An image of the Columbia Plateau from inversion of high‐resolution seismic data

Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 1278-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Lutter ◽  
Rufus D. Catchings ◽  
Craig M. Jarchow
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Interface Velocity ◽  
Seismic Profile ◽  
Fault Zones ◽  
Reliable Estimate ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Depth Of Penetration ◽  
Image Blurring

We use a method of traveltime inversion of high‐resolution seismic data to provide the first reliable images of internal details of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), the subsurface basalt/sediment interface, and the deeper sediment/basement interface. Velocity structure within the basalts, delineated on the order of 1 km horizontally and 0.2 km vertically, is constrained to within ±0.1 km/s for most of the seismic profile. Over 5000 observed traveltimes fit our model with an rms error of 0.018 s. The maximum depth of penetration of the basalt diving waves (truncated by underlying low‐velocity sediments) provides a reliable estimate of the depth to the base of the basalt, which agrees with well‐log measurements to within 0.05 km (165 ft). We use image blurring, calculated from the resolution matrix, to estimate the aspect ratio of imaged velocity anomaly widths to true widths for velocity features within the basalt. From our calculations of image blurring, we interpret low velocity zones (LVZ) within the basalts at Boylston Mountain and the Whiskey Dick anticline to have widths of 4.5 and 3 km, respectively, within the upper 1.5 km of the model. At greater depth, the widths of these imaged LVZs thin to approximately 2 km or less. We interpret these linear, subparallel, low‐velocity zones imaged adjacent to anticlines of the Yakima Fold Belt to be brecciated fault zones. These fault zones dip to the south at angles between 15 to 45 degrees.

Fault interpretation from high‐resolution seismic data in the northern Negev, Israel

Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1064-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan Bruner ◽  
Eugeny Landa
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Fault Zones ◽  
Diffracted Waves ◽  
Fault Interpretation ◽  
Low Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Lines ◽  
Sense Reverse

Detection and investigation of fault zones are important tools for tectonic analysis and geological studies. A fault zone inferred on high‐resolution seismic lines has been interpreted using a method of detection of diffracted waves utilizing the main kinematic and dynamic properties of the wavefield. The application of the method to field data from the northern Negev in Israel shows that it provides a good estimate of results and, when used in conjunction with the final stacked data, can give the suspected location of the fault, its sense (reverse or normal), and the amount of “low amplitude” displacement (in an order of the wavelength or even less).

Imaging of reflection seismic energy for mapping shallow fracture zones in crystalline rocks

Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 753-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Kim ◽  
Wooil M. Moon ◽  
Ganpat Lodha ◽  
Mulu Serzu ◽  
Nash Soonawala
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Incidence Angle ◽  
Seismic Energy ◽  
Crystalline Rock ◽  
Crystalline Rocks ◽  
Fracture Zones ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Amplitude Noise ◽  
Reflection Seismic

The high‐resolution reflection seismic technique is being used increasingly to address geologic exploration and engineering problems. There are, however, a number of problems in applying reflection seismic techniques in a crystalline rock environment. The reflection seismic data collected over a fractured crystalline rock environment are often characterized by low signal‐to‐noise ratios (S/N) and inconsistent reflection events. Thus it is important to develop data processing strategies and correlation schemes for the imaging of fracture zones in crystalline rocks. Two sets of very low S/N, high‐resolution seismic data, previously collected by two different contractors in Pinawa, Canada, and the island of Äspö, Sweden, were reprocessed and analyzed, with special emphasis on the shallow reflection events occurring at depths as shallow as 60–100 m. The processing strategy included enhancing the signals hidden behind large‐amplitude noise, including clipped ground roll. The pre‐ and poststack processing includes shot f-k filtering, residual statics, careful muting after NMO correction, energy balance, and coherency filtering. The final processed seismic sections indicate that reflected energy in these data sets is closely related to rock quality in Äspö data and fracturing in Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) data. The lithologic boundaries are not clearly mappable in these data. When thickness of the reflection zone is of the order of a wavelength, the top and bottom of the zone may be resolved. The major fracture zones in crystalline rocks correlate closely with the well‐log data and are usually characterized by very low velocity and produce low‐acoustic‐impedance contrasts compared to those of surrounding rocks. Because the incidence angles vary rapidly for shallow‐reflection geometries, segments of major fracture zones can effectively be analyzed in terms of reflectivity. Reflection images of each fracture zone were investigated in the common‐offset section, where each focused event was associated with a consistent incidence angle on the reflectivity map. The complex attributes of the data indicate that strong reflectors at shallow depth coincide with intensely fractured zones. These correlate well with instantaneous amplitude plots and instantaneous frequency plots. The instantaneous phase plot also identifies the major and minor fractures.

scholarly journals Shallow Seismic Investigation of the Teton Fault

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 2-10
Author(s):  
Glenn Thackray ◽  
Mark Zellman ◽  
Jason Altekruse ◽  
Bruno Protti ◽  
Harrison Colandera
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Hanging Wall ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Fault Scarp ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Wave Refraction ◽  
Shallow Seismic ◽  
Teton Range

Preliminary results from seismic data collected at two sites on the Teton fault reveal shallow sub-surface fault structure and a basis for evaluating the post-glacial faulting record in greater detail. These new data include high-resolution shallow 2D seismic refraction and Interferometric Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (IMASW) (O’Connell and Turner 2010) depth-averaged shear wave velocity (Vs). The Teton fault, a down-to-the east normal fault, is expressed as a distinct topographic escarpment along the base of the eastern front of the Teton Range in Wyoming. The average fault scarp height cut into deglacial surfaces in several similar valleys and an assumed 14,000 yr BP deglaciation indicates an average postglacial offset rate of 0.82 m/ka (Thackray and Staley, in review). Because the fault is located almost entirely within Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), and in terrain that is remote and difficult to access, very few subsurface studies have been used to evaluate the fault. As a result, many uncertainties exist in the present characterization of along-strike slip rate, down-dip geometry, and rupture history, among other parameters. Additionally, questions remain about the fault dip at depth. Shallow seismic data were collected at two locations on the Teton fault scarp to (1) use a non-destructive, highly portable and cost-effective data collection system to image and characterize the Teton fault, (2) use the data to estimate vertical offsets of faulted bedrock and sediment, and (3) estimate fault dip in the shallow subsurface. Vs data were also collected at three GTNP facility structures to provide measured 30 m depth-averaged Vs (Vs30) for each site. Seismic data were collected using highly portable equipment packed into each site on foot. The system utilizes a sensor line 92 m long that includes 24 geophones (channels) at 4 m intervals. At both the Taggart Lake and String Lake sites, P-wave refraction data were collected spanning the fault scarp and perpendicular to local fault strike, as well as IMASW Vs seismic lines positioned on the hanging wall to provide Vs vs. Depth profiles crossing and perpendicular to the refraction survey lines. The Taggart Lake and String Lake 2D P-wave refraction profile and IMASW Vs plots reveal buried velocity structure that is vertically offset by the Teton fault. At Taggart Lake, we interpret the velocity horizon to be the top of dense glacial sediment (possibly compacted till), which is overlain by younger, slower, sediments. This surface is offset ~13 m (down-to-the-east) across the Teton fault. The vertical offset is in agreement with the measured height of the corresponding topographic scarp (~12 - 15 m). Geomorphic analysis of EarthScope (2008) LiDAR reveals small terraces, slope inflections and an abandoned channel on the footwall side of the scarp. At String Lake, the shallow buried velocity structure is inferred as unconsolidated alluvium (till, colluvium, alluvium); this relatively low velocity zone (

Seismic processing and imaging of the new 2D marine reflection seismic data in the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quang Nguyen ◽  
Michal Malinowski ◽  
Piotr Krzywiec ◽  
Christian Huebscher
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Profile ◽  
Constant Thickness ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Seismic Processing ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
The Baltic

<p>Geological structure and tectonics of the Phanerozoic sedimentary cover within the transition zone between the Precambrian and Paleozoic platform in the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea was imaged using new 2D high-resolution multi-channel seismic reflection data. The new seismic data were acquired in 2016 during the course of RV Maria S. Merian expedition MSM52 within the framework of the BALTEC project. Eight profiles (with the total length of ca. 850km) covered the tectonics blocks located within the Polish Exclusive Economic Zone, stretching from the East European Craton (EEC) to the Paleozoic platform across the Teisseyre-Torquist Zone (TTZ).</p><p>Our in-house seismic processing workflow focused on removing multiples contaminating this shallow-water data, both water bottom and interbed related. Various demultiple techniques such as SRME, TAU-P domain deconvolution, high resolution parabolic Radon demultiple and SWDM (Shallow water demultiple) have been tested. Combination of all those techniques at different stages of the processing with some modifications based on a particular seismic profile proved to be the most effective. Consequently, multiples obscuring seismic sections were efficiently reduced. Data were processed up to Kirchhoff pre-stack time migration.</p><p>The longest seismic profile (line BGR16-212, ca. 240 km long) crosses almost perpendicularly majority of Precambrian and Paleozoic fault systems bordering the tectonic blocks of the EEC basement, so fault systems could be easily interpreted. EEC Precambrian basement is characterized by a regional flexure towards the TTZ. Cambrian-Ordovician exhibits similar geometry and is characterized by a relatively constant thickness related to deposition on the Tornquist Ocean passive margin. Thick Silurian succession is characterized by a regional divergent pattern caused by deposition within the Caledonian foredeep basin. Structural pattern within the W part of the study area is much more complex as this area underwent Late Paleozoic extension/transtension, Variscan inversion, Permo-Mesozoic subsidence and Late Cretaceous inversion.</p><p>This study was funded by the Polish National Science Centre grant no UMO-2017/27/B/ST10/02316.</p>

Elastic finite-difference modeling of cross-hole seismic data

1988 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 1796-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-Zie Hu ◽  
George A. McMechan ◽  
Jerry M. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Finite Difference ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Fixed Time ◽  
Seismic Profile ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Profile Data ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profile ◽  
Surface Survey

Abstract Cross-hole seismic data exhibit unique characteristics not seen in surface survey data or even in vertical seismic profile data. These are, to a large extent, due to the near-horizontal propagation involved. Transmitted, reflected, evanescent, guided, and converted waves are all prominent; these require an elastic algorithm for realistic simulation. Elastic finite-differences are used to synthesize responses (both fixed-time snapshots and seismogram profiles) for a series of two-dimensional models of increasing complexity. Special emphasis is given to guided waves in continuous and segmented low-velocity zones.

High-resolution seismic velocity analysis as a tool for exploring gas hydrate systems: An example from New Zealand’s southern Hikurangi margin

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. SA1-SA12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth J. Crutchley ◽  
Guy Maslen ◽  
Ingo A. Pecher ◽  
Joshu J. Mountjoy
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Marine Sediments ◽  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Velocity Analysis ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Free Gas ◽  
Velocity Models

The existence of free gas and gas hydrate in the pore spaces of marine sediments causes changes in acoustic velocities that overprint the background lithological velocities of the sediments themselves. Much previous work has determined that such velocity overprinting, if sufficiently pronounced, can be resolved with conventional velocity analysis from long-offset, multichannel seismic data. We used 2D seismic data from a gas hydrate province at the southern end of New Zealand’s Hikurangi subduction margin to describe a workflow for high-resolution velocity analysis that delivered detailed velocity models of shallow marine sediments and their coincident gas hydrate systems. The results showed examples of pronounced low-velocity zones caused by free gas ponding beneath the hydrate layer, as well as high-velocity zones related to gas hydrate deposits. For the seismic interpreter of a gas hydrate system, the velocity results represent an extra “layer” for interpretation that provides important information about the distribution of free gas and gas hydrate. By combining the velocity information from the seismic transect with geologic samples of the seafloor and an understanding of sedimentary processes, we have determined that high gas hydrate concentrations preferentially form within coarse-grained sediments at the proximal end of the Hikurangi Channel. Finer grained sediments expected elsewhere along the seismic transect might preclude the deposition of similarly high gas hydrate concentrations away from the channel.

High Resolution Imaging of the South Hikurangi Subduction Zone, New Zealand, Using 2‐D Full‐Waveform Inversion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Djeffal ◽  
Ingo Pecher ◽  
Satish Singh ◽  
Jari Kaipio
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Seismic Profile ◽  
Full Waveform Inversion ◽  
Traveltime Tomography ◽  
Full Waveform ◽  
Velocity Images

<p>Large quantities of fluids are predicted to be expelled from compacting sediments on subduction margins. Fluid expulsion is thought to be focussed, but its exact locations are usually constrained on very small scales and rarely can be resolved using velocity images obtained from traditional velocity analysis and ray-based tomography because of their resolution and accuracy limitation. However, with recent advancement in computing power, the full waveform inversion (FWI) is a powerful alternative to those traditional approaches as it uses phase and amplitude information contained in seismic data to yield a high-resolution velocity model of the subsurface.</p><p>Here, we applied elastic FWI along an 85 Km long 2D multichannel seismic profile on the southern Hikurangi margin, New Zealand. Our processing sequence includes: (1) downward continuation, (2) 2D traveltime tomography, and (3) full waveform inversion of wide-angle seismic data. We will present the final high-resolution velocity model and our interpretation of the fluid flow regimes associated with both the deforming overriding plate and the subducting plate.</p>

The Study of Crustal Velocity Structure Characteristics in Yangjiang Area of South China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaona Wang ◽  
Zhihui Deng ◽  
Xiuwei Ye ◽  
Liwei Wang
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Seismic Network ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Adjacent Area ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
P Wave Velocity ◽  
Buried Fault

<p>This paper collects 43,225 absolute first arrival P wave arrival times and 422,956 high quality relative P arrival times of 6,390 events occurred in Yangjiang and its adjacent area from Jan, 1990 to Aug, 2019, these seismic data is recorded by 49 stations from Guangdong seismic network, Guangxi seismic network and Hainan seismic network. Based on the seismic data above, we simultaneously determine the crustal 3D P wave velocity structure and the hypocenter parameters of 6255 events in Yangjiang and its adjacent area by applying Double-Difference seismic tomography. The result shows that, shallow P wave velocity in Yangjiang area is higher due to the thinner sedimentary layer and widely exposed Yanshanian granite, Indosinian granite and Cambrian metamorphic rocks. There are obvious correspondences between the distribution of shallow velocity and fault structure as well as geological structure. A wide range of low velocity anomaly exists in 20km depth, which verifies the low velocity layer in the middle crust at Yangjiang area of South China continent. The velocity image from land to ocean in 30km depth shows low velocity in NW side and high velocity in SE side, which verifies the characteristic of crust thinning in South China coastal continent. The NEE seismic belt from Yangbianhai to Pinggang is speculated to locate in a buried fault of southwest segment of Pinggang fault. The buried thrust fault is a N78°E strike fault, dip to NW with a dip angle of 85 °. In addition, the buried fault locates in the abnormal junction of high velocity on the NW side and low velocity on the SE side, which reflects the tectonic activity characteristic of NW plate uplifting and SE plate declining from Miocene period. The characteristic of activity in the buried fault shows thrust movement with a small strike slip component, which is consistent with the focal mechanism of M4.9 earthquake occurred in 2004.</p>

scholarly journals From tomographic images to fault heterogeneities

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Chiarabba ◽  
A. Amato
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Sedimentary Cover ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Fault Zones ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Upper Crust ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
South Central ◽  
Velocity Anomalies ◽  
Lateral Heterogeneities

Local Earthquake Tomography (LET) is a useful tool for imaging lateral heterogeneities in the upper crust. The pattern of P- and S-wave velocity anomalies, in relation to the seismicity distribution along active fault zones. can shed light on the existence of discrete seismogenic patches. Recent tomographic studies in well monitored seismic areas have shown that the regions with large seismic moment release generally correspond to high velocity zones (HVZ's). In this paper, we discuss the relationship between the seismogenic behavior of faults and the velocity structure of fault zones as inferred from seismic tomography. First, we review some recent tomographic studies in active strike-slip faults. We show examples from different segments of the San Andreas fault system (Parkfield, Loma Prieta), where detailed studies have been carried out in recent years. We also show two applications of LET to thrust faults (Coalinga, Friuli). Then, we focus on the Irpinia normal fault zone (South-Central Italy), where a Ms = 6.9 earthquake occurred in 1980 and many thousands of attershock travel time data are available. We find that earthquake hypocenters concentrate in HVZ's, whereas low velocity zones (LVZ’ s) appear to be relatively aseismic. The main HVZ's along which the mainshock rupture bas propagated may correspond to velocity weakening fault regions, whereas the LVZ's are probably related to weak materials undergoing stable slip (velocity strengthening). A correlation exists between this HVZ and the area with larger coseismic slip along the fault, according to both surface evidence (a fault scarp as high as 1 m) and strong ground motion waveform modeling. Smaller wave-length, low-velocity anomalies detected along the fault may be the expression of velocity strengthening sections, where aseismic slip occurs. According to our results, the rupture at the nucleation depth (~ 10-12 km) is continuous for the whole fault lenoth (~ 30 km), whereas at shallow depth, different fault segments are activated due to lateral heterogeneities in the sedimentary cover. This finding confirms that the rupture process is controlled by lithologic and structural discontinuities in the upper crust, and emphasizes the contribution that LET can make to the study of fault mechanics.

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