The bedrock electrical conductivity map of the UK

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys, when regionally extensive, may sample a wide-range of geological formations. The majority of AEM surveys can provide estimates of apparent (half-space) conductivity and such derived data provide a mapping capability. Depth discrimination of the geophysical mapping information is controlled by the bandwidth of each particular system. The objective of this study is to assess the geological information contained in accumulated frequency-domain AEM survey data from the UK where existing geological mapping can be considered well-established. The methodology adopted involves a simple GIS-based, spatial join of AEM and geological databases. A lithology-based classification of bedrock is used to provide an inherent association with the petrophysical rock parameters controlling bulk conductivity. At a scale of 1:625k, the UK digital bedrock geological lexicon comprises just 86 lithological classifications compared with 244 standard lithostratigraphic assignments. The lowest common AEM survey frequency of 3 kHz is found to provide an 87% coverage (by area) of the UK formations. The conductivities of the unsampled classes have been assigned on the basis of inherent lithological associations between formations. The statistical analysis conducted uses over 8 M conductivity estimates and provides a new UK national scale digital map of near-surface bedrock conductivity. The new baseline map, formed from central moments of the statistical distributions, allows assessments/interpretations of data exhibiting departures from the norm. The digital conductivity map developed here is believed to be the first such UK geophysical map compilation for over 75 years. The methodology described can also be applied to many existing AEM data sets.     

COMPUTER PROCESSING OF AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC DATA *

With the increasing number of channels in AEM systems, computer data handling is becoming a necessity. The experience gained in processing of seismic and aeromagnetic data cannot be applied directly to low-frequency (100-5000 Hz) AEM methods. A novel scheme has been designed for AEM data processing and tested on 2900 km (1800 miles) of Input surveys. In the first step, the digital flight tapes are merged with digitized flight path recovery to form the primary data set. The validity of the raw data is controlled by the computer, but the interpreter has an option of checking them in perspective plots of channel amplitudes. The primary data set is reduced by processors which determine the location and type of anomalies and discard noise. Unlike the widely used deconvolution, the sequential processor determines first the anomaly location and then estimates parameters, such as peak amplitude, base width, and excess area, which are used as acceptance criteria. Interpretation parameters, such as σt, conductor depth, and dip are estimated by comparison with quantitative models. The recorded channel amplitudes are plotted together with the selected interpretation parameters in a profile form. The secondary data set which includes only the interpretation parameters for selected anomalies is graphically displayed as a schematic map of apparent σt. Elongated features are traced by a fan strike recognition routine and a trend map is automatically compiled and plotted. Disk storage is essential for second pass processing during which parts of the primary data set are searched for undiscovered anomalies matching the analyzed trend. The suggested procedure for AEM data processing is demonstrated on an Input MK V survey, Southern Indian Lake, Manitoba.     

Seismic isolation foundations with effective attenuation zones

In this paper, a new configuration of seismic isolation foundation containing several concrete layers and some rubber blocks is proposed. The concrete layers and the rubber blocks are placed periodically to form a periodic foundation. To study the isolation ability of this new configuration of periodic foundation, an equivalent analytical model is established. For practical applications, two very useful formulas are obtained. Using these formulas, the low bound frequency and the width of the first attenuation zone can be directly approximated without the calculation of dispersion structure. This new configuration of seismic isolation foundation enjoys the first attenuation zone between 2.15 Hz and 15.01 Hz, which means that the components of seismic waves with frequencies from 2.15 Hz to 15.01 Hz cannot propagate upward in the foundation. To illustrate the efficiency of this seismic isolation foundation, the seismic responses of a 6-story frame with three different foundations are simulated. Numerical simulations show that the seismic responses of the structure with the periodic foundation are greatly attenuated as compared with those of the structure with no isolation base or with traditional rubber bearings.     

2.5维起伏地表条件下时间域航空电磁正演模拟

时间域航空电磁作为一种高效地球物理勘探技术特别适合我国地形复杂地区(沙漠、高山、湖泊、沼泽等)资源勘查.然而,这些地区地形起伏较大,对航空电磁响应有严重影响,忽略地形影响会给航空电磁数据解释造成很大误差.到目前为止人们对航空电磁地形效应特征研究十分有限.本文提出了基于非结构化网格的有限元法模拟带地形时间域航空电磁系统响应.该方法与基于结构化网格的有限差分相比能更好地模拟地形.首先通过傅里叶变换将2.5维问题转化成二维问题,利用伽辽金方法对二维问题进行离散.通过使用MUMPS求解器,得到波数域电磁响应.利用反傅里叶变换将波数域电磁响应变换到空间域,并利用正弦变换将其变换到时间域,得到2.5维时间域航空电磁响应.通过将本文的计算结果与半空间模型解析解及其他已发表的结果进行对比,检验了本文算法的精度.最后,我们系统分析了山峰和山谷地形对航空响应的影响特征.本文研究结果对航空电磁地形效应的识别和校正具有指导意义.     

航空电磁勘查技术发展现状及展望

航空电磁作为一种高效的地球物理勘查技术手段,其发展在国外(加拿大、澳大利亚等国家)已十分成熟.然而,在我国该项技术仍处于发展当中,在国内目前尚未形成具有实际探测能力的航空电磁系统和解释手段.这一现状严重影响了我国对地形地质条件复杂区域(比如广大西部地区)矿产资源勘查的需求.本文旨在通过系统介绍航空电磁勘查技术中的基础理论、关键技术、仪器系统、数据处理、解释及应用,并对未来我国航空电磁勘查技术的发展提出建议,使读者了解该技术未来发展方向和研究热点,以期该项技术在我国得到快速发展并获得广泛应用.     

DAMPED LEAST-SQUARES INVERSION OF TIME-DOMAIN AIRBORNE EM DATA BASED ON SINGULAR VALUE DECOMPOSITION1

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) methods are increasingly being used as tools of geological mapping, groundwater exploration and prospecting for coal and lignite. In such applications, quantitative interpretation is commonly based on the layered-earth model. A new approach, a damped least-squares inversion with singular value decomposition, is proposed for interpretation of time-domain, towed-bird AEM data. Studies using theoretical and field AEM data indicate that inversion techniques are dependable and provide fast converging solutions. An analysis has been made of the accuracy of model parameter determination, which depends on resistivity and thickness distribution. In the common case of conductive overburden, upper-layer resistivity and thickness are usually well determined, although situations exist where their separation becomes difficult. In the case of a resistive layer overlying a conductive basement, the layer thickness is the best-determined parameter. In both cases, estimates of basement resistivity are the least reliable. Field data obtained with the Chinese-made M-l AEM system in Dongling, Anhui Province, China, were processed using the described inversion algorithm. The survey area comprised fluvial Cenozoic clays and weathered Mesozoic sediments. Inversion of AEM data resulted in accurate depth-to-bedrock sections and realistic estimates of the resistivities of overburden and bedrock which agree with the results of drilling and resistivity sounding.     

An assessment of inversion methods for AEM data applied to environmental studies

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys are currently being flown over populated areas and applied to detailed problems using high flight line densities. Interpretation information is supplied through a model of the subsurface resistivity distribution. Theoretical and survey data are used here to study the character and reliability of such models. Although the survey data were obtained using a fixed-wing system, the corresponding associations with helicopter, towed-bird systems are discussed. Both Fraser half-space and 1D inversion techniques are considered in relation to their ability to distinguish geological, cultural and environmental influences on the survey data. Fraser half-space modelling provides the dual interpretation parameters of apparent resistivity and apparent depth at each operational frequency. The apparent resistivity was found to be a remarkably stable parameter and appears robust to the presence of a variety of at-surface cultural features. Such features provide both incorrect altitude data and multidimensional influences. Their influences are observed most strongly in the joint estimate of apparent depth and this accounts for the stability of the apparent resistivity. Positive apparent depths, in the example data, result from underestimated altitude measurements. It is demonstrated that increasingly negative apparent depths are associated with increasing misfits between a 1D model and the data. Centroid depth calculations, which are a transform of the Fraser half-space parameters, provide an example of the detection of non-1D influences on data obtained above a populated area. 1D inversion of both theoretical and survey data is examined. The simplest use of the 1D inversion method is in providing an estimate of a half-space resistivity. This can be undertaken prior to multilayer inversion as an initial assessment. Underestimated altitude measurements also enter the problem and, in keeping with the Fraser pseudo-layer concept, an at-surface highly resistive layer of variable thickness can be usefully introduced as a constrained parameter. It is clearly difficult to ascribe levels of significance to a ‘measure’ of misfit contained in a negative apparent depth with the dimensions of metres. The reliability of 1D models is better assessed using a formal misfit parameter. With the misfit parameter in place, the example data suggest that the 1D inversion methods provide reliable apparent resistivity values with a higher resolution than the equivalent information from the Fraser half-space estimates.     

THE AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC METHOD AS A TOOL OF GEOLOGICAL MAPPING*

Since its development some thirty years ago, the airborne electromagnetic (AEM) method has been primarily used as a tool for mineral prospecting. However, advanced AEM systems are capable of other tasks, such as geological mapping and groundwater exploration. Excellent correlation between maps of apparent conductivity and geological maps was observed in several regions of Brazil where AEM surveys were performed. The degree of correlation seems to depend on the local climate. In humid and subhumid tropical regions, a weathered layer develops whose thickness and conductivity depend upon bedrock lithology. Therefore certain lithological types can be recognized from their conductivity signature; e.g., granites and Precambrian coarse clastic rocks are resistive, metavolcanic (particularly mafic) and volcanic rocks are conductive, Phanerozoic sediments are generally highly conductive. Two geophysical surveys are analyzed in the paper. The first was conducted with the time-domain, towed-bird AEM system in the Itapicuru greenstone belt in the state of Bahia. The apparent conductivity map correlated better with the local lithology than the magnetic map. Results of the AEM survey were successfully used to improve the regional geological map. A helicopter EM system was used in the second survey, which covered a portion of the Precambrian shield of Rio Grande do Sul. Also in this region ground checks confirmed the usefulness of conductivity surveys in geological mapping. The technique outlined in the paper holds great promise for countries of humid tropical climate, where few outcrops exist and access is often difficult. The tests performed in Brazil indicate that by executing AEM/aeromagnetic surveys during initial stages of mapping and exploration programs, time and expenditure required for geological field work can be considerably reduced. The resulting geological maps are more accurate and the inventory of mineral occurrences becomes more complete.     

基于异常线圈的时间域AEM系统测试和标定方法研究

为了检验和测试时间域航空电磁系统的测量精度和有效性,采用地面铺设闭合的异常线圈模拟地下有限导体的方法,将异常线圈的电磁响应理论值与系统实测数据进行拟合分析,来确定系统误差和飞行几何参数误差.在计算异常线圈电磁响应的基础上,研究了衰减曲线、剖面曲线与线圈的电性、几何参数关系,设计了野外测试实验方案.在长春市大鹅岛附近,采用吊车进行了系统测试,测试结果表明:单点实测数据的平均绝对误差为0.48 mV,系统相对误差小于1%,飞行高度误差为0.4 m、水平偏移误差为0.2 m.基于异常线圈进行时间域航空电磁系统的测试和标定,是一种准确、快速、经济可行的方法,具有野外施工便捷、参数调整灵活等特点,适用于任何时间域电磁测量系统的检测.     

The construction of a simple portable electromagnetic vibrator from commercially available components

Since its introduction in the late 1950s, hydraulic vibrators have become the dominant source for land seismic surveys. The hydraulic vibrators typically used for commercial land seismic acquisition, however, are large, costly to operate and expensive to purchase. This inhibits their use for small-scale and short-duration surveys as well as Vibroseis research. In this paper we describe, in detail, the construction of a portable vibrator from commercially available components for a cost of less than $US2,000. Data shows that the vibrator is able to successfully transmit sweeps from 15 to 180 Hz with different spectral contents. The vibrator produces a stronger signal than a sledgehammer and we estimate its output to be around 1 kN. The frequency content of the data was concentrated at lower frequencies (<100 Hz) and the ground-roll was far more energetic than that produced using a sledgehammer.     

导电大地上航空电磁系统校准

航空电磁系统校准是开展实际测量工作的基础,校准情况直接影响数据处理和解释.传统校准方法通常假设在自由空间中进行,忽略导电大地耦合影响.然而,实际工作中很难找到绝对高阻的校准场地,导电大地对系统校准和观测数据的影响无法忽视.本文以频率域航空电磁系统为例,对导电大地上航电系统校准技术和校准误差改正方法进行研究.我们首先推导了层状导电大地上水平共面和直立共轴线圈系统的校准公式,结果表明导电大地对航电系统校准尤其是水平共面装置的高频信号影响很大.针对校准过程中大地电导率已知的情况,本文采用非线性方程求解技术一次性确定校准线圈位置和Q值;在没有任何辅助信息情况下,也可直接利用实测数据计算校正因子进行迭代求解.测试结果表明该方法快速、准确、有效.考虑到系统相位和增益调整直接影响观测数据,本文提出了航空电磁数据校准误差的改正算法.实测数据误差改正结果表明,导电大地对高频信号影响严重,校准误差改正后的航空电磁数据与实际地质资料更好吻合.     

时间域航空电磁系统姿态变化影响研究

航空电磁系统的收发线圈受外界因素影响会发生姿态变化,使测量结果产生一定偏差.传统的数据处理方法考虑姿态变化情况单一,且主要以频率域系统为主,而目前复杂姿态变化对时间域航空电磁系统全时响应的影响尚未有系统研究.本文在前人研究基础上拓宽思路,不仅研究姿态的角度变化,同时改进前人计算方法,研究线圈发生位置变化的影响,并将线圈与大地的耦合感应效应考虑在内.本文通过定义姿态变化前后两种坐标系,确定姿态变化的角度和旋转矩阵,并将一维层状半解析解与姿态角度变化和位置变化进行整合,推导出收发线圈任意姿态变化的表达式.以直升机吊舱分离装置为例,对时间域航空电磁系统收发线圈任意姿态变化进行细致分析.基于重叠偶极子的假设,给出可应用于实际工作中的姿态校正因子,以提高实测数据的处理效率与精度.     

航空瞬变电磁法对地下典型目标体的探测能力研究

航空电磁法的探测能力受飞行高度、发射波形、发射磁矩和发射基频等因素的影响,致使不同分量间的勘探能力存在差异.航空电磁如对所有磁场和磁感应分量、on-和off-time数据进行观测和解释,不仅数据量大、耗时长,而且出现大量冗余数据.目前国内针对此问题尚无系统解决方法.本文针对吊舱式直升机航空电磁系统,采用积分方程法求解频率域响应,经汉克尔变换转换到时间域,计算了地下三维目标体的B和dB/dt时间域响应.利用异常体响应与背景场响应作比值,并通过设定响应阀值定义最大勘探深度,进而分析不同发射波形、不同分量以及on-和off-time期间的航空电磁系统的探测能力.基于本文分析手段,可根据实际勘探目标,确定一套探测能力较强的航空电磁最佳参数组合,为野外测量和数据处理提供技术指导,高效完成勘探任务.     

Inversion of Scholte wave dispersion and waveform modeling for shallow structure of the Ninetyeast Ridge

The construction of S-wave velocity models of marine sediments down to hundreds of meters below the seafloor is important in a number of disciplines. One of the most significant trends in marine geophysics is to use interface waves to estimate shallow shear velocities which play an important role in determining the shallow crustal structure. In marine settings, the waves trapped near the fluid–solid interface are called Scholte waves, and this is the subject of the study. In 1998, there were experiments on the Ninetyeast Ridge (Central Indian Ocean) to study the shallow seismic structure at the drilled site. The data were acquired by both ocean bottom seismometer and ocean bottom hydrophone. A new type of seafloor implosion sources has been used in this experiment, which successfully excited fast and high frequency (>500 Hz) body waves and slow, intermediate frequency (<20 Hz) Scholte waves. The fundamental and first higher mode Scholte waves have both been excited by the implosion source. Here, the Scholte waves are investigated with a full waveform modeling and a group velocity inversion approach. Shear wave velocities for the uppermost layers of the region are inferred and results from the different methods are compared. We find that the full waveform modeling is important to understand the intrinsic attenuation of the Scholte waves between 1 and 20 Hz. The modeling shows that the S-wave velocity varies from 195 to 350 m/s in the first 16 m of the uppermost layer. Depths levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts compare well to the layer depth derived from a P-wave analysis as well as from drilling data. As expected, the P- to S-wave velocity ratio is very high in the uppermost 16 m of the seafloor and the Poisson ratio is nearly 0.5. Depth levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts are comparable to the layer depth derived from drilling data.     

Seismic response of deep Quaternary sediments in historical center of L’Aquila City (central Italy)

On 6 April 2009 a M_w=6.1 earthquake produced severe destruction and damage over the historic center of L’Aquila City (central Italy), in which the accelerometer stations AQK and AQU recorded a large amount of near-fault ground motion data. This paper analyzes the recorded ground motions and compares the observed peak accelerations and the horizontal to vertical response spectral ratios with those revealed from numerical simulations. The finite element method is considered herein to perform dynamic modeling on the soil profile underlying the seismic station AQU. The subsurface model, which is based on the reviewed surveys that were carried out in previous studies, consists of 200–400 m of Quaternary sediments overlying a Meso-Cenozoic carbonate bedrock. The Martin-Finn-Seed's pore-water pressure model is used in the simulations. The horizontal to vertical response spectral ratio that is observed during the weak seismic events shows three predominant frequencies at about 14 Hz, 3 Hz and 0.6 Hz, which may be related to the computed seismic motion amplification occurring at the shallow colluvium, at the top and base of the fluvial-lacustrine sequence, respectively. During the 2009 L’Aquila main shock the predominant frequency of 14 Hz shifts to lower values probably due to a peculiar wave-field incidence angle. The predominant frequency of 3 Hz shifts to lower values when the earthquake magnitude increases, which may be associated to the progressive softening of soil due to the excess pore-water pressure generation that reaches a maximum value of about 350 kPa in the top of fluvial-lacustrine sequence. The computed vertical peak acceleration underestimates the experimental value and the horizontal to vertical peak acceleration ratio that is observed at station AQU decreases when the earthquake magnitude increases, which reveals amplification of the vertical component of ground motion probably due to near-source effects.     

Three-dimensional resistivity characterization of a coastal area: Application of Grounded Electrical-Source Airborne Transient Electromagnetic (GREATEM) survey data from Kujukuri Beach,Japan

An airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey using the Grounded Electrical-Source Airborne Transient Electromagnetic (GREATEM) system was conducted over the Kujukuri coastal plain in southeast Japan to assess the system's ability to accurately describe the geological structure beneath shallow seawater. To obtain high-quality data with an optimized signal-to-noise ratio, a series of data processing techniques were used to obtain the final transient response curves from the field survey data. These steps included movement correction, coordinate transformation, the removal of local noise, data stacking, and signal portion extraction.We performed numerical forward modeling to generate a three-dimensional (3D) resistivity structure model from the GREATEM data. This model was developed from an initial one-dimensional (1D) resistivity structure that was also inverted from the GREATEM field survey data. We modified a 3D electromagnetic forward-modeling scheme based on a finite-difference staggered-grid method and used it to calculate the response of the 3D resistivity model along each survey line. We verified the model by examining the fit of the magnetic-transient responses between field data and the 3D forward-model computed data, the latter of which were convolved with the measured system responses of the corresponding data set.The inverted 3D resistivity structures showed that the GREATEM system has the capability to map resistivity structures as far as 800 m offshore and as deep as 300–350 m underground in coastal areas of relatively shallow seawater depth (5–10 m).     

固定翼航空电磁系统的线圈姿态及吊舱摆动影响研究与校正

固定翼时间域航空电磁探测系统在实际飞行测量过程中,发射线圈、接收线圈姿态和吊舱摆动状态不断变化,在测量数据中引入如发射磁矩方向、接收分量方向以及系统收发距等参数的误差,影响数据反演成像效果.本文基于固定翼时间域航空电磁正演理论,利用姿态变换,引入发射线圈、接收线圈双旋转矩阵;根据发射、接收线圈相对位置的几何关系,求得摆动格林张量;推导了任意姿态角度以及任意摆动角度情况下的固定翼航空电磁响应三分量计算表达式.通过层状大地模型的仿真计算,分别研究了发射、接收线圈各姿态以及吊舱摆动状态对航空电磁响应的影响,得出发射线圈、接收线圈俯仰旋转和吊舱同向摆动对系统电磁响应影响最强;仿真分析了实际测量中,三种角度同时存在情况下,航空电磁响应的定量变化规律.在此基础上,讨论了响应系数与大地电导率的关系,同时给出基于响应系数的固定翼航空电磁系统线圈姿态和摆动状态校正方法,准二维层状大地模型反演结果表明,校正后数据的反演精度提高了33.1%.     

High-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic surveys for mineral exploration targets

Recent advancements in geophysical exploration have been realized through reliably integrating unmanned aerial vehicle platforms with lightweight, high-resolution magnetometer payloads. Unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic surveys can provide a contemporary data product between the two end-members of coverage and resolution attained using manned airborne and terrestrial magnetic surveys. This new data product is achievable because unmanned aerial vehicle platforms can safely traverse with magnetometer payloads at flight elevations closer to ground targets than manned airborne surveys, while also delivering an increased coverage rate compared to walking conventional terrestrial surveys. This is a promising new development for geophysical and mineral exploration applications, especially in variable terrains. A three-dimensional unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic survey was conducted within the Shebandowan Greenstone Belt, northwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, in July 2017. A series of two-dimensional grids (∼500 m × 700 m) were flown at approximate elevations of 35, 45 and 70 m above ground level using a Dà-Jiāng Innovations multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (S900) and a GEM Systems, Inc., Potassium Vapour Magnetometer (GSMP-35U). In total, over 48 line-km of unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic data were flown with a line spacing of 25 m. The collected aeromagnetic data were compared to a regional heliborne aeromagnetic survey flown at an elevation of approximately 85 m above the terrain, with a line spacing of 100 m, as well as a follow-up terrestrial magnetic survey. The first vertical derivative of the gathered unmanned aerial vehicle total magnetic field data was calculated both directly between each of the different flight elevations, and indirectly by calculating the values predicted using upward continuation. This case study demonstrates that low flight elevation unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic surveys can reliably collect industry standard total magnetic field measurements at an increased resolution when compared to manned airborne magnetic surveys. The enhanced interpretation potential provided by this approach also aided in delineating structural controls and hydrothermal fluid migration pathways (a pair of adjacent shear zones) related to gold mineralization on site. These structural features were not clearly resolved in the regional manned airborne magnetic data alone, further demonstrating the utility of applying high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic surveys to mineral exploration applications. The conclusions and interpretations drawn from the unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic data, coupled with historical data, were applied to make a new gold mineralization discovery on the site, assayed at 15.7 g/t.     

多孔径瞬变电磁场物理模拟

为了提高瞬变电磁法对地探测精度,提出了一种新颖的瞬变电磁装置一多孔径发射装置,并进行了多孔径瞬变电磁场物理模拟观测.分别使用四孔径发射装置和常规回线发射装置,进行不同收一发距情况下的一次场观测,并对铜板在不同埋藏深度情况下的二次响应进行观测,通过比较两种不同装置下的响应曲线和计算观测数据误差,最终发现使用四孔径发射装置可使一次场强度提高34%,可使二次场强度提高31%.结论表明,多孔径发射源可以改变电磁场的空间分布,认为瞬变电磁场存在类相干现象.研究成果对提高瞬变电磁的探测精度具有很重要的意义.     

Seismic response of L��Aquila downtown from comparison between 2D synthetics spectral ratios of SH, P-SV and Rayleigh waves and observations of the 2009 earthquake sequence

This is the first part of a study on the seismic response of the L’Aquila city using 2D simulation and experimental data. We have studied two velocity-depth models with the aim of outlining the behavior of a velocity reversal in the top layer, which is associated with the stiff Brecce de L’Aquila unit (BrA). In this setting, the SMTH model is topped by a layer with about 2:1 impedance contrast with the underlying layer while the NORV model has no velocity reversal. We have simulated the propagation of SH and P-SV wavefields in the range 0–10 Hz for incidence 0°–90°. Earthquake spectral ratios of the horizontal and vertical components at six sites in L’Aquila downtown are compared to corresponding synthetics spectral ratios. The vertical component of P-SV synthetics enables us to investigate a remarkable amplification effect seen in the vertical component of the recorded strong motion. Sites AQ04 and AQ05 are best matched by synthetics from the NORV model while FAQ5 and AQ06 have a better match with synthetics spectral ratios from the SMTH model. All simulations show this behavior systematically, with horizontal and near-horizontal incident waves predicting the overall pattern of matches more clearly than vertical and near-vertical incidence. The model inferences are in agreement with new geological data reporting lateral passages in the top layer from the stiff BrA to softer sediments. Matches are good in terms of frequency of the first amplification peak and of spectral amplitude: the horizontal components have spectral ratio peaks predominantly at 0.5 Hz in the simulations and at 0.7 Hz in the data, both with amplitudes of 4, while the vertical component spectral ratios reach values of 6 at frequencies of about 1 Hz in both data and simulations. The vertical component spectral ratios are very well matched using Rayleigh waves with incidence at 90°. The NORV model without the velocity reversal predicts spectral ratio peaks for the horizontal components at frequencies up to 6 Hz. The reversal of velocity acts as a low-pass frequency filter on the horizontal components reducing the amplification effect of the sediment filled valley.