RELATION OF SEISMIC CORRECTIONS TO SURFACE GEOLOGY

Geophysics ◽  
1952 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Thralls ◽  
R. W. Mossman
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Reference Plane ◽  
Illinois Basin ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Surface Geology ◽  
Velocity Layer ◽  
Layer Problem

The arbitrary application of any set type of near‐surface corrections to seismic data can lead to erroneous results. The determination of the type of correction to be used must be based, in part, on the type of formations present in the near‐surface. Case studies are offered to illustrate conditions arising in areas of youthful and mature topography. Specifically, they deal with a complex low velocity layer problem in a river valley, a pre‐glacial topography in the Illinois Basin, a problem arising in a mature topography in Kansas, and a youthful topography in central Wyoming. In such cases, the use of a “floating” elevation reference plane is advocated for the “Correction Zone” lying immediately below the surface.

A TECHNIQUE FOR SOLVING THE LOW‐VELOCITY LAYER PROBLEM

Geophysics ◽  
1963 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay F. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Energy Source ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Weight Drop ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer ◽  
Layer Problem

The advent of surface‐energy source methods and the increasing use of shallow‐hole shot patterns to obtain seismic data have complicated the determination of datum corrections. This is particularly true when spreads are offset from the station. At the expense of seismic party time, the data usually are acquired by shooting uphole surveys or special refraction profiles. This paper describes a refraction technique which uses a weight‐drop energy source and special recording instruments to obtain this vital information.

Wave‐equation velocity replacement of the low‐velocity layer for overthrust‐belt data

Geophysics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 573-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Schneider ◽  
Lindy D. Phillip ◽  
Ernest F. Paal
Keyword(s):  
Wave Equation ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Water Layer ◽  
Estimation Procedure ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Replacement Procedure ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Overthrust Belt ◽  
Velocity Layer

Seismic land data are commonly plagued by nonhyperbolic distortions induced by a variable near‐surface, low‐velocity layer (LVL). First‐arrival refraction analysis is conventionally employed to estimate the LVL geometry and velocities. Then vertical static time shifts are used to replace the LVL velocities with the more uniform, faster velocities that characterize the underlying refracting layer. This methodology has earned a good reputation as a geophysical data processing tool; however, velocity replacement with static shifts assumes that no ray bending occurred at the LVL base and that waves propagated vertically through the LVL (even though conventional refraction analysis methods, which are used to derive LVL models from seismic data, are less restrictive). These assumptions often are inadequate in thick, complex LVL situations, where resulting errors may considerably hamper a statics‐based velocity replacement procedure. Wave‐equation datuming may be used to perform LVL velocity replacement when statics are inadequate. This method extrapolates the seismic data from the surface to the LVL base with the LVL velocities. Then it extrapolates the data from the LVL base to an arbitrary datum, with the replacement velocity field. The marine analog of such a procedure has been well documented in the geophysical literature, where the object is to remove distortions caused by an irregular water layer. Application of wave‐equation datuming to land data is more difficult because of certain common characteristics of land data (irregular shooting, large data gaps, and crooked line geometry, combined with lower signal/noise) and because the LVL estimation procedure is considerably more difficult. We demonstrate wave‐equation velocity replacement on land data from a western U.S. overthrust belt. The LVL in this region was particularly thick and complicated and ideal for a wave‐theoretical velocity‐replacement procedure. Standard refraction analysis techniques were employed to estimate the LVL, then wave‐equation datuming was used to perform the velocity replacement. Our derived LVL model was not perfect, so some imaging errors were expected because wave‐equation datuming is highly dependent upon the LVL model. Nevertheless, our results show that wave‐equation datuming generally allowed better shallow reflector imaging than could be achieved with conventional statics processing.

An example of extreme near-surface variability in shallow seismic reflection data

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. SH1-SH9
Author(s):  
Steven D. Sloan ◽  
J. Tyler Schwenk ◽  
Robert H. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Seismic Reflection Data ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Shallow Subsurface ◽  
Reflection Data ◽  
Shallow Seismic ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer

Variability of material properties in the shallow subsurface presents challenges for near-surface geophysical methods and exploration-scale applications. As the depth of investigation decreases, denser sampling is required, especially of the near offsets, to accurately characterize the shallow subsurface. We have developed a field data example using high-resolution shallow seismic reflection data to demonstrate how quickly near-surface properties can change over short distances and the effects on field data and processed sections. The addition of a relatively thin, 20 cm thick, low-velocity layer can lead to masked reflections and an inability to map shallow reflectors. Short receiver intervals, on the order of 10 cm, were necessary to identify the cause of the diminished data quality and would have gone unknown using larger, more conventional station spacing. Combined analysis of first arrivals, surface waves, and reflections aided in determining the effects and extent of a low-velocity layer that inhibited the identification and constructive stacking of the reflection from a shallow water table using normal-moveout-based processing methods. Our results also highlight the benefits of using unprocessed gathers to pragmatically guide processing and interpretation of seismic data.

Leaking modes in a crust with a surface layer

1971 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton M. Dainty
Keyword(s):  
Dispersion Curves ◽  
Source Depth ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Surface Source ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Explosive Source ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer

abstract Dispersion curves, attenuation functions and excitation functions for an explosive source at depth for four different models of the crust are presented for the leaking modes P(+, −), P(−, +) and π1(−, +). One of the objectives of the calculations was to determine the effect of a surface, low-velocity layer on the dispersion curves and attenuation functions. For the mode P(+, −) (the fundamental leaking mode), the differences are slight, while more pronounced differences are found for the other modes. The variation of the excitation function with depth of the source has been studied. For the modes P(+, −), P(−, +) low frequencies are enhanced and high frequencies suppressed for one of the models as the source depth increases. According to this study, a source deep in the crust should be a more efficient exciter of the mode P(+, −) (the most commonly seen mode) than a near-surface source.

High‐resolution shallow‐seismic experiments in sand, Part I: Water table, fluid flow, and saturation

Geophysics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1225-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Bachrach ◽  
Amos Nur
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Water Table ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Saturated Sand ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Shallow Seismic ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Dry Sand ◽  
Velocity Layer

A high‐resolution, very shallow seismic reflection and refraction experiment was conducted to investigate the seismic response of groundwater level changes in beach sand in situ. A fixed 10-m-long receiver array was used for repeated seismic profiling. Direct measurements of water level in a monitoring well and moisture content in the sand were taken as well. The water table in the well changed by about 1 m in slightly delayed response to the nearby ocean tides. In contrast, inversion of the seismic data yielded a totally different picture. The reflection from the water table at high tide appeared at a later time than the reflection at low tide. This unexpected discrepancy can be reconciled using Gassmann’s equation: a low‐velocity layer must exist between the near‐surface dry sand and the deeper and much faster fully saturated sand. This low‐velocity layer coincides with the newly saturated zone and is caused by a combination of the sand’s high density (close to that of fully saturated sand), and its high compressibility (close to that of dry sand). This low‐velocity zone causes a velocity pulldown for the high‐frequency reflections, and causes a high‐tide reflection to appear later in time than low‐tide reflection. The calculated velocities in the dry layer show changes with time that correlate with sand dryness, as predicted by the temporal changes of the sand’s density due to changing water/air ratio. The results show that near‐surface velocities in sand are sensitive to partial saturation in the transition zone between dry and saturated sand. We were able to extract the saturation of the first layer and the depth to the water table from the seismic velocities. The high‐resolution reflections monitored the flow process that occurred in the sand during the tides, and provided a real‐time image of the hydrological process.

Simulation of scattered seismic surface waves on mountainous onshore areas: Understanding the “ground roll energy cone”

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 601-609
Author(s):  
Ivan Javier Sánchez-Galvis ◽  
Jheyston Serrano ◽  
Daniel A. Sierra ◽  
William Agudelo
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waves ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Real Data ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Seismic Surface Waves ◽  
Ground Roll ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer

The accurate simulation of seismic surface waves on complex land areas requires elastic models with realistic near-surface parameters. The SEAM Phase II Foothills model, proposed by the SEG Advanced Modeling (SEAM) Corporation, is one of the most comprehensive efforts undertaken by the geophysics community to understand complex seismic wave propagation in foothills areas. However, while this model includes a rough topography, alluvial sediments, and complex geologic structures, synthetic data from the SEAM consortium do not reproduce the qualitative characteristics of the scattering energy that is generally interpreted as the “ground roll energy cone” on shot records of real data. To simulate the scattering, a near-surface elastic model in mountainous areas ideally must include the following three elements: (1) rough topography and bedrock, (2) low-velocity layer, and (3) small-scale heterogeneities (size approximately Rayleigh wavelength). The SEAM Foothills model only includes element (1) and, to a lesser extent, element (2). We represent a heterogeneous near surface as a random medium with two parameters: the average size of the heterogeneities and fractional fluctuation. A parametric analysis shows the influence of each parameter on the synthetic data and how similar it is compared to real data acquired in a foothills area in Colombia. We perform the analysis in the shot gather panel and dispersion image. Our study shows that it is necessary to include the low-velocity layer and small-scale distributed heterogeneities in the shallow part of the SEAM model to get synthetic data with realistic scattered surface-wave energy.

scholarly journals Pervasive low-velocity layer atop the 410-km discontinuity beneath the northwest Pacific subduction zone: Implications for rheology and geodynamics

2021 ◽  
Vol 554 ◽  
pp. 116642
Author(s):  
Guangjie Han ◽  
Juan Li ◽  
Guangrui Guo ◽  
Walter D. Mooney ◽  
Shun-ichiro Karato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer
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