the excavation of the underground characterisation facility (the ONKALO) and the basic operation procedure was changed more suitable for the demands of the new situation. In the beginning of 2006, the target area of the seismic monitoring expanded to semiregional scale. Four new seismic stations started in the beginning of February 2006 and the focus of interpretation was expanded to an area, called the seismic semi-regional area. At the end of 2006, two new borehole geophones were installed in order to improve the sensitivity and the depth resolution of the measurements inside the ONKALO block. The purpose of the microearthquake measurements at Olkiluoto is to improve understanding of the structure, behaviour and long term stability of the bedrock. The studies include both tectonic and excavation-induced microearthquakes. An additional task of monitoring is related to safeguarding of the ONKALO. This report gives the results of microseismic monitoring during the year 2007. Also the changes in the structure and the operation procedure of the network are described. The true orientation of the borehole sensor OL-OS13 was calculated. The correct orientation of triaxial seismometer is essential when the fault plane solution of an earthquake is calculated. The other borehole sensor OL-OS14 was permanently disconnected in October 2007. The network has operated continuously in 2007. Altogether 2207 events have been located in the Olkiluoto area, in reported time period. Altogether 2207 events have been located in 2007. Most of them (1912) are explosions occurred inside the seismic semiregional area and especially inside the ONKALO block (1891 events). The magnitudes of the observed events inside the semi-regional area range from ML = -2.1 to ML = 1.5 (ML

Analysis of microseismic signals collected on an unstable rock face in the Italian Prealps

Science.gov (United States)

Arosio, Diego; Longoni, Laura; Papini, Monica; Boccolari, Mauro; Zanzi, Luigi

2018-04-01

In this work we present the analysis of more than 9000 signals collected from February 2013 to January 2016 by a microseismic monitoring network installed on a 300 m high limestone cliff in the Italian Prealps. The investigated area was affected by a major rockfall in 1969 and several other minor events up to nowadays. The network features five three-component geophones and a weather station and can be remotely accessed thanks to a dedicated radio link. We first manually classified all the recorded signals and found out that 95 per cent of them are impulsive broad-band disturbances, while about 2 per cent may be related to rockfalls or fracture propagation. Signal parameters in the time and frequency domains were computed during the classification procedure with the aim of developing an automatic classification routine based on linear discriminant analysis. The algorithm proved to have a hit rate higher than 95 per cent and a tolerable false alarm rate and it is now running on the field PC of the acquisition board to autonomously discard useless events. Analysis of lightning data sets provided by the Italian Lightning Detection Network revealed that the large majority of broad-band signals are caused by electromagnetic activity during thunderstorms. Cross-correlation between microseismic signals and meteorological parameters suggests that rainfalls influence the hydrodynamic conditions of the rock mass and can trigger rockfalls and fracture propagation very quickly since the start of a rainfall event. On the other hand, temperature seems to have no influence on the stability conditions of the monitored cliff. The only sensor deployed on the rock pillar next to the 1969 rockfall scarp typically recorded events with higher amplitude as well as energy. We deem that this is due to seismic amplification phenomena and we performed ambient noise recording sessions to validate this hypothesis. Results confirm that seismic amplification occurs, although we were not able to

A Thermal Technique of Fault Nucleation, Growth, and Slip

Science.gov (United States)

Garagash, D.; Germanovich, L. N.; Murdoch, L. C.; Martel, S. J.; Reches, Z.; Elsworth, D.; Onstott, T. C.

2009-12-01

-Coulomb strength criterion with standard Byerlee parameters, a fault will initiate before the net tension occurs. After a new fault is created, hot fluid can be injected into the boreholes to increase the temperature and reverse the direction of fault slip. This process can be repeated to study the formation of gouge, and how the properties of gouge control fault slip and associated seismicity. Instrumenting the site with arrays of geophones, tiltmeters, strain gauges, and displacement transducers as well as back mining - an opportunity provided by the DUSEL project - can reveal details of the fault geometry and gouge. We also expect to find small faults (with cm-scale displacement) during construction of DUSEL drifts. The same thermal technique can be used to induce slip on one of them and compare the “man-made” and natural gouges. The thermal technique appears to be a relatively simple way to rapidly change the stress field and either create slip on existing fractures or create new faults at scales up to 10 m or more.

Real Time Seismic Prediction while Drilling

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, F. R.; Bohlen, T.; Edelmann, T.; Kassel, A.; Heim, A.; Gehring, M.; Lüth, S.; Giese, R.; Jaksch, K.; Rechlin, A.; Kopf, M.; Stahlmann, J.; Gattermann, J.; Bruns, B.

2009-12-01

Efficient and safe drilling is a prerequisite to enhance the mobility of people and goods, to improve the traffic as well as utility infrastructure of growing megacities, and to ensure the growing energy demand while building geothermal and in hydroelectric power plants. Construction within the underground is often building within the unknown. An enhanced risk potential for people and the underground building may arise if drilling enters fracture zones, karsts, brittle rocks, mixed solid and soft rocks, caves, or anthropogenic obstacles. Knowing about the material behavior ahead of the drilling allows reducing the risk during drilling and construction operation. In drilling operations direct observations from boreholes can be complemented with geophysical investigations. In this presentation we focus on “real time” seismic prediction while drilling which is seen as a prerequisite while using geophysical methods in modern drilling operations. In solid rocks P- and S-wave velocity, refraction and reflection as well as seismic wave attenuation can be used for the interpretation of structures ahead of the drilling. An Integrated Seismic Imaging System (ISIS) for exploration ahead of a construction is used, where a pneumatic hammer or a magnetostrictive vibration source generate repetitive signals behind the tunneling machine. Tube waves are generated which travel along the tunnel to the working face. There the tube waves are converted to mainly S- but also P-Waves which interact with the formation ahead of the heading face. The reflected or refracted waves travel back to the working front are converted back to tube waves and recorded using three-component geophones which are fit into the tips of anchor rods. In near real time, the ISIS software allows for an integrated 3D imaging and interpretation of the observed data, geological and geotechnical parameters. Fracture zones, heterogeneities, and variations in the rock properties can be revealed during the drilling

Imaging Shallow Aquitard Breaches with P waves: Results from a Walk-away test and a Reflection Survey at two Sites in Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, J.; Magnani, M.; Waldron, B. A.

2006-12-01

to the targeted clay layer. Based on the results of the walk-away test and on additional supporting data such as water table measurements, neotectonic structural mapping and borehole data, the location for a 1 km long, north-south trending seismic reflection profile was chosen at Shelby Farms extending south to the Wolf River. Based on the walk-away testing the 12-gauge Buffalo gun was selected as the energy source, used to detonate a single 200 g black powder shell in a 0.6 m deep water filled hole with a 1 m source interval and a 0.25 m geophone interval. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates dominating surface waves and refractions. Upon filtering, consistent reflections can be observed. Correlation of reflections at the start of the seismic line to nearby boreholes evidenced the signature of the Upper Claiborne confining clay at a depth of 18 m.

Seismic VSP and crosshole investigations in Olkiluoto, 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enescu, N.; Cosma, C.; Balu, L.

2003-04-01

Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) and crosshole seismic surveys were conducted during 2002 at Olkiluoto site in Eurajoki, Finland. The VSP investigations were carried out in three boreholes (KR13, KR14 and KR19) with ten or eleven shot points for each borehole. Additionally, the data from a VSP investigation carried out in 1990 in borehole KR5 had been reprocessed with state of the art tools. One crosshole section (KR14-KR15 at 20 - 240 m interval) was measured and processed. Different receiver types were used for the VSP and crosshole: a 3-component geophone chain for VSP and a hydrophone chain for crosshole. VSP surveys have been carried out with a VIBSIST-1000 source - a time-distributed swept-impact source - instead of explosives. With this source, the seismic signals are produced as rapid series of impacts, the impact intervals being monotonically increased to achieve a nonrepeatable sequence. The VIBSIST-1000 uses a tractor-mounted hydraulic rock-breaker, powered through a computer controlled servo-hydraulic flow regulator. Using standard construction equipment ensures that the VIBSIST sources are safe, non-destructive and environmentally friendly. This also makes the method reliable and cost effective. The new VIBSIST source produces signals with levels of energy comparable to explosives. The VIBSIST appears to be more stable, but its most significant advantages are the low cost of preparation of the shot points and the speed of the acquisition. Crosshole surveys were carried out with a piezoelectric borehole source, the VIBSISTSPH54, which operates on the same principle as the surface VIBSIST source. The wide diversity of reflection angles, the local variations of reflectivity and, generally, the relatively weak seismic response of faults and fractured zones in crystalline rock demand intensive processing. The first stage of the processing sequence focuses on eliminating such wave-fields as the direct P, direct S, tube-waves and ground-roll, so that the

Assessment and management of debris-flow risk in a tropical high-mountain catchment in Santa Teresa, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Holger; Buis, Daniel; Huggel, Christian; Bühler, Yves; Choquevilca, Walter; Fernandez, Felipe; García, Javier; Giráldez, Claudia; Loarte, Edwin; Masias, Paul; Portocarreo, César; Price, Karen; Walser, Marco

2015-04-01

movements and temporal damming of the river with trigger cables, geophones, and water level measurements. Independent energy supply, real-time data transfer to the data center in the municipality of Santa Teresa and remote access to the system via internet allows constant monitoring from within and outside the catchment. On a later stage the system is open to be enhanced by adding further sensors, cameras, meteorological stations, monitoring stations at glacier lakes, and related communication infrastructure. Risk management in such a context is a complex task: on one hand the data and information scarcity as well as the environmental conditions challenge scientific and technical aspects of debris-flow modeling and the design of the EWS. On the other hand, social aspects must be taken into account to make actions coherent with local risk perceptions and to achieve a good preparedness of the population. For a successful realization of the EWS and the entire risk management scheme, the local and regional institutional framework must also be considered. This contribution thus illustrates the implementation of an integrated risk management strategy under the challenging conditions common for remote high-mountain regions.

Seismic VSP and crosshole investigations in Olkiluoto, 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enescu, N.; Cosma, C.; Balu, L. [Vibrometric Oy (Finland)

2003-04-01

Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) and crosshole seismic surveys were conducted during 2002 at Olkiluoto site in Eurajoki, Finland. The VSP investigations were carried out in three boreholes (KR13, KR14 and KR19) with ten or eleven shot points for each borehole. Additionally, the data from a VSP investigation carried out in 1990 in borehole KR5 had been reprocessed with state of the art tools. One crosshole section (KR14-KR15 at 20 - 240 m interval) was measured and processed. Different receiver types were used for the VSP and crosshole: a 3-component geophone chain for VSP and a hydrophone chain for crosshole. VSP surveys have been carried out with a VIBSIST-1000 source - a time-distributed swept-impact source - instead of explosives. With this source, the seismic signals are produced as rapid series of impacts, the impact intervals being monotonically increased to achieve a nonrepeatable sequence. The VIBSIST-1000 uses a tractor-mounted hydraulic rock-breaker, powered through a computer controlled servo-hydraulic flow regulator. Using standard construction equipment ensures that the VIBSIST sources are safe, non-destructive and environmentally friendly. This also makes the method reliable and cost effective. The new VIBSIST source produces signals with levels of energy comparable to explosives. The VIBSIST appears to be more stable, but its most significant advantages are the low cost of preparation of the shot points and the speed of the acquisition. Crosshole surveys were carried out with a piezoelectric borehole source, the VIBSISTSPH54, which operates on the same principle as the surface VIBSIST source. The wide diversity of reflection angles, the local variations of reflectivity and, generally, the relatively weak seismic response of faults and fractured zones in crystalline rock demand intensive processing. The first stage of the processing sequence focuses on eliminating such wave-fields as the direct P, direct S, tube-waves and ground-roll, so that the

Investigation of ULF magnetic pulsations, air conductivity changes, and infra red signatures associated with the 30 October Alum Rock M5.4 earthquake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Bleier

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Several electromagnetic signal types were observed prior to and immediately after 30 October 2007 (Local Time M5.4 earthquake at Alum Rock, Ca with an epicenter ~15 km NE of San Jose Ca. The area where this event occurred had been monitored since November 2005 by a QuakeFinder magnetometer site, unit 609, 2 km from the epicenter. This instrument is one of 53 stations of the QuakeFinder (QF California Magnetometer Network-CalMagNet. This station included an ultra low frequency (ULF 3-axis induction magnetometer, a simple air conductivity sensor to measure relative airborne ion concentrations, and a geophone to identify the arrival of the P-wave from an earthquake. Similar in frequency content to the increased ULF activity reported two weeks prior to the Loma Prieta M7.0 quake in 1989 (Fraser-Smith, 1990, 1991, the QF station detected activity in the 0.01–12 Hz bands, but it consisted of an increasing number of short duration (1 to 30 s duration pulsations. The pulsations peaked around 13 days prior to the event. The amplitudes of the pulses were strong, (3–20 nT, compared to the average ambient noise at the site, (10–250 pT, which included a component arising from the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART operations. The QF station also detected different pulse shapes, e.g. negative or positive only polarity, with some pulses including a combination of positive and negative. Typical pulse counts over the previous year ranged from 0–15 per day, while the count rose to 176 (east-west channel on 17 October, 13 days prior to the quake. The air conductivity sensor saturated for over 14 h during the night and morning prior to the quake, which occurred at 20:29 LT. Anomalous IR signatures were also observed in the general area, within 50 km of the epicenter, during the 2 weeks prior to the quake. These three simultaneous EM phenomena were compared with data collected over a 1–2-year period at the site. The data was also compared against accounts of air

Processes and mechanisms governing hard rock cliff erosion in western Brittany, France

Science.gov (United States)

Laute, Katja; Letortu, Pauline; Le Dantec, Nicolas

2017-04-01

failure in the otherwise rather resistant rock. The density of the fracture network and the principal directions of fracturation play a significant role in controlling the rate of mass wasting. The characterization of cliff micro-fracturing will be accomplished through in-situ monitoring of cliff-top ground motion with a seismometer installed at the cliff top and geophones installed within the cliff face. Wave impact will be monitored by setting up a real-time video system in front of the cliff face in combination with pressure- and wave load sensors that will be installed on the beach in a cross-shore array and directly at the cliff toe. Temperature sensors will be placed in shallow boreholes at the cliff face in order to record surface rock temperature. In addition, a weather station and a piezometer will be deployed in order to monitor local weather and groundwater conditions at the study site. This novel combination of the different field measurements is expected to yield new insights into the processes controlling cliff erosion and retreat along rocky coastlines. In particular, we hope to gain understanding on the possible importance of rock micro-fracturing as a precursor to cliff failure.

PENGUKURAN VS30 MENGGUNAKAN METODE MASW UNTUK WILAYAH YOGYAKARTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muzli Muzli

2016-10-01

use of this map is expected to reduce the impact of risks that may be posed. In mid-2014 measurements of shear wave velocity (Vs30 in Yogyakarta has been carried out, especially in the districts of Bantul and Sleman. Measurements were made on the 55 points spread in the two districts with the distance between the points is 1 to 5 km apart. Vs30 is one of the parameters used in the microzonation maps. Vs30 measurements using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW method. It is acquired using 24 geophones of the vertical component with the frequency of 4.5 Hz. The values provide information of the classification of the soil surface to a depth of 30 meters. Results and interpretation of Vs30 value indicates that the city center of Yogyakarta has intermediate risk with relatively large possibility of seismic wave amplification with the values of Vs30 ranging between 115-175 m/s. The Building Construction in this region are strongly recommended to follow the regulation or building code of SNI 1726-2012. Whereas the region which has a solid surface soil classification with the average Vs30 values between 350-480 m/s is the districts of Kretek, Sanden, Pandak and Bambanglipuro. This region could potentially attenuate the seismic wave, hence they have relatively low risk for the damages due to strong earthquakes.

Seismic Technology Adapted to Analyzing and Developing Geothermal Systems Below Surface-Exposed High-Velocity Rocks Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hardage, Bob A. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; DeAngelo, Michael V. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Ermolaeva, Elena [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Hardage, Bob A. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Remington, Randy [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Sava, Diana [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Wagner, Donald [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology; Wei, Shuijion [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Bureau of Economic Geology

2013-02-01

The objective of our research was to develop and demonstrate seismic data-acquisition and data-processing technologies that allow geothermal prospects below high-velocity rock outcrops to be evaluated. To do this, we acquired a 3-component seismic test line across an area of exposed high-velocity rocks in Brewster County, Texas, where there is high heat flow and surface conditions mimic those found at numerous geothermal prospects. Seismic contractors have not succeeded in creating good-quality seismic data in this area for companies who have acquired data for oil and gas exploitation purposes. Our test profile traversed an area where high-velocity rocks and low-velocity sediment were exposed on the surface in alternating patterns that repeated along the test line. We verified that these surface conditions cause non-ending reverberations of Love waves, Rayleigh waves, and shallow critical refractions to travel across the earth surface between the boundaries of the fast-velocity and slow-velocity material exposed on the surface. These reverberating surface waves form the high level of noise in this area that does not allow reflections from deep interfaces to be seen and utilized. Our data-acquisition method of deploying a box array of closely spaced geophones allowed us to recognize and evaluate these surface-wave noise modes regardless of the azimuth direction to the surface anomaly that backscattered the waves and caused them to return to the test-line profile. With this knowledge of the surface-wave noise, we were able to process these test-line data to create P-P and SH-SH images that were superior to those produced by a skilled seismic data-processing contractor. Compared to the P-P data acquired along the test line, the SH-SH data provided a better detection of faults and could be used to trace these faults upward to the boundaries of exposed surface rocks. We expanded our comparison of the relative value of S-wave and P-wave seismic data for geothermal

Managing glacier related risks in the Chucchún Catchment, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, Randy; Gonzáles, César; Price, Karen; Frey, Holger; Huggel, Christian; Cochachin, Alejo; García, Javier; Mesa, Luis

2015-04-01

On April 11 2010, the city of Carhuaz and settlements in the Chucchún Catchment (Ancash region, Peru) suffered the impact of a glacier lake outburst flood. An avalanche of rock and ice from the Mount Hualcán hit the glacier lake 513, triggering a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) of 1 million m3 which destroyed farmland and several infrastructures. Although there was no loss of human life, the event caused panic in the population. In consequence, the Municipality of Carhuaz prioritized GLOF-related risk management. The Glacier Project, funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and executed by CARE Peru and the University of Zurich, fosters the coordination among public institutions (Glaciological Unit of the National Water Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Municipality) and the population for risk management. In this contribution we present all components of the risk management strategy as well as the lessons learned during the implementation. Risk management involves managing both glacier hazard as well as the vulnerability of the population. In this framework a glaciological and geomorphological characterization of Mount Hualcán and lake 513 was perfomed in order to model past and potential future outburst floods and to assess the slope stability conditions. Based on three potential GLOF scenarios of different magnitudes, a hazard map was produced for the entire catchment, which served as the basis for the vulnerability and risk assessment as well as for the design and the implementation of an Early Warning System (EWS), including evacuation planning. The EWS consists of 4 components: 1) knowledge of risk, through hazard and vulnerability characterization; 2) monitoring and alert, through the installation of monitoring stations on lake 513 for detecting avalanches with geophones and cameras; 3) broadcasting and communications, through the implementation of communication protocols between the Municipality of Carhuaz and emergency

ONKALO 3D tunnel seismic investigations at Olkiluoto in 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosma, C.; Enescu, N.; Balu, L.; Jacome, M.

2011-02-01

attention is given for the design of the work flow. A particular task of the seismic survey carried out in the ONKALO access tunnel was to test the suitability of 2D/3D reflection seismics for detecting and locating geological features of diverse character and orientations. The results obtained by the novel 3D IP migration algorithm proved this to be a successful test. Due to the two source-line survey geometry and the use of three-component geophones, it was possible to detect fracture zones or single fractures of certain orientations up to a distance of 200 m. As with previous work performed in 2007, creating a good and detailed model (or prediction) of the geological and hydrological features of the repository area requires that integrated modeling is carried out using all geological, hydrological and geophysical data. Preliminary, tentative interpretations were done by comparing the processed seismic data with known geological, geophysical and hydrological features observed in the tunnel. From these it appears to be possible to locate known features by seismics, from site-scale (e.g. brittle fractured zones) to tunnel-scale (e.g. single long fractures). (orig.)

Local seismic network at the Olkiluoto site. Annual Report for 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saari, J.; Lakio, A.

2007-05-01

In February 2002, Posiva Oy established a local seismic network of six stations on the island of Olkiluoto. Later, in June 2004, the seismic network was expanded with two new seismic stations. At that time started the excavation of the underground characterisation facility (the ONKALO) and the basic operation procedure was changed more suitable for the demands of the new situation. The purpose of the microearthquake measurements at Olkiluoto is to improve understanding of the structure, behaviour and long term stability of the bedrock. The studies include both tectonic and excavation-induced microearthquakes. An additional task of monitoring is related to safeguarding of the ONKALO. This report gives the results of microseismic monitoring during the year 2006. Also the changes in the structure and the operation procedure of the network are described. The network has operated continuously in 2006. In the beginning of 2006, the target area of the seismic monitoring expanded to semi-regional scale. Four new seismic stations started in the beginning of February 2006. At the end of the year, two new borehole geophones were installed in order to improve the sensitivity and the depth resolution of the measurements inside the ONKALO block. This report presents also new interpretations of the excavation induced earthquakes that occurred in the ONKALO in 2005. Altogether 2041 events have been located in the Olkiluoto area, in reported time period. The magnitudes of the observed events range from ML = -1.1 to ML = 3.1 (ML magnitude in local Richter's scale). Most of them are explosions. Two of the observed events are be classified as microearthquakes. Evidence of activity that would have influence on the safety of the ONKALO, have not been found. The observed earthquakes occurred in 2006 were small, ML = -0.6 and ML= -0.9. The earthquakes relate to small movements in brittle deformation zones OL-BFZ043 and OL-BFZ034 presented in the geological model of the Olkiluoto site

Ambient seismic noise as an interesting indirect cue for the Cerithidea decollata migrations

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Pazzi, Veronica; Lotti, Alessia

2017-04-01

geophones. The acquisition run for 11 days (29th June, 2013 - 9th July, 2013). We assumed that the tide transgressions/regressions generate pressure fluctuations on the ground, that are locally transformed into microseismic waves at seafloor propagating inland. Therefore, we evaluated a possible correlation, in terms of decision to climb up or not, between the seismic signals amplitude fluctuations and the snails' movements. To do so we performed: a) the analysis of the trend of the LF (0.1-2 Hz) and HF (2-60 Hz) seismic noise amplitudes, and b) the comparison of the seismic signals with the height of tide, the number of animals that climbed to the safety level, and the height that they reached during each tide cycle. The study showed an interesting similarity between the time evolution (mean value) of the LF amplitude trend and the animals' movements. Even thought additional data should be collected to improve the results, it is the first time that a consistent physical cue other than the obvious but discarded ones (visual and chemical), has been identified that could potentially be detected by the snails as well as by other intertidal organisms.

Long-term, on-site borehole monitoring of gases released from an “active” fault system at 3.6km depth, TauTona Gold Mine, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Lippmann-Pipke, J.; Erzinger, J.; Zimmer, M.; Kujawa, C.; Boettcher, M. S.; Moller, H.; van Heerden, E.; Bester, A.; Reches, Z.

2009-12-01

Fluid transport and seismicity are interrelated. Fluids can trigger earthquakes and seismic activity can release fluids from rock formations. The study of this relationship requires direct and near-field observations at focal depth. The international DAFSAM-NELSAM*-projects focus on building the earthquake laboratory in deep gold mines in South Africa. Our DAFGAS-project (Drilling Active Faults - Gas Analytical System) aims to quantify the gases released during seismic events. One motivation for the project is to investigate the hypothesis that released fluids might be a nutrient supply for microbial ecosystems in active fault zones. Extensive underground activities started in 2004 with establishing a 25m2 cubby within the Pretorius fault zone at 3.6 km depth for the save installation of comprehensive technical equipment. For DAFGAS, subsequently two different gas analytical units were installed to measure gases collected in a 40 m long borehole crossing the fault. The DAFGAS Team and our collaborators overcame numerous technical problems. Since 2007 a dedicated air-conditioned box protects a mass spectrometer, pumps, a PC, a radon detector and electronics from the harsh underground environment. Since 2009 gas sensitive sensors and a data logger replace the spectrometer and the PC. In parallel the NELSAM project has installed 9 seismometers in a narrow network surrounding the gas collection system. The accelerometers and geophones record mining activities (e.g. drilling and ore-production blasts) as well as tens of mining-induced earthquakes (magnitude ≥ -4) on and around the Pretorius Fault each day. Data from three years is presented: Borehole temperature at 40m increased by about 0.8 °C/year to 52.3 °C; different scales of pressure variations on surface (869±5) mbar (three-week mean, maximal and minimal daily mean) and below surface (1130±15) mbar are explained by the barometric formula. The major gas concentrations are constant and air-like with 78 % N2

Geological and geophysical activities at Spallanzani Science Department (Liceo Scientifico Statale "Lazzaro Spallanzani" - Tivoli, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Favale, T.; De Angelis, F.; De Filippis, L.

2012-04-01

://www.spallanzanitivoli.it/stazionesismica/ and http://www.iesn.it. Furthermore, until the end of January 2012 a semi-professional seismograph will work with educational aims. These activities allowed the school to receive the first prize in the 2002 contest held by the italian scientific magazine Quark "Giornalisti Scientifici si diventa" (How to become a scientific journalist), with an article co-authored with three students titled "Una TAC per il Vesuvio" (CT scan for Vesuvius). The article was published in the n. 15 issue of Quark magazine, May 2002. The school also runs a Science and Chemistry Laboratory, equipped with: (a) 1 mobile seismograph with six geophones for seismic invesitgation (rifraction, reflection, REMI, MASW, and HVSR), (b) 1 polarized microscope for mineralogy and petrography, (c) various geochemical instruments for water analysis (pH, Eh, T, etc.), (d) 1 Geiger counter to detect β- particles and γ rays, and (e) 2 calcimeters to calculate the percentage of calcium carbonate in calcareous rocks. Two meteorological stations managed by Physics Laboratory, both online with data processing in real time, are hosted inside school building. Finally, we are planning a new scientific project for the next school year, involving students and science teachers, probably named "Gas hazard in volcanic and geothermal areas of the eastern Rome province".

The application of Double-difference technique to improve localization of induced microseismic events at Pyhäsalmi copper mine, Pyhäjärvi, Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Nevalainen, Jouni; Usoltseva, Olga; Kozlovskaya, Elena; Mäki, Timo

2017-04-01

Pyhäsalmi mine, an underground copper mine at Pyhäjärvi, Finland, have been known to have induced seismicity due ore excavation for over half of a century. In 2002, the excavation depth increased as mining activity focused to Pyhäsalmi deep ore body, a potato shaped ore concentration that lies roughly from 1000 meter to 1425 meters below the surface. The stress level in the rock was detected to be very high with clear main direction and due to this microseismicity started occurring immediately when the construction of "new mine" section began. Thus a microseismic monitoring system was installed to trace this frequently occurring induced seismicity as seismic observations are one of the quickest ways to map mines state-of-health. The system consist over 25 geophones that are mainly around the excavation site. Since the installation, over 250000 events have been observed. Currently the automated (triggered) and afterwards manually verified seismic events localization routine is applied by absolute location method that minimizes the penalty function of calculated location and origin time to match as good as possibly for corresponding events observed arrivaltimes. However with this method the best location accuracy is around 20 meters at center of the excavation, since it uses homogenous velocity model that have been applied to whole mine but in reality the seismic velocity structure is very complex with tunnels, fill material and ore. For mines seismic alarm purposes this suits well, but for more advanced source analysis this accuracy is not enough. We apply Double-difference technique to relocate microseismic scale events at Pyhäsalmi mine. This iterative least-squares procedure method utilizes pairs of events with common receiver. The basic principle of the technique is that it relates the residual between the observed and the predicted phase traveltime difference for pairs of earthquakes observed at common station to adjustments in the vector that connects

Geomechanical Modeling of Fault Responses and the Potential for Notable Seismic Events during Underground CO2 Injection

Science.gov (United States)

Rutqvist, J.; Cappa, F.; Mazzoldi, A.; Rinaldi, A.

2012-12-01

The importance of geomechanics associated with large-scale geologic carbon storage (GCS) operations is now widely recognized. There are concerns related to the potential for triggering notable (felt) seismic events and how such events could impact the long-term integrity of a CO2 repository (as well as how it could impact the public perception of GCS). In this context, we review a number of modeling studies and field observations related to the potential for injection-induced fault reactivations and seismic events. We present recent model simulations of CO2 injection and fault reactivation, including both aseismic and seismic fault responses. The model simulations were conducted using a slip weakening fault model enabling sudden (seismic) fault rupture, and some of the numerical analyses were extended to fully dynamic modeling of seismic source, wave propagation, and ground motion. The model simulations illustrated what it will take to create a magnitude 3 or 4 earthquake that would not result in any significant damage at the groundsurface, but could raise concerns in the local community and could also affect the deep containment of the stored CO2. The analyses show that the local in situ stress field, fault orientation, fault strength, and injection induced overpressure are critical factors in determining the likelihood and magnitude of such an event. We like to clarify though that in our modeling we had to apply very high injection pressure to be able to intentionally induce any fault reactivation. Consequently, our model simulations represent extreme cases, which in a real GCS operation could be avoided by estimating maximum sustainable injection pressure and carefully controlling the injection pressure. In fact, no notable seismic event has been reported from any of the current CO2 storage projects, although some unfelt microseismic activities have been detected by geophones. On the other hand, potential future commercial GCS operations from large power plants

Measurement Of Compressional-Wave Seismic Velocities In 29 Wells At The Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, S.W.

2010-01-01

Check shot seismic velocity surveys were collected in 100 B/C, 200 East, 200-PO-1 Operational Unit (OU), and the Gable Gap areas in order to provide time-depth correlation information to aid the interpretation of existing seismic reflection data acquired at the Hanford Site (Figure 1). This report details results from 5 wells surveyed in fiscal year (FY) 2008, 7 wells in FY 2009, and 17 wells in FY 2010 and provides summary compressional-wave seismic velocity information to help guide future seismic survey design as well as improve current interpretations of the seismic data (SSC 1979/1980; SGW-39675; SGW-43746). Augmenting the check shot database are four surveys acquired in 2007 in support of the Bechtel National, Inc. Waste Treatment Plant construction design (PNNL-16559, PNNL-16652), and check shot surveys in three wells to support seismic testing in the 200 West Area (Waddell et al., 1999). Additional sonic logging was conducted during the late 1970s and early 1980s as part of the Basalt Waste Isolation Program (BWIP) (SSC 1979/1980) and check shot/sonic surveys as part of the safety report for the Skagit/Hanford Nuclear project (RDH/10-AMCP-0164). Check shot surveys are used to obtain an in situ measure of compressional-wave seismic velocity for sediment and rock in the vicinity of the well point, and provide the seismic-wave travel time to geologic horizons of interest. The check shot method deploys a downhole seismic receiver (geophone) to record the arrival of seismic waves generated by a source at the ground surface. The travel time of the first arriving seismic-wave is determined and used to create a time-depth function to correlate encountered geologic intervals with the seismic data. This critical tie with the underlying geology improves the interpretation of seismic reflection profile information. Fieldwork for this investigation was conducted by in house staff during the weeks of September 22, 2008 for 5 wells in the 200 East Area (Figure 2); June 1

Advancing internal erosion monitoring using seismic methods in field and laboratory studies

Science.gov (United States)

Parekh, Minal L.

This dissertation presents research involving laboratory and field investigation of passive and active methods for monitoring and assessing earthen embankment infrastructure such as dams and levees. Internal erosion occurs as soil particles in an earthen structure migrate to an exit point under seepage forces. This process is a primary failure mode for dams and levees. Current dam and levee monitoring practices are not able to identify early stages of internal erosion, and often the result is loss of structure utility and costly repairs. This research contributes to innovations for detection and monitoring by studying internal erosion and monitoring through field experiments, laboratory experiments, and social and political framing. The field research in this dissertation included two studies (2009 and 2012) of a full-scale earthen embankment at the IJkdijk in the Netherlands. In both of these tests, internal erosion occurred as evidenced by seepage followed by sand traces and boils, and in 2009, eventual failure. With the benefit of arrays of closely spaced piezometers, pore pressure trends indicated internal erosion near the initiation time. Temporally and spatially dense pore water pressure measurements detected two pore water pressure transitions characteristic to the development of internal erosion, even in piezometers located away from the backward erosion activity. At the first transition, the backward erosion caused anomalous pressure decrease in piezometers, even under constant or increasing upstream water level. At the second transition, measurements stabilized as backward erosion extended further upstream of the piezometers, as shown in the 2009 test. The transitions provide an indication of the temporal development and the spatial extent of backward erosion. The 2012 IJkdijk test also included passive acoustic emissions (AE) monitoring. This study analyzed AE activity over the course of the 7-day test using a grid of geophones installed on the

Sediment budgets of unglaciated alpine catchments - the example of the Johnsbach and Schöttlbach valleys in Styria

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Sass, Oliver; Rascher, Eric; Stangl, Johannes; Lutzmann, Silke

2017-04-01

Extensive research has been performed in glacier forefields and in glaciated catchments in order to predict their future behaviour in a warming climate. However, the majority of medium-scale torrential catchments in the European Alps are non-glaciated and their response to disturbance events (e.g. changing climate) is more subtle and hard to predict. We report from two torrential catchments in the Eastern Alps, the Johnsbach and the Schöttlbach valleys, that have been monitored for several years. The catchments are located in Styria (Austria) and are remarkably similar in terms of size (60-70 km3) and elevation (600/800 - 2400 m). The main difference is the geological setting of the sediment delivering areas which is limestone and brittle dolomite at Johnsbach, and a prominent late-pleistocene valley fill at Schöttlbach, respectively. Slope processes in both areas were monitored by means of repeated TLS surveys of active slope and channel areas and by ALS and/or UAV surveys. Fluvial transport in the main channels was measured using Helly-Smith samplers and recorded continuously by means of new developed, low-budget sediment impact sensors (SIS). In both areas, the catchment output was quantified: by regular surveys of a retention basin at Schöttlbach and by a bedload measurement station (geophone sill) at Johnsbach. The results show that at Johnsbach, the sediment source areas are active tributary trenches in the lower third of the catchment. The sediments derive from brittle dolomite rockwalls and are transported to the main river episodically during rainstorm events. In a 2-yr period, 7400 m3 yr-1 were eroded in the surveyed areas and 9900 m3 yr-1 m3 yr-1 were deposited; of this amount, only a minor portion of 650 m3 yr-1 reached the Johnsbach River. The degree of coupling between tributaries and creek is strongly influenced by anthropogenic measures, e.g. former disturbance by gravel mining and undersized bridge openings. Besides limited bank erosion

P-wave and surface wave survey for permafrost analysis in alpine regions

Science.gov (United States)

Godio, A.; Socco, L. V.; Garofalo, F.; Arato, A.; Théodule, A.

2012-04-01

In various high mountain environments the estimate of mechanical properties of slope and sediments are relevant for the link of the geo-mechanical properties with the climate change effects. Two different locations were selected to perform seismic and georadar surveying, the Tsanteleina glacier (Gran Paradiso) and the Blue Lake in Val d'Ayas in the massif of Monterosa. The analysis of the seismic and GPR lines allowed to characterize the silty soil (top layer) and underlying bedrock. We applied seismic survey in time lapse mode to check the presence of "active" layer and estimate the mechanical properties of the moraines material and their sensitivity to the permafrost changes. Mechanical properties of sediments and moraines in glacial areas are related to the grain-size, the compaction of the material subjected to the past glacial activity, the presence of frozen materials and the reactivity of the permafrost to the climate changes. The test site of Tsanteleina has been equipped with sensors to monitor the temperature of soil and air and with time domain reflectometry to estimate the soil moisture and the frozen and thawing cycle of the uppermost material. Seismic reflections from the top of the permafrost layer are difficult to identify as they are embedded in the source-generated noise. Therefore we estimate seismic velocities from the analysis of traveltime refraction tomography and the analysis of surface wave. This approach provides information on compressional and shear waves using a single acquisition layout and a hammer acts as source. This reduces the acquisition time in complex logistical condition especially in winter period. The seismic survey was performed using 48 vertical geophones with 2 m spacing. The survey has been repeated in two different periods: summer 2011 and winter 2011. Common offset reflection lines with a 200 MHz GPR system (in summer) permitted to investigate the sediments and obtain information on the subsoil layering. The processing

Measurement and characterization of a soundscape of captive southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) at a wildlife park conservation center

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Susan M.

the tools available to those investigating their environment, to invite geographers and others from non-acoustic backgrounds to become aware of the soundscape and to pose new questions; 4. To demonstrate how the processing and analysis of the data collected at FRWC can be formulated to characterize the soundscape that their rhinos experience. This study is undertaken at the white rhinoceros enclosure of Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (FRWC), one of nine U.S. facilities to breed this species in recent years. Fossil Rim's white rhino soundscape was recorded continuously throughout a week of normal park activities by five acoustic, infrasonic and seismic acquisition systems to sense frequencies from 0.1 Hz to 22,020 kHz, and the resultant broadband sound metrics were measured. It is not within the scope of this project to publish all the possible results, but a sample is provided to illustrate the use and effectiveness of the system. Friday 18th October, 2014 was subjectively analyzed via a sound event log before recordings were processed using Raven Interactive Sound Analysis Software, and by SongMeter SM2+ Data Logs. Data from three infrasonic channels were averaged and preliminarily processed in Matlab, as were the three geophone seismic channels. For perspective, Friday was compared to a preliminary sonic analysis of Monday 21st October. It was ascertained that the FRWC white rhinoceros enclosure retains many characteristics of a natural environment, despite being exposed to some form of anthrophonic noise much of the time. Once a wide variety of rhino enclosure soundscapes have been measured, if relationships are discovered between certain acoustic parameters and the health and well-being of their animals, the soundscapes of other captive species could be similarly examined and acoustic environments could be modified to better suit the species concerned.

Seismic Fracture Characterization Methodologies for Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Queen, John H. [Hi-Geophysical, Inc., Ponca, OK (United States)

2016-05-09

Executive Summary The overall objective of this work was the development of surface and borehole seismic methodologies using both compressional and shear waves for characterizing faults and fractures in Enhanced Geothermal Systems. We used both surface seismic and vertical seismic profile (VSP) methods. We adapted these methods to the unique conditions encountered in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) creation. These conditions include geological environments with volcanic cover, highly altered rocks, severe structure, extreme near surface velocity contrasts and lack of distinct velocity contrasts at depth. One of the objectives was the development of methods for identifying more appropriate seismic acquisition parameters for overcoming problems associated with these geological factors. Because temperatures up to 300º C are often encountered in these systems, another objective was the testing of VSP borehole tools capable of operating at depths in excess of 1,000 m and at temperatures in excess of 200º C. A final objective was the development of new processing and interpretation techniques based on scattering and time-frequency analysis, as well as the application of modern seismic migration imaging algorithms to seismic data acquired over geothermal areas. The use of surface seismic reflection data at Brady's Hot Springs was found useful in building a geological model, but only when combined with other extensive geological and geophysical data. The use of fine source and geophone spacing was critical in producing useful images. The surface seismic reflection data gave no information about the internal structure (extent, thickness and filling) of faults and fractures, and modeling suggests that they are unlikely to do so. Time-frequency analysis was applied to these data, but was not found to be significantly useful in their interpretation. Modeling does indicate that VSP and other seismic methods with sensors located at depth in wells will be the most

Application of Genetic Algorithms in Seismic Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Soupios, Pantelis; Akca, Irfan; Mpogiatzis, Petros; Basokur, Ahmet; Papazachos, Constantinos

2010-05-01

application of hybrid genetic algorithms in seismic tomography is examined and the efficiency of least squares and genetic methods as representative of the local and global optimization, respectively, is presented and evaluated. The robustness of both optimization methods has been tested and compared for the same source-receiver geometry and characteristics of the model structure (anomalies, etc.). A set of seismic refraction synthetic (noise free) data was used for modeling. Specifically, cross-well, down-hole and typical refraction studies using 24 geophones and 5 shoots were used to confirm the applicability of the genetic algorithms in seismic tomography. To solve the forward modeling and estimate the traveltimes, the revisited ray bending method was used supplemented by an approximate computation of the first Fresnel volume. The root mean square (rms) error as the misfit function was used and calculated for the entire random velocity model for each generation. After the end of each generation and based on the misfit of the individuals (velocity models), the selection, crossover and mutation (typical process steps of genetic algorithms) were selected continuing the evolution theory and coding the new generation. To optimize the computation time, since the whole procedure is quite time consuming, the Matlab Distributed Computing Environment (MDCE) was used in a multicore engine. During the tests, we noticed that the fast convergence that the algorithm initially exhibits (first 5 generations) is followed by progressively slower improvements of the reconstructed velocity models. Thus, to improve the final tomographic models, a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) approach was adopted by combining the GAs with a local optimization method after several generations, on the basis of the convergence of the resulting models. This approach is shown to be efficient, as it directs the solution search towards a model region close to the global minimum solution.

Integration of satellite radar interferometry into a GLOF early warning system: a pilot study from the Andes of Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Strozzi, Tazio; Wiesmann, Andreas; Caduff, Rafael; Frey, Holger; Huggel, Christian; Kääb, Andreas; Cochachin, Alejo

2015-04-01

Glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF) have killed thousands of people in the Andes of Peru and in many other high-mountain regions of the world. The last years have seen progress in the integrative assessment of related hazards, through combined focus on the glacier lake, its dam properties, and processes in the lake surrounding, including the position and fluctuations of the glacier tongue and potential displacements and thermal conditions of adjacent slopes. Only a transient perspective on these factors allows anticipating potential future developments. For a very limited number of cases worldwide, where GLOF hazards and risks have been recognized, early warning systems (EWS) have been developed and implemented. Lake 513 in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru is one of those. Structural GLOF mitigation measures (tunnels to lower the lake level) have been undertaken in the 1990s and could successfully reduce, but not fully prevent, impacts of a GLOF such as that of April 2010 triggered by a rock/ice avalanche from Mount Hualcán. The EWS was implemented during recent years and disposes of automatic cameras, geophones, river run-off measurements, a meteorological station, and real-time communication with the municipality of Carhuaz and the communities in the catchment. An EWS is by definition limited in its concept and Earth Observation (EO) data offer a promising possibility to complement the assessment of the current hazard. In particular, the monitoring and early detection of slope instabilities in ice, rock and sediments that could impact the lake and trigger a GLOF is still a major challenge. Therefore, the potential of optical and SAR satellite data is currently tested for integration into the EWS within the project S:GLA:MO (Slope stability and Glacier LAke MOnitoring) project, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the GLACIARES project supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. EO data (optical and SAR) are considered

Seismic refraction profile, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: field operations, instrumentation, and initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Blank, H. Richard; Healy, J.H.; Roller, John; Lamson, Ralph; Fisher, Fred; McClearn, Robert; Allen, Steve

1979-01-01

In February 1978 a seismic deep-refraction profile was recorded by the USGS along a 1000-km line across the Arabian Shield in western Saudi Arabia. The line begins in Paleozoic and Mesozoic cover rocks near Riyadh on the Arabian Platform, leads southwesterly across three major Precambrian tectonic provinces, traverses Cenozoic rocks of the coastal plain near Jizan (Tihamat Asir), and terminates at the outer edge of the Farasan Bank in the southern Red Sea. More than 500 surveyed recording sites were occupied, including 19 in the Farasan Islands. Six shot points were used--five on land, with charges placed mostly below water table in drill holes, and one at sea, with charges placed on the sea floor and fired from a ship. The total charge consumed was slightly in excess of 61 metric tons in 21 discrete firings. Seismic energy was recorded by means of a set of 100 newly developed portable seismic stations. Each station consists of a standard 2-Hz vertical geophone coupled to a self-contained analog recording instrument equipped with a magnetic-tape cassette. The stations were deployed in groups of 20 by five observer teams, each generally consisting of two scientist-technicians and a surveyor-guide. On the day prior to deployment, the instruments were calibrated and programmed for automatic operation by means of a specially designed device called a hand-held tester. At each of ten pre-selected recording time windows on a designated firing day, the instruments were programmed to turn on, stabilize, record internal calibration signals, record the seismic signals at three levels of amplification, and then deactivate. After the final window in the firing sequence, all instruments were retrieved and their data tapes removed for processing. A specially designed, field tape- dubbing system was utilized at shot point camps to organize and edit data recorded on the cassette tapes. The main functions of this system are to concatenate all data from each shot on any given day

Water pressure and ground vibrations induced by water guns near Bandon Road Lock and Dam and Lemont, Illinois

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Ryan F.; Koebel, Carolyn M.; Morrow, William S.

2018-02-13

Multiple geophysical sensors were used to characterize the underwater pressure field and ground vibrations of a seismic water gun and its suitability to deter the movement of Asian carps (particularly the silver [Hypophthalmichthys molitrix] and bighead [Hypophthalmichthys nobilis] carps) while ensuring the integrity of surrounding structures. The sensors used to collect this information were blast-rated hydrophones, surface- and borehole-mounted geophones, and fixed accelerometers.Results from two separate studies are discussed in this report. The Brandon Road study took place in May 2014, in the Des Plaines River, in a concrete-walled channel downstream of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The Lemont study took place in June 2014, in a segment of the dolomite setblock-lined Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois.Two criteria were evaluated to assess the potential deterrence to carp migration, and to minimize the expected effect on nearby structures from discharge of the seismic water gun. The first criterion was a 5-pound-per-square-inch (lb/in2) limit for dynamic underwater pressure variations. The second criterion was a maximum velocity and acceleration disturbance of 0.75 inch per second (in/s) for sensitive machinery (such as the lock gates and pumps) and 2.0 in/s adjacent to canal walls, respectively. The criteria were based on previous studies of fish responses to dynamic pressure variations, and effects of vibrations on the structural integrity of concrete walls.The Brandon Road study evaluated the magnitude and extent of the pressure field created by two water gun configurations in the concrete-walled channel downstream of the lock where channel depths ranged from 11 to 14 feet (ft). Data from a single 80-cubic-inch (in³) water gun set at 6 ft below water surface (bws) produced a roughly cylindrical 5-lb/in2 pressure field 20 ft in radius, oriented vertically, with the radius decreasing to less than 15 ft at the water

Drilling, Completion, and Data Collection Plans An Assessment of Geological Carbon Sequestration Options in the Illinois Basin: Phase III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malkewicz, Nicholas; Kirksey, Jim; Finley, Robert

2015-05-01

Executive Summary The Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP) is managed by the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) and is led by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) at the University of Illinois. The project site is located on the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) property in Decatur, Illinois, and is a fully integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) project that uses CO₂ captured from the ethanol-producing fermentation process at the ADM corn-processing plant (Finley et. al., 2013). IBDP has a goal of injecting one million tonnes of CO₂ into the basal sands of the Mt. Simon Sandstone over a three-year period. This is a multifaceted project, and this report details the planning and results of the drilling, completions, well testing, log data acquisition, and the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) aspects of the project. Three deep wells were planned for the IBDP: • The injection well: Injection Well #1 (CCS1); • The monitoring well (both in-zone and above seal): Verification Well #1 (VW1); and • The geophone monitoring well: Geophysical Monitoring Well #1 (GM1). The detailed plans for these wells are attached to the appendices of this document. The wells were drilled successfully with little deviation from the original plans. The biggest change from the plan to execution was the need to adjust for larger-than-expected loss of circulation in the Potosi section of the Knox Formation. The completions reports also attached to this document detail the well constructions as they were actually built. Injectivity testing was carried out, and the perforating plans were adjusted based on the results. Additional perforations and acidizing were performed as a result of the injectivity testing. The testing plans are detailed in this report along with the actual testing results. The injectivity testing results were used in the modeling and simulation efforts. Detailed HSE plans were developed and implemented during the planning and

Correlation of pre-earthquake electromagnetic signals with laboratory and field rock experiments

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T. Bleier

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Analysis of the 2007 M5.4 Alum Rock earthquake near San José California showed that magnetic pulsations were present in large numbers and with significant amplitudes during the 2 week period leading up the event. These pulsations were 1–30 s in duration, had unusual polarities (many with only positive or only negative polarities versus both polarities, and were different than other pulsations observed over 2 years of data in that the pulse sequence was sustained over a 2 week period prior to the quake, and then disappeared shortly after the quake. A search for the underlying physics process that might explain these pulses was was undertaken, and one theory (Freund, 2002 demonstrated that charge carriers were released when various types of rocks were stressed in a laboratory environment. It was also significant that the observed charge carrier generation was transient, and resulted in pulsating current patterns. In an attempt to determine if this phenomenon occurred outside of the laboratory environment, the authors scaled up the physics experiment from a relatively small rock sample in a dry laboratory setting, to a large 7 metric tonne boulder comprised of Yosemite granite. This boulder was located in a natural, humid (above ground setting at Bass Lake, Ca. The boulder was instrumented with two Zonge Engineering, Model ANT4 induction type magnetometers, two Trifield Air Ion Counters, a surface charge detector, a geophone, a Bruker Model EM27 Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR spectrometer with Sterling cycle cooler, and various temperature sensors. The boulder was stressed over about 8 h using expanding concrete (Bustar^tm, until it fractured into three major pieces. The recorded data showed surface charge build up, magnetic pulsations, impulsive air conductivity changes, and acoustical cues starting about 5 h before the boulder actually broke. These magnetic and air conductivity pulse signatures resembled both the laboratory

Vertical and horizontal seismic profiling investigations at Olkiluoto, 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cosma, C.; Enescu, N.; Adam, E.; Balu, L. [Vibrometric Oy (Finland)

2003-03-01

Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) and Horizontal Seismic Profiling (HSP) surveys were conducted during 2001 at Olkiluoto site in Eurajoki, Finland. The VSP investigations were carried out in four boreholes with ten shot points for each borehole. Two HSP lines were measured with receivers laid on the bottom of an artificial pond and ten source points located around the pond. Different receiver types were used for the VSP and (HSP) a 3-component geophone chain for VSP and a hydrophone chain for HSP. All surveys have been carried out with a VIBSIST-1000 source - a time- distributed swept-impact source - instead of explosives. With this source, the seismic signals are produced as rapid series of impacts, the impact intervals being monotonically increased to achieve a non- repeatable sequence. The VIBSIST-1000 uses a tractor-mounted hydraulic rock-breaker, powered through a computer controlled servo- hydraulic flow regulator. Using standard construction equipment ensures that the VIBSIST sources are safe, nondestructive and environmentally friendly. This also makes the method reliable and cost effective. The new VIBSIST source produces signals with levels of energy comparable to explosives. The VIBSIST appears to be more stable, but its most significant advantages are the low cost of preparation of the shot points and the speed of the acquisition. The wide diversity of reflection angles, the local variations of reflectivity and, generally, the relatively weak seismic response of faults and fractured zones in crystalline rock demand intensive processing. The first stage of the processing sequence focuses on eliminating such wave-fields as the direct P, direct S, tube-waves and ground-roll, so that the weaker later events, e.g. reflections, become visible. The second stage of processing consists mainly of Image Point (IP) filtering techniques, aimed at enhancing the reflected wave fields and at separating events generated by reflectors with different orientations. Imaging