Seismic Rheological Model and Reflection Coefficients of the Brittle–Ductile Transition

It is well established that the upper—cooler—part of the crust is brittle, while deeper zones present ductile behaviour. In some cases, this brittle–ductile transition is a single seismic reflector with an associated reflection coefficient. We first develop a stress–strain relation including the effects of crust anisotropy, seismic attenuation and ductility in which deformation takes place by shear plastic flow. Viscoelastic anisotropy is based on the eigenstrain model and the Zener and Burgers mechanical models are used to model the effects of seismic attenuation, velocity dispersion, and steady-state creep flow, respectively. The stiffness components of the brittle and ductile media depend on stress and temperature through the shear viscosity, which is obtained by the Arrhenius equation and the octahedral stress criterion. The P- and S-wave velocities decrease as depth and temperature increase due to the geothermal gradient, an effect which is more pronounced for shear waves. We then obtain the reflection and transmission coefficients of a single brittle–ductile interface and of a ductile thin layer. The PP scattering coefficient has a Brewster angle (a sign change) in both cases, and there is substantial PS conversion at intermediate angles. The PP coefficient is sensitive to the layer thickness, unlike the SS coefficient. Thick layers have a well-defined Brewster angle and show higher reflection amplitudes. Finally, we compute synthetic seismograms in a homogeneous medium as a function of temperature.     

A METHOD TO DETERMINE THE VELOCITIES OF THE SEAFLOOR AND NEAR-SURFACE SEDIMENTS*

Shotpoint gathers from conventional reflection seismic surveys contain both reflected and refracted waves. In this study shot records were processed and analyzed, and the data were modeled with reflected, refracted, and reflected-refracted waves to fit the recorded data. The result is a detailed velocity model. The inverse problem for refracted waves was solved by using the Wiechert-Herglotz inversion. A 500-km-long 26-fold reflection seismic line from the Barents Sea, north of Norway, has been investigated. The data show high velocities, multiple reflections, and various types of noise. To test the method a total of 34 shot gathers were analyzed along this line. The aim of the interpretation was to determine the velocity in the seafloor and the near-surface sediments. It is possible to map the vertical as well as the lateral velocity distribution in detail. Depending on the length of the streamer and the velocity gradient in the sediments, the calculated depth varies between 300 and 500 m below the seafloor. These velocities were also compared to the stacking velocities obtained from the reflection seismic data to see how the velocities determined by different methods were related. The velocity distribution in the sediments is one of the key factors in seismic interpretation. The technique discussed in this paper can contribute to velocity information both in the processing and interpretation of seismic data.     

Crustal structure of Gondwana- and Yangtze-typed blocks: An example by wide-angle seismic profile from Menglian to Malong in western Yunnan

Ancient Tethyan vestige extends from Alps, Kaebaiqn Mountain and eastward through Turkey, IranAfghanistan, and the middle and north of Tibetan Plateau, then turns to western Yunnan and Sichuan, andfinally ends at Zhongnan Peninsula. The PaleoTethyan is supposed as one eastward opened Oceanand superposed by tectonic deformation in the latestage of the late Mesozoic to Paleocene of Cenozoicand covered by Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits. The Sanjiang region in southwestern China is in the…     

Surface and downhole shear wave seismic methods for thick soil site investigations

Shear wave velocity–depth information is required for predicting the ground motion response to earthquakes in areas where significant soil cover exists over firm bedrock. Rather than estimating this critical parameter, it can be reliably measured using a suite of surface (non-invasive) and downhole (invasive) seismic methods. Shear wave velocities from surface measurements can be obtained using SH refraction techniques. Array lengths as large as 1000 m and depth of penetration to 250 m have been achieved in some areas. High resolution shear wave reflection techniques utilizing the common midpoint method can delineate the overburden-bedrock surface as well as reflecting boundaries within the overburden. Reflection data can also be used to obtain direct estimates of fundamental site periods from shear wave reflections without the requirement of measuring average shear wave velocity and total thickness of unconsolidated overburden above the bedrock surface. Accurate measurements of vertical shear wave velocities can be obtained using a seismic cone penetrometer in soft sediments, or with a well-locked geophone array in a borehole. Examples from thick soil sites in Canada demonstrate the type of shear wave velocity information that can be obtained with these geophysical techniques, and show how these data can be used to provide a first look at predicted ground motion response for thick soil sites.     

Seismic reflection constraints on the glacial dynamics of Johnsons Glacier,Antarctica

During two Antarctic summers (1996–1997 and 1997–1998), five seismic refraction and two reflection profiles were acquired on the Johnsons Glacier (Livingston Island, Antarctica) in order to obtain information about the structure of the ice, characteristics of the ice-bed contact and basement topography. An innovative technique has been used for the acquisition of reflection data to optimise the field survey schedule. Different shallow seismic sources were used during each field season: Seismic Impulse Source System (SISSY) for the first field survey and low-energy explosives (pyrotechnic noisemakers) during the second one. A comparison between these two shallow seismic sources has been performed, showing that the use of the explosives is a better seismic source in this ice environment. This is one of the first studies where this type of source has been used. The analysis of seismic data corresponding to one of the reflection profiles (L3) allows us to delineate sectors with different glacier structure (accumulation and ablation zones) without using glaciological data. Moreover, vertical discontinuities were detected by the presence of back-scattered energy and the abrupt change in frequency content of first arrivals shown in shot records. After the raw data analysis, standard processing led us to a clear seismic image of the underlying bed topography, which can be correlated with the ice flow velocity anomalies. The information obtained from seismic data on the internal structure of the glacier, location of fracture zones and the topography of the ice-bed interface constrains the glacial dynamics of Johnsons Glacier.     

Scattering diagrams in seismic imaging: More insights into the construction of virtual events and internal multiples

The key processes in marine seismic imaging include (i) removing from seismic data all seismic events (free-surface multiples and ghosts) which contain at least one reflection at the sea surface in their wave-propagation path, and leaving those with no reflection at the free surface (internal multiples and primaries), (ii) removing events with at least two reflections in the subsurface (internal multiples), and leaving events with only one reflection in the subsurface (primaries), and then (iii) locating the scattering points and reflectors inside the subsurface which are the sources of primaries and internal multiple events. All these processes are here explained, derived, and optimized via scattering diagrams (diagrammatica) in a way similar to the way the quantum field theory is often explained via Feynman diagrams. Our discussion of the removal of events with free-surface reflections from the data will be brief, as the diagrammatica of these events are now well understood.The main focus of this paper is the diagrammatica of internal multiples and primaries. Although these events do not contain any reflection at the sea surface, it is important to reconstruct them with scattering points near the sea surface, where seismic data are recorded. So our diagrammatica of primaries and internal multiples include events which are not directly recorded in seismic data but which can be constructed from seismic data. These events have allowed us to construct scattering diagrams of primaries and internal multiples with scattering points near the sea surface. Furthermore, these new diagrammatica of internal multiples and primaries can be used to remove internal multiples from the data.     

Acquisition and processing of high-resolution reflection seismic data from a survey within the complex terrain of the Bavarian Folded Molasse

A high‐resolution reflection seismic survey was carried out in the southern part of the Bavarian Molasse Basin in 1998 and 1999. The survey aimed to investigate the near‐surface structure of the complicated transition from the unfolded Foreland Molasse to the Folded Molasse, and the Folded Molasse to the internally complicated thrust systems of the Helveticum, the Ultrahelveticum and the Rhenodanubian Flysch. The study is linked to the TRANSALP seismic project, and the results help to fill the gap between the surface and the upper 300–500 ms two‐way traveltime (TWT), typical of deep‐reflection seismic experiments. The environmental conditions encountered in the study area required that particular attention be paid to the acquisition parameters for the three seismic lines (each about 4 km long). The energy source was a small vibrator; the geophone spread, spacing and frequency range were adjusted to image reflectors, which were expected to dip steeply southwards. In general, the unprocessed field records did not show signals that could be attributed to specific reflectors. Individual trace processing considerably improved the data quality, taking into account the influence of the Quaternary cover and also the strong lateral velocity variations of the shallow subsurface. The effects of the various processing steps, such as muting, refraction statics, residual statics and velocity analysis, are discussed. To assess the NMO velocities, the qualitative analysis of the seismic energy in a common‐shotpoint gather offered advantages over an analysis in a common‐midpoint gather or in a stacked section, and proved to be very effective. As demonstrated along the Miesbach 9801 line, low‐velocity zones extend locally down to about 400 ms, adjacent to zones of extremely high velocities close to the surface, reflecting steeply dipping strata. Besides the Quaternary cover on top, the Miesbach 9801 and Miesbach 9802 lines exhibit many horizontal reflections, in places down as far as 1400 ms TWT, indicating the sedimentary sequences of the unfolded Foreland Molasse. The southern part of both lines is dominated by southward‐dipping reflection bands, indicating units of the Folded Molasse. The reflection pattern shown by the Miesbach 9901 line suggests that there is almost no Quaternary cover. Southward‐dipping elements reflect the internal structure of the Folded Molasse, whereas a rather diffuse reflection signature may be attributed to Rhenodanubian Flysch units.     

OFFSET SOURCE VSP SURVEYS AND THEIR IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION*

Zero-offset-source VSP surveys provide information about the subsurface only within the Fresnel zone centered at the well. Offsetting the source location moves the reflection zones away from the well thus providing lateral cover. Conventional processing of this type of data gives rise to a distorted image of the subsurface. Using a simple ray-tracing scheme, this image may be reconstructed into the more familiar coordinate system of the surface seismic section. This simple data-independent mapping is based on the assumption of horizontal layering and requires a vertical velocity profile. The technique of placing the source away from the borehole was first applied to the single-offset-source VSP survey. However, data from any survey geometry (such as deviated well with rig source, walkaway VSP, etc.) can be mapped to the coordinate system defined by the appropriate seismic section. To obtain the best results from this type of survey the target area must be defined and simple modeling techniques used to optimize the source location(s). These pre-survey modeling methods may also be used to anticipate—and hence avoid a number of problem areas which experience has highlighted. The data from any VSP survey is the result of a realizable experiment and as such obeys the wave equation. This implies that the wave equation may be used to migrate the data to its true subsurface location. Theoretically, such a process is more secure than ray-tracing techniques, although its practice presents many difficulties.     

利用宽角反射/折射和深反射探测剖面揭示三河-平谷大震区深部结构特征

利用三河—平谷8.0级大震区实施的深地震反射剖面与宽角反射剖面探测方法获得的结果进行了综合研究和解释. 结果表明：两种探测方法给出的地壳基本分层是一致的,在三河—平谷大震区上地壳的埋深为21～23km,莫霍界面的深度为36～37km;该地区基底结构起伏变化较大,浅部断裂发育,在确定的数条断裂构造带中夏垫断裂是一条特征明显、深浅共存的断裂构造带;震源区周围差异明显的速度异常结构和特殊而复杂的地质构造环境意味着这些部位是发生大地震的有利部位;该地区莫霍界面起伏变化和较厚的反射叠层以及局部复杂的楔形反射带的存在等现象表明,该地区地壳结构发生过强烈的挤压、变形,同时也反映出岩浆活动对下地壳结构进行了物质的和结构的强烈改造,从而构成了该地区复杂的地壳深部结构,可将其视为三河—平谷8.0级大地震孕育和发生的深部要素.     

Enhancing hardrock seismic images: Reprocessing of high resolution seismic reflection data from Vihanti,Finland

Seismic reflection data were acquired across volcanic hosted massive sulfides (VHMS) of Vihanti in order to improve the understanding of the regional geological setting. Commercially processed seismic data from Vihanti are of good quality, but reprocessing can be used to extract additional information about geological structures. Especially, careful velocity analysis influences the quality of seismic images. Differentiating reflections caused by fractures from those caused by lithological contacts is very important for exploration and geological modeling. Reflections from fracture zones known from drilling stack with lower velocity (~ 5100 m/s) compared to typical stacking velocities of the Vihanti area (> 5500 m/s). The reprocessing also indicated that fracture zones are better imaged with low frequencies due to the better overall continuity of the fault zones at scales of hundreds of meters rather than at shorter seismic wavelengths.In full stacks, long offset data can mask structure close to the surface. More detailed seismic images of the shallow subsurface emerged by preferentially stacking short offset data wherever acquisition and processing lines lay close together and were nearly straight. Long offset data remains valuable for imaging deeper structures as well as dipping reflectors. Cross-dip-analysis revealed a bright diffractor located near the base of the Vihanti volcanic basin at 1.5 km depth. The seismic data allow a geological interpretation in which the Vihanti structure has developed through significant thrust faulting and displacement of the lithological contacts. Gentle folds that were formed prior to faulting are visible as undulating reflectivity in seismic sections. The reprocessed seismic section indicates a potential deep extension of the ore-hosting altered volcanic and calc-silicate rocks previously unexplored.     

NON-LINEAR ESTIMATION OF REFLECTION COEFFICIENTS FROM SEISMIC DATA*

For years, reflection coefficients have been the main aim of traditional deconvolution methods for their significant informational content. A method to estimate seismic reflection coefficients has been derived by searching for their amplitude and their time positions without any other limitating assumption. The input data have to satisfy certain quality constraints like amplitude and almost zero phase noise—ghosts, reverberations, long period multiples, and diffracted waves should be rejected by traditional processing. The proposed algorithm minimizes a functional of the difference between the spectra of trace and reflectivity in the frequency domain. The estimation of reflection coefficients together with the consistent “wavelet’ is reached iteratively with a multidimensional Newton-Raphson technique. The residual error trace shows the behavior of the process. Several advantages are then obtainable from these reflection coefficients, like conversion to interval velocities with an optimum calibration either to the well logs or to the velocity analysis curves. The procedure can be applied for detailed stratigraphic interpretations or to improve the resolution of a conventional velocity analysis.     

AVO反演在南海北部潮汕坳陷中生界地层物性研究中的应用

潮汕坳陷是中生界地层为主的沉积坳陷,是南海油气勘探突破的重要领域.LF35-1 1钻井证实了潮汕坳陷存在大套中生代海相地层,但未获油气发现,在钻至目标层前钻遇了侵入岩体,凸显了中生界钻前预测的重要性,本文对收集到的一条穿越潮汕坳陷长排列地震测线资料进行了多次波压制和AVO反演处理,获得了清晰的剖面反射特征,识别了两个中生界AVO异常带.研究区中生代速度普遍较高,但折射波速度计算表明这两个异常带中生界纵波速度低于背景速度,可能具有有利储集物性条件,因此作为AVO分析的选择区.但是AVO反演的纵波速度反射率剖面上显示为很大的数值,因此异常带成岩程度较高,可能不是油气成因的异常.地震偏移剖面也显示异常区受到切穿海底的高角度断裂影响,下部反射模糊杂乱,可能还有岩体侵入的影响,都不利于油气储集.     

DECOMPOSITION AND INVERSION OF SEISMIC DATA–AN INSTANTANEOUS SLOWNESS APPROACH*

Interpretation techniques are presented that aim at the estimation of seismic velocities. The application of localized slant stacks, weighted by coherency, produces a decomposition of multichannel seismic data into single trace instantaneous slowness p(x, t) components. Colour displays support the interpretation of seismic data relevant to the near surface velocity structure. Since p(x, t) is directly related to stacking velocities and the depth of reflection, or bottoming points, in the subsurface, this data transformation provides a powerful tool for the inversion of reflection and refraction data.     

A seismic multi-approach method for characterizing contaminated sites

A geophysical campaign to characterize the subsurface of a contaminated site down to a depth of several tens of meters was carried out under the HYGEIA-CEE project. On this site, seismic techniques were combined to image the geological structures; i.e. seismic reflection, P-wave tomography and spectral analysis of surface waves. Because these techniques consider different wave components in the processing, they can be expected to provide complementary information concerning the site lithology. The special feature of this experiment is the fact that the same seismic acquisition device, consisting of a mobile central unit, a drop-weight seismic source, and a sensor line of gimbal mounted geophones, was used for each of the techniques. Two perpendicular seismic lines were set up in the field for testing two geophone spacings. Three processing procedures, one each for the seismic reflection, P-wave tomography and spectral analysis of surface waves, were developed for producing seismic images from the P-wave reflectivity, the first P-wave arrivals and the dispersion of Rayleigh waves, respectively. The images show good complementarity in terms of investigation depth. The results are also in good agreement with available borehole data: the sandy layers seem to be related to low velocities, since the high velocities are better explained by the presence of clayey and gravelly intervals. The contribution and the limits of this seismic multi-approach method is discussed.     

Study on crust-mantle tectonics and its velocity structure along the Beijing-Huailai-Fengzhen profile

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SHEAR-WAVE REFLECTION PROFILING FOR NEAR-SURFACE LIGNITE EXPLORATION*

We present the results of a shear-wave reflection experiment and in situ measurements in opencast lignite exploration. Near-surface coal seams have lower shear-wave velocities (～ 200 m/s) and lower densities than sand and clay layers. Due to strong reflection coefficients, a shear-wave reflection survey provides a powerful tool in lignite prospecting. Due to shorter seismic wavelengths shear waves will yield a higher resolution of shallow subsurface structure than compressional waves. Low shear-wave velocities and strong lateral velocity variations, however, require a dense data acquisition in the field. The variation of stacking velocities can exceed ± 15% within a profile length of 300 m. The different steps in processing and interpretation of results are described with actual records. The final CMP-stack shows steep-angle fault zones with maximum dislocations of 20 m within a coal seam.     

Seismic measurements of the internal properties of fault zones

The internal properties within and adjacent to fault zones are reviewed, principally on the basis of laboratory, borehole, and seismic refraction and reflection data. The deformation of rocks by faulting ranges from intragrain microcracking to severe alteration. Saturated microcracked and mildly fractured rocks do not exhibit a significant reduction in velocity, but, from borehole measurements, densely fractured rocks do show significantly reduced velocities, the amount of reduction generally proportional to the fracture density. Highly fractured rock and thick fault gouge along the creeping portion of the San Andreas fault are evidenced by a pronounced seismic low-velocity zone (LVZ), which is either very thin or absent along locked portions of the fault. Thus there is a correlation between fault slip behavior and seismic velocity structure within the fault zone; high pore pressure within the pronounced LVZ may be conductive to fault creep. Deep seismic reflection data indicate that crustal faults sometimes extend through the entire crust. Models of these data and geologic evidence are consistent with a composition of deep faults consisting of highly foliated, seismically anisotropic mylonites.     

Imaging of groundwater resources in glacial deposits using high-resolution reflection seismics, Sweden

Two high-resolution reflection seismic profiles were acquired in the Heby area of eastern Sweden over glacial deposits for the purpose of mapping groundwater resources. The majority of shot points were located in clay resulting in good quality data along most of the profiles. On stacked and migrated sections, the uppermost clay is about 20 m thick and is characterized by its subhorizontal reflectivity. Sand/gravel deposits below it contain more dipping interfaces and have a chaotic reflectivity pattern. Depth to bedrock is interpreted to be 90 and 65 m on the respective profiles and occurs in about a 100-m-wide trough on both profiles. Reflections from the tops of sandy gravel zones generally have higher amplitudes. Clear reflections from a thin silt layer (20 cm thick) at about 10-m depth are observed on one of the profiles. Elastic finite difference modeling and the observation of this reflection in shot gathers show that the reflection is not an artifact of the acquisition nor the processing. The modeling also shows that there is no marked low-velocity waveguide in the near surface, but that an effective low Q zone may be present. Comparison with refraction profiling on the other profile shows that there is better agreement between the reflection seismic results and penetration tests than the refraction results with these tests. Both profiles allow the thickness of the overlying clay layers to be determined, as well as the thickness of the underlying sand/gravel deposits. This is important for estimating the amount of groundwater resources in an area.     

三维复杂地形近地表速度估算及地震层析静校正

在地表一致性模型的基础上提出一种可适用于宽线剖面、弯曲测线、传统的二维和目前广泛使用的三维地震观测.在地形及近地表低降速带地质结构复杂的探区，低降速带厚度及速度估算的精度是静校正处理的关键.本研究根据三维地震观测的初至走时数据，利用最小平方与QR分解相结合的算法，在三维空间重建近地表低降速带速度模型，根据重建速度模型实现了静校正长波长分量与短波长分量的同步计算.分析了复杂的近地表低降速带模型初至波的性质，在观测值的自动拾取以及理论值的计算中充分考虑了可能成为初至波的直达波、折射波和反射波的利用，提高了低降速带速度模型反演的精度.在初至走时观测数据的拾取中，本研究采用分形算法克服了初至波波形差异以及折射波相位反转导致的拾取误差，实现了三维初至拾取的大规模全自动化运算.在射线路径与初至波理论走时的计算中，本研究采用一种计算量与模型复杂程度无关的三维射线追踪方法，该方法以最小走时射线路径保证了与观测数据有同等意义的初至波的射线追踪及理论走时的计算.野外实际资料的处理结果表明了方法的有效性.     

利用深反射地震数据构建的多阶面波频散曲线反演近地表横波速度结构——以跨班公湖—怒江缝合带深反射地震资料为例

深反射地震剖面法为了获取深部结构特征常常采取大的偏移距采集数据.目前公开发表的相关资料中,鲜有利用深反射地震炮集数据获取近地表的结构特征.为此,本文通过正演测试了相关数据处理流程,即利用有限差分正演了起伏地表模型的大偏移距地震单炮弹性波场特征,通过共检波点域面波信号F-K频谱叠加构建新方法,从深反射地震数据集中提取了高品质的多阶面波频散曲线,再利用多阶面波联合反演获得了近地表的结构特征.在前述正演流程基础上,利用跨越班公湖—怒江缝合带的SinoProbe深反射地震剖面中的实际炮集数据,求取了基阶和一阶瑞利波频散曲线,联合反演后得到近地表横波速度结构.该结果与初至波走时反演获取的纵波速度结构具有较好的一致性,且在近地表的浅层分辨率较纵波速度结构特征更高,而更与已有地质认识相吻合.本文提供的相关数据处理流程表明利用深反射地震炮集数据,也能够获取近地表浅层的横波速度结构.