Exploring the Effects of Emplacement Conditions on Explosion P/S Ratios across Local to Regional Distances

High-frequency (∼> 2 Hz) seismic P/S amplitude ratios are well-established as a discriminant to distinguish between natural earthquakes and underground explosions at regional distances (∼200–1500 km). As research shifts toward identifying lower-yield events, work has begun to investigate the potential of this discriminant for use at local distances (<200 km), in which initial results raise questions about its effectiveness. Here, we utilize data from several chemical explosion experiment series at the Nevada National Security Site in southern Nevada in the United States to study explosion Pg/Lg ratios across the range of local to regional distances. The experiments are conducted over differing emplacement conditions, with contrasting geologies and a variety of yields and depths of burial, including surface explosions. We first establish the similarities of Pg/Lg ratios from chemical explosions to those from historic nuclear tests and conclude that, as previous data have suggested, chemical explosion ratios are good proxies for nuclear tests. We then examine Pg/Lg ratios from the new experiment series as functions of distance, yield, depth of burial, and scaled depth of burial (SDOB). At far-local and regional distances, we observe consistently higher ratios from hard-rock explosions compared to ones in a weaker dry alluvium medium, consistent with prior regional distance results. No other trends with yield, depth of burial, or SDOB are strongly evident. Scatter in the observed ratios is very high, particularly at the shortest event-to-station distances, suggesting that small-scale path effects play a significant role. On average, the local distance explosion Pg/Lg ratios show remarkable consistency across all the variations in emplacement. Explosion source models will need to reproduce these results.

Induced Polarization as a Tool to Assess Alteration in Geothermal Systems: A Review

The mineral alteration patterns in high- to low-temperature geothermal fields affect the induced polarization (electrical conductivity and chargeability) properties of volcanic rocks. Indeed, these properties are sensitive to the cation exchange capacity and the porosity of the rock, which are both dependent on the alteration path, temperature, and depth of burial. Therefore induced polarization tomography appears as a powerful non-intrusive geophysical method to investigate alteration patterns in geothermal fields. Among clay minerals, the production of smectite through prograde reactions occurs progressively in volcanic rocks up to 220 °C. The presence of smectite dominates the induced polarization response of the volcanic rocks because of its very large cation exchange capacity. It follows that induced polarization can be used as a non-intrusive temperature proxy up to 220 °C for both active and inactive geothermal fields, recording the highest temperatures reached in the past. The influence of magnetite and pyrite, two semi-conductors, also has a strong influence regarding the induced polarization properties of volcanic rocks. Various field examples are discussed to show how induced polarization can be used to image volcanic conduits and smectite-rich clay caps in volcanic areas for both stratovolcanoes and shield volcanoes.

A Method for Calculating Soil Deformation Induced by Shielded Tunneling in Ground Stratum with Cavities

The existence of cavities in shallow ground strata is one of the important causes of urban road collapse under the disturbance of tunnel excavation. Thus, this paper discusses the convergent deformation mode of ellipsoidal cavities. To this end, the convergent deformation of a cavity and the overall displacement of a tunnel were comprehensively examined. A three-dimensional symmetrical calculation model of the soil deformation under the combined action of the tunnel and the cavity was also established. Moreover, three-dimensional formulas for calculating the soil deformation and the surface settlement of the upper part of the tunnel and the cavity were derived. The influence of the different positions of the cavity on the surface settlement of the upper part of the tunnel was also examined. Further, the change in the soil settlement with the direction of the tunnel excavation and the depth of burial of the cavity was analyzed. The results show that the calculated settlement curves are consistent with the ones reported in the related literature. The cavity can also aggravate the surface settlement and deformation of the soil caused by the tunnel excavation. When the cavity is directly above the tunnel, the surface settlement curve is symmetrically distributed. As the position of the cavity changes, the overall settlement curve shifts to the direction of the cavity, showing asymmetry. Additionally, along the x-axis direction of the shielded tunnel, the surface settlement gradually increases to a limit value with a decrease in x and slowly declines to zero as x rises. Finally, along the depth of burial of the cavity, the settlement of the soil continues to enlarge; also, the growth rate of the soil settlement continues to increase further at positions closer to the cavity and the tunnel until it reaches a critical maximum.

The Horizontal Loop Electromagnetic (HLEM) Response of Ifewara Transcurrent Fault,Southwestern Nigeria: A Computational Results

The need to accurately interpret geological models that approximate mineralized zones in a Basement Complex terrain necessitate the development of horizon loop electromagnetic method (HLEM) forward modeling solutions for such scenarios. The focus of the present work is on finding rapid forward modeling solutions for synthetic HLEM data as an aid in exploration for moderate to deep conductive mineral exploration targets.The main thrust is obtaining idealized HLEM models that are required for geological interpretation of the subsurface in such environment. The original HLEM equations developed by Wesley were extended to represent a horizontally stratified earth with a conductive approximated by shear zone. From these equations a computer program was written to calculate the HLEM responses for optimal conductor model with known values of coil separations (L), depth of burial (z) and angle of dip of the target.The thin conductive model was used because it is simple and suitable for different geological scenarios. The accuracy of the approximate forward solution has been confirmed for HLEM systems with various geometric ranges, frequencies and conductivities. Three models having varying overburden thickness, dip angle of target and source-receiver separation were used in the forward modeling. The effect of varying the dip angle,overburden thickness and coil separation was studied in all the three models used. The result obtained from the forward modeling showed that variation of the dip angle gave rise to changes in the amplitudes of the anomalies generated, while that of overburden and coil separation gave rise to changes in anomaly shape. Also, the geometry and position of the causative body were precisely delineated.

Experimental research of equipment for burying in the ground the drip irrigation lines

The equipment for burying in the ground the drip irrigation lines was designed and built at INMA Bucharest, within a complex research project carried out in partnership with other institutes, universities and research stations in Romania. The equipment is intended for drip irrigation technology for field crops. Subsurface crop irrigation technology is a variant of the classic drip irrigation technology, in which the drip lines are buried below the soil surface, providing water directly to the root zone of the plants. The depth of burial and the distance between the drip lines depends on the type of soil and the structure of the roots of the crop. The activities prior to the experimental research consisted in determining the characteristics of the test field (soil compactness, soil moisture, geographical coordinates of location). Experimental research of the equipment aimed at determining the energy indices (working speed, traction force, traction power, working capacity and fuel consumption).

Characterisation of buried blast loading

While it is well known that detonation of shallow-buried high explosive charges generally results in above-surface loading which is greatly amplified compared with the same detonation in air, uncertainty persists as to the mechanisms leading to this effect. The work presented in this paper is a systematic investigation into the mechanisms of load transfer in buried blast events. This paper details the results from a parametric study into the mechanisms and magnitudes of load transfer following a shallow-buried explosion, where spatial and temporal load distributions are directly measured on a rigid surface using an array of Hopkinson pressure bars. In particular, the investigation has looked at the influence of both geometrical confinement and geotechnical conditions on the loading. The parametric study was separated into four main threads: the influence of physical confinement; gravimetric moisture content; stand-off distance and depth of burial; and soil material/particle size distribution. This study allows a direct observation of the contributions of each of these distinct parameters, and in particular the ability to discern how each parameter influences the temporal form and spatial distribution of the loading.

Modeling of Self Potential (SP) Anomalies over a Polarized Rod with Finite Depth Extents

Modeling is a powerful tool used by Geoscientists to provide pre-knowledge about the expectations of any geophysical field measurements. This study generates Self Potential (SP) anomalies over a typical dike-like structure to observe the influence of depth of burial and dip on SP anomalies. A computer program was developed from the potential distribution equation of an inclined polarized rod with a limited depth extent using Visual Basic (VB) programming language to produce synthetic data for potential distribution. The potential distribution data were used to generate theoretical SP anomaly curves for a polarized rod for varying depth of burial and dip. Twenty SP anomaly curves were generated with different dip values and depth of burial and from these curves, superimposed curves were also generated. The anomalies were analyzed for the effect of depth of burial and attitude or dip. The SP anomaly curves generated show that an increase in depth of burial causes a reduction in the peak negative amplitude of SP anomaly curves. For inclined polarized rod at relatively shallow depth (<2.0 m), the peak negative amplitude remains virtually the same with a positive shoulder over the down dip side of the target. Also as the dip angle decreases from 90o for a fixed depth of burial, the anomaly curves become asymmetrical. At 0o, the distance between the peak negative and peak positive amplitude of the anomaly curve is equal to the linear extent of the rod. Therefore, this study shows that the depth of burial inversely influences the amplitude of self-potential (SP) anomalies while the dip angle affects the form or symmetry of anomaly curves.