Arctangent function‐based third derivative attribute for characterisation of faults

Using seismic attributes such as coherence and curvature to characterise faults not only can improve the efficiency of seismic interpretation but also can expand the capability to detect faults. The coherence and curvature have been widely applied to characterising faults for years. These two methods detect faults based on the similarity of seismic waveforms and shapes of the reflectors, respectively, and they are complementary to each other and both have advantages and disadvantages in fault characterisation. A recent development in fault characterisation based on reflector shapes has been the use of the rate of change of curvature. Through an application to the seismic data from Western Tazhong of the Tarim Basin, China, it was demonstrated that the rate of change of curvature is more capable of detecting subtle faults having quite small throws and heaves. However, there often exist multiple extreme values indicating the same fault when applying the rate of change of curvature, which significantly degrades the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the computation result for multiple extrema interfering with each other. To resolve this problem, we propose the use of a linear combination of arctangent and proportional functions as the directrix of a cylindrical surface to fit the fault model and calculate its third derivative, which can then be used to characterise the fault. Through an application to the 3D seismic data from Western Tazhong of the Tarim Basin, the results show that the proposed method not only retains the same capability to detect subtle faults having small throws as the curvature change rate but also greatly improves the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the calculated result.     

Basement structural architecture and hydrocarbon conduit potential of polygonal faults in the Cooper‐Eromanga Basin,Australia

A thorough and complete understanding of the structural geology and evolution of the Cooper‐Eromanga Basin has been hampered by low‐resolution seismic data that becomes particularly difficult to interpret below the thick Permian coal measures. As a result, researchers are tentative to interpret the basement fault architecture within the basin, which is largely undefined. To provide a better understanding of the basement fault geometry, all available two‐dimensional seismic lines together with 12 three‐dimensional seismic surveys were structurally interpreted with assistance from seismic attribute analysis. The Upper Cretaceous Cadna‐owie Formation and top Permian reflectors were analysed using a common seismic attribute technique (incoherency) that was used to infer the presence of faults that may have otherwise been overlooked. Detailed basement fault maps for each seismic survey were constructed and used in conjunction with two‐dimensional seismic data interpretation to produce a regional basement fault map. Large north‐northeast–south‐southwest‐striking sinistral strike–slip faults were identified within the Patchawarra Trough appearing to splay from the main northeast–southwest‐striking ridge. These sinistral north‐northeast–south‐southwest‐striking faults, together with field‐scale southeast–northwest‐striking dextral strike–slip faults, are optimally oriented to have potentially developed as a conjugated fault set under a south‐southeast–north‐northwest‐oriented strike–slip stress regime. Geomechanical modelling for a regionally extensive system of Cretaceous polygonal faults was performed to calculate the Leakage Factor and Dilation Tendency of individual faults. Faults that extend into Lower Cretaceous oil‐rich reservoirs with strikes of between 060°N and 140°N and a high to near‐vertical dip angle were identified to most likely be acting as conduits for the tertiary migration of hydrocarbons from known Lower Cretaceous hydrocarbon reservoirs into shallow Cretaceous sediments. This research provides valuable information on the regional basement fault architecture and a more detailed exploration target for the Cooper‐Eromanga Basin, which were previously not available in literature.     

由地震分布丛集性给出断层参数的一种新方法

由于大范围内地质构造的复杂性和介质的非均匀性,发震断层面的几何形态一般十分复杂.如果大地震的破裂过程涉及多个断层的活动,则发震断层并非是单一断层平面,而是多个断层面的组合.利用地震空间位置分布丛集性,即震源点成丛位于断层面附近的假设,结合稳健扩充算法和主成分分析给出一种可以重构活断层网络三维空间结构的新方法.该方法每次从震源点集中处开始,利用假设检验扩充子断层面,并得到多个子断层面.接着按震源点属于最近断层面的准则把各子断层面内的震源点进行竞争,并根据一定假设合并和删除一些子断层面,最后用主成分分析确定每个子断层面参数.于是可根据地震事件目录给出一组矩形区域来描述断层面网络结构,其中每个矩形断层面由其位置、走向和倾角确定.通过计算机模拟发现,新方法可成功地重建模拟地震目录的断层面,最后用于南加州1992年6月28日发生的Landers地震部分余震目录中,得到各个子断层面参数与已知地质破裂或隐伏断层相当一致.     

基于交错网格有限差分法的断面波叠前时间偏移成像影响因素正演分析

断层和断裂带的有效识别是地震资料解释中的重要环节,断层在地震信号响应中以断面波的形式体现,因此断面波成像的质量关系到断层的精细识别与刻画.本文利用精度较高的交错网格有限差分正演模拟方法对断面波成像的影响因素进行了正演研究,主要正演分析的参数包括采集因素中的电缆长度和采集方向,地质因素中的断层倾角、断距、反射系数,以及处理因素中的偏移方法等几个方面.通过正演论证得出：采用合理的采集参数能够提高断面波的照明度;有效结合地质因素能够提高断面波的解释精度;利用合理的偏移方法能够使断层归位更加准确,断面波有效成像.基于以上结论,对于断面波的精确识别与刻画,应综合采集因素,处理因素及地质因素,只有这样才能提高断层的解释精度,有效减小解释误差.     

南华北盆地沈丘凹陷新构造时期断裂活动特征

应用三维地震资料方差体识别断层技术,对南华北盆地沈丘凹陷三维地震资料新近系中部强反射界面进行综合解释,明确三门峡-鲁山-淮南断裂带沈丘凹陷段,即娄堤断裂在新构造时期的断裂运动模式及几何学特征,该断裂带在浅层为一组NWW向排列的雁列状走滑断裂,在纵向剖面上向深部收敛,呈陡立状下切,错断12 km左右滑脱面,具有潜在破坏性地震风险。     

用微振动勘探方法探测隐伏断裂构造

介绍了运用微振动勘探方法探测隐伏断裂构造的方法和思路,并对郯庐断裂带两条分支断裂进行了试验性勘探．通过与人工地震勘探结果对比分析,发现微振动勘探方法对隐伏断裂构造具有较好的空间定位能力,其对岩性差异面形成的断裂定位误差与人工地震勘探结果相当; 又因其具有较大的勘探深度,因而可以有效揭示勘探区域下方地层及断裂的空间分布特征及其接触关系,这对于识别和确定断裂构造的主破裂面具有重要意义. 但微振动勘探方法对地层或断裂构造细节特征的揭示能力较差．因此,在实际地层或断裂勘探中,宜采用人工地震勘探方法与微振动勘探方法相结合的方式确定断裂的深浅构造关系,可以用微振动勘探方法进行普查,在确定断裂初步位置及空间展布特征后,再选用人工地震勘探方法进行断裂精确定位．      

Seismic reflection coefficients of faults at low frequencies: a model study

We use linear slip theory to evaluate seismic reflections at non‐welded interfaces, such as faults or fractures, sandwiched between general anisotropic media and show that at low frequencies the real parts of the reflection coefficients can be approximated by the responses of equivalent welded interfaces, whereas the imaginary parts can be related directly to the interface compliances. The imaginary parts of low frequency seismic reflection coefficients at fault zones can be used to estimate the interface compliances, which can be related to fault properties upon using a fault model. At normal incidence the expressions uncouple and the complex‐valued P‐wave reflection coefficient can be related linearly to the normal compliance. As the normal compliance is highly sensitive to the infill of the interface, it can be used for gas/fluid identification in the fault plane. Alternatively, the tangential compliance of a fault can be estimated from the complex‐valued S‐wave reflection coefficient. The tangential compliance can provide information on the crack density in a fault zone. Coupling compliances can be identified and quantified by the observation of PS conversion at normal incidence, with a comparable linear relationship.     

地震方法确定活动断裂上断点的影响因素分析

中国不少城市位于较厚的第四纪松散沉积物覆盖区,在这些松散层内,发育了许多具有相当规模的隐伏断裂,用地震方法能够探测到它们的存在。但用地震方法探测到的这些隐伏断裂的上断点是否代表了真正意义的断裂上断点?文中在讨论地震记录分辨率的基础上,探讨了影响地震勘探效果的记录信噪比、地质构造条件以及资料处理和解释方法:为提高地震记录的信噪比和分辨率,需要采取相应的技术措施,如在数据采集过程中,使敷设的地震剖面垂直断裂走向,在保证地震记录具有较高信噪比的条件下,采用合适的覆盖次数和小道间距接收的工作方法有助于获取更浅波阻抗界面的反射波;在数据处理和解释的过程中,准确求取反射波的速度,采用一些提高地震记录分辨率和信噪比的处理技术,摒弃一些混波处理手段,有助于改善利用地震方法探测隐伏断裂上断点的效果。而对于没有波阻抗差异的地层界面,包括隐伏断裂已经错断的那些地层界面,地震方法则难以对其进行探测。即使地震方法探测到的不一定是真正意义上的隐伏断层上断点,其结果依然可为今后钻孔剖面位置的布设、钻孔深度的设计以及断层活动性的判定提供科学依据。     

Direct estimation of rupture depths of earthquake faults from coseismic surface deformation

The rupture dimensions of earthquake faults are important parameters for characterizing earthquake ruptures and ground motions. Two key parameters to be determined are the rupture depth and dip angle of earthquake faults. Dislocation theory in an elastic half space indicates that if a seismic rupture directly runs up to the ground surface, there exist zero points of horizontal strain in the surface deformation, which correspond to the rupture depths, except for pure strike-slip faults. In this study, we use numerical simulations to investigate the possibility of inferring rupture depths from zero-strain points for cases of buried faults and heterogeneous media. The results show that the correspondence of zero-strain points to the rupture depths can be influenced by the heterogeneity of the underground media and the stress field. For buried faults, the correspondence relationship is approximately valid when the fault depth is <1 km. In addition, the range of earthquake fault dip angles can be estimated by horizontal displacements on the ground. We also study how to determine the rupture depths of faults from InSAR data after large earthquakes, and successfully apply the method to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The method proposed here, which determines the parameters of fault geometry according to surface deformation, is simple and easy to perform. With independent of aftershocks, it can provide valuable constraints to kinematic inversions.     

Application of fuzzy clustering method to determining sub-fault planes of earthquake from aftershocks sequence

Earthquake rupture process generally involves several faults activities instead of a single fault. A new method using both fuzzy clustering and principal component analysis makes it possible to reconstruct three dimensional structure of involved faults in earthquake if the aftershocks around the active fault planes distribute uniformly. When seismic events are given, the optimal faults structures can be determined by our new method. Each of sub-fault planes is fully characterized by its central location, length, width, strike and dip. The resolution determines the number of fault segments needed to describe the earthquake catalog. The higher the resolution, the finer the structure of the reconstructed fault segments. The new method successfully reconstructs the fault segments using synthetic earthquake catalogs. By taking the 28 June 1992 Landers earthquake occured in southern California as an example, the reconstructed fault segments are consistent with the faults already known on geological maps or blind faults that appeared quite frequently in longer-term catalogs.     

基于局部直方图规定化的相干体增强

Coherence analysis is a powerful tool in seismic interpretation for imaging geological discontinuities such as faults and fractures. However, subtle faults or fractures of one stratum are difficult to be distinguished on coherence sections (time slices or profiles) due to interferences from adjacent strata, especially these with strong reflectivity. In this paper, we propose a coherence enhancement method which applies local histogram specification (LHS) techniques to enhance subtle faults or fractures in the coherence cubes. Unlike the traditional histogram specification (HS) algorithm, our method processes 3D coherence data without discretization. This method partitions a coherence cube into many sub-blocks and self-adaptively specifies the target distribution in each block based on the whole distribution of the coherence cube. Furthermore, the neighboring blocks are partially overlapped to reduce the edge effect. Applications to real datasets show that the new method enhances the details of subtle faults and fractures noticeably.     

The genesis of seismic activity on faults in Central Asia in real time and its variations

We used the Digital Faults geoinformation system that we developed to propose an algorithm for quantitative estimation of seismic activity on faults. The resulting technique was used to study the spatiotemporal patterns in the present-day activity of faults in Central Asia. Fault activity was found to vary at frequencies of a few years and cannot be explained by changes in the regional stress fields. We studied the tendency of seismic events to be localized to areas of dynamic influence due to faults. The active faults were grouped by the criteria of seismicity organization in the influence areas of these faults. It was shown that fault activity and its comparatively high frequency on real time scales are caused by strain waves, which may be generated by interplate and interblock movements in the brittle lithosphere. Judging by the speed of strain waves, the active faults are classified into groups that differ in their geological and geophysical parameters. They can be used to estimate the directions of strain wave fronts and to identify areas of dominant fault activation over intervals of real (geologically speaking) time. We give a map showing active faults in Central Asia, plots of a quantitative index of their seismic activity, and the directivity vectors of strain waves that excite fault activity. The methods we developed for classifying active faults by the quantitative index of seismic activity and for determining the vectors of strain waves that excite fault activity are all tools that significantly expand our possibilities when developing tectonophysical models of the seismic process in earthquake-generating zones of the lithosphere and open new methods for attacking problems in intermediate-term earthquake prediction.     

城市活断层高分辩率地震勘探震源对比试验研究

国内外大量地震震例研究表明，巨大的城市地震灾害主要是由隐伏于城市之下的活动断裂上发生的地震造成的，因此，探测城市活断层是十分必要和紧迫的。高分辩率地震勘探是目前探测城市活断层较为有效的地球物理方法，它包括激发技术、接收技术、观测系统、地震数据处理与解释技术等。而震源是地震勘探的首要问题，城市特定的人文环境和城市活断层的特点对高分辩率地震勘探的震源提出了特殊的要求，较小的断距决定了要有较宽的震源谱，城市较严重的干扰决定了震源勘探的震源提出了特殊的要求，较小数点的断距决定了要有较宽的震源谱，城市较严重的干扰决定了震源要有较强的抗干扰能力。通过在福州市跨八一水库断裂进行的可控震源、真空加速落锤、锤击震源、枪震源以及炸药震源的试验研究，利用频谱分析技术，得到了各种震源谱的特征，并给出了可控震源、真空加速落锤和锤击震源叠加时间剖面对比，探讨了各种震源在城市活断层探测中的有效性。     

上海两条隐伏第四纪断裂的研究

以浅层地震勘探为主要方法 ,研究了上海两条主要断裂 (太仓 -奉贤断裂和枫泾 -川沙断裂 )的第四纪活动性。结果表明 ,断裂的最新活动一般在早更新世 -中更新世 ,个别区段的活动可延续至晚更新世     

基于非结构化网格的边界积分方程方法的断层自发破裂模拟

地震自发破裂模拟是震源动力学研究的重要内容,了解复杂的断层动力学破裂过程对深入认识震源特征和解释运动学反演结果具有重要意义.基于边界积分方程方法的破裂模拟已经被广泛使用,大多采用的是平面断层模型的结构化网格划分.由于实际的断层往往具有较为复杂的几何特征,为了更为灵活地刻画断层几何复杂性,我们建立断层模型的三角形网格离散方案,通过精确的解析解形式来计算断层各个单元之间的应力格林函数,联立滑动弱化摩擦准则和非奇异边界积分方程,对断层的自发破裂过程进行了模拟.在简单的平面断层模型下,将计算结果与前人的结果进行了对比,验证了方法的正确性与有效性.对于几种常见的复杂断层模型,例如弯折、阶跃、含障碍体断层等,我们模拟了其破裂过程并对计算结果进行了比较与分析.模拟结果表明,非结构化网格划分的边界积分方程方法能够很好地模拟平面矩形断层或由其组成的规则断层,同时也能成功地模拟具有复杂几何形状的不规则断层上的动力学破裂过程.本研究的结果显示了边界积分方程方法在模拟复杂断层系统的动力学破裂问题上具有较广阔的应用前景.     

Techniques for Surveying Urban Active Faults by Seismic Methods

INTRODUCTIONLarge earthquake and ground surface dislocation produced by the sudden slip of an active faulthidden belowa city can result in serious disaster,bring about huge losses of people’s life and stateproperty,or even make a city destroyed instantly…     

浅层地震勘探方法在活动断层中的应用——以邯郸市活动断层探测为例

浅层地震勘探方法在城市活动断层探测中发挥着重要作用,实践表明,浅层地震反射波法可以获取深度十米至几十米的浅层地层反射信号,且大部分反射剖面均可较清楚地揭示出浅部断层位置和断层特征,地震数据处理是准确识别近地表活动断层的重要环节,也是提高资料分辨率和信噪比的有效途径。本文应用邯郸市活动断层浅层地震资料,运用多途径、分步骤的去噪技术和方法,压制干扰,极大地提高了资料的分辨率和信噪比,并对活动断层的典型剖面进行重点研究和验证。     

城市活断层高分辨率地震勘探震源对比试验研究

国内外大量地震震例研究表明 ,巨大的城市地震灾害主要是由隐伏于城市之下的活动断裂上发生的地震造成的 ,因此 ,探测城市活断层是十分必要和紧迫的。高分辨率地震勘探是目前探测城市活断层较为有效的地球物理方法 ,它包括激发技术、接收技术、观测系统、地震数据处理与解释技术等。而震源是地震勘探的首要问题 ,城市特定的人文环境和城市活断层的特点对高分辨率地震勘探的震源提出了特殊的要求 ,较小的断距决定了要有较宽的震源谱 ,城市较严重的干扰决定了震源要有较强的抗干扰能力。通过在福州市跨八一水库断裂进行的可控震源、真空加速落锤、锤击震源、枪震源以及炸药震源的试验研究 ,利用频谱分析技术 ,得到了各种震源谱的特性 ,并给出了可控震源、真空加速落锤和锤击震源叠加时间剖面对比 ,探讨了各种震源在城市活断层探测中的有效性     

Seismic expression of active extensional faults in northern Umbria (Central Italy)

This paper deals with the geometry and kinematics of the active normal faults in northern Umbria, and their relationship with the seismicity observed in the area. In particular, we illustrate the contribution of seismic reflection data (a network of seismic profiles, NNW–SSE and WSW–ENE trending) in constraining at depth the geometry of the different active fault systems and their reciprocal spatial relationships. The main normal fault in the area is the Alto Tiberina fault, NNW trending and ENE dipping, producing a displacement of about 5 km, and generating a continental basin (Val Tiberina basin), infilled by up to 1500 m with Upper Pliocene–Quaternary deposits. The fault has a staircase trajectory, and can be traced on the seismic profiles to a depth of about 13 km. A set of WSW-dipping, antithetic faults can be recognised on the profiles, the most important of which is the Gubbio fault, bordering an extensional Quaternary basin and interpreted as an active fault based on geological, geomorphologic and seismological evidence. The epicentral distribution of the main historical earthquakes is strictly parallel to the general trend of the normal faults. The focal mechanisms of the major earthquakes show a strong similarity with the attitude of the extensional faults, mapped at the surface and recognised on the seismic profiles. These observations demonstrate the connection between seismicity in the area and the activity of the normal faults. Moreover, the distribution of the instrumental seismicity suggests the activity of the Alto Tiberina fault as the basal detachment for the extensional tectonics of the area. Finally, the action of the Alto Tiberina fault was simulated using two dimensional finite element modelling: a close correspondence between the concentration of shear stresses in the model and the distribution of the present earthquakes was obtained.