A simple deep-towed vertical array for high-resolution reflection seismic profiling

A simple, low cost, deep-towed system for high-resolution reflection seismic profiling is described. It consists of a vertical array with two hydrophones having a separation of 2.2 m and rigidly mounted onto streamlined tow bodies. Improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio is attained by simple stacking of the hydrophone outputs after signal conditioning and travel time corrections. The suppression of side echoes and surface reflections is achieved by an analog procedure which in effect improves the directional characteristics of the array. A circuit for automatic gain control is included to enhance weak signals as well as to suppress ringing.Results in Kiel Bay and over the crest of the Jan Mayen Ridge (northern Atlantic) suggest that this simple vertical array may supplement air gun systems better than conventional, surface pinger-type equipment.Institute of Geophysics     

光纤水听器阵列应用于海洋地震勘探的试验*

为了检验光纤水听器阵列在海洋地震勘探中应用的性能, 在南海, 使用1024基元的光纤水听器阵列与进口的360道压电水听器海洋地震勘探仪, 采用相同的作业方式在同一位置进行海洋地震勘探调查, 对两个设备采集的海洋地震勘探资料进行对比。试验结果表明, 光纤水听器阵列采集的数据主频范围达到10~120Hz, 宽于压电水听器海洋地震勘探仪的主频范围10~80Hz; 地震剖面分辨率优于压电水听器海洋地震勘探仪。光纤水听器阵列在经过适应性改进后完全能够满足海洋地震勘探的性能要求。     

Coherent seismic sea-bottom profiling based on broadband signals

Experimental results of the seismic profiling with bottom penetration up to 1000 m based on broadband signals and conducted in the Caspian Sea sites are presented. Use has been made of synchronized sequences of probing pulses with linear frequency modulation at a frequency deviation of 50 to100 Hz. The pulses were emitted by a towed sound source of an original design (acoustic power up to 300 W, frequency ranged from 100 to 1000 Hz) and received by a standard digital seismic streamer. The processing of the signals involved the matched filtering of the individual pulses and the trajectory accumulation of a long sequence of pulses lengthwise the horizontal-homogeneous reflecting layers of the bottom structure. The adaptive stacking procedure taking into account the linear inclinations of the individual layers allowed us to enlarge the stacking interval by up to 100 pulses and to increase the effective depth and the spatial resolution of the seismic profiling, which gave us a total increase of more than 30 dB in the S/N ratio. In our view, the seismic profiling using low-power (about 100 W) and broadband (up to several hundred Hz) coherent sound sources represents a promising technology for decreasing the hazardous impact on aquatic ecosystems. The approach developed is an alternative to the conventional technology of marine seismic prospecting based on powerful pulse sources of the shock type (air guns, sparkers) in the low frequency range (less than ～200 Hz).     

气枪组合震源模拟分析及其应用

在海洋地震勘探中,气枪组合震源得到广泛应用.目前气枪组合震源通常是采用模拟技术,得到震源的远场子波后,通过评价远场子波的参数来评价震源的性能.文章对气枪组合震源性能评价标准进行了简单叙述,对采用震源模拟软件模拟一系列震源进行评价后,优选了3 000 CI,并应用于实际地震勘探中,达到勘探地质目的,取得了良好的资料.     

Seafloor Structure in the North Atlantic Region between the Kolbeinsey Ridge and the Jan Mayen Microcontinent

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Deep seismic sounding, continuous seismic profiling, and bathymetric data are used to discuss the structure of the Iceland Plateau and adjacent areas of...     

Deep structure and selected aspects of the oil and gas potential of the southern seas of Russia

Regional deep seismic sounding—refracted wave seismic profiles across the Sea of Azov, the Caspian, and the Black seas carried out by the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1957–2002 with the use ocean bottom seismographs—provided information on the deep structure of the regions studied. Multichannel seismic profiling helped to refine the structure of the sedimentary cover. A combined interpretation of the reflection and refraction data allowed us to construct structural-lithological models of the southern seas of Russia and to estimate their oil and gas potential.     

基于拉格朗日方法的南海自动剖面浮标轨迹模拟系统*

南海自动剖面浮标轨迹模拟系统包括高分辨率模式流场、拉格朗日追踪模型和垂向浮标运动参数化方案等三个核心部分。该系统可在南海范围内模拟两类自动剖面浮标: 传统自动剖面浮标(停滞深度为1000m, 最大下潜深度为2000m)和新型深海自动剖面浮标(停滞深度为距海底500m)。通过对南海现有的6个传统浮标的模拟, 该系统可以预测其100d内的漂流轨迹。通过与真实浮标轨迹数据的对比, 验证了该模拟系统的准确性。此外, 根据该系统, 我们初步探讨了深海自动剖面浮标阵列(时空分辨率为2°×2°×30d)在南海内区布放方案的可行性。该模拟系统的建立和完善将有助于对现有传统剖面浮标布放策略进行优化, 并对未来深海剖面浮标在南海的推广应用提供初步的理论依据。     

A sea bottom multichannel hydrophone array

The PUMA (Pull-Up Multichannel Array) is a sea-bottom instrument for remotely recording data from a 12 channel hydrophone array. Its purpose is to achieve (i) denser data coverage, leading to (ii) improved velocity analysis and (iii) multichannel processing of wide angle seismic data collected on the continental shelf. The instrument consists of a 1.2 km array terminating with a pressure case in which 8 FM cassette recorders, a power supply, microprocessor controller and internal clock are housed. It can be pre-programmed to switch on during shot windows for a total of four hours recording time.The PUMA was successfully used in an experiment west of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, U.K. in August–September 1984. We show an example of PUMA data from this experiment. Indications are that the instrument will provide improved constraints on seismic velocities in the lower continental crust and uppermost mantle.     

Magnetic measurements and seismic profiling in the Skagerrak

The results of aero-magnetic measurements in the Skagerrak and of seismic profiling outside Kristiansand are presented.Characteristic magnetic features which are observed on the Norwegian mainland along the Skagerrak coastline can be followed into the Skagerrak (Figure 12).The seismic profiling off Kristiansand shows that the unmetamorphic sedimentary rocks found beneath the Skagerrak form a wedge-shaped border zone with the crystalline basement rocks on the landside. The magnetic measurements indicate that a wedge-shaped border zone may also exist all along the Norwegian Skagerrak coastline and along the Fennoscandian border zone (Figures 5 and 12).The basement depths in the Skagerrak, which are calculated on the basis of the magnetic records, show a maximum depth of over 6000 m (Figure 5).The distribution of the quaternary sediments in the Norwegian Channel supports the theory that glacier activity has played an important role during the formation of the Norwegian Channel.Paper No. 8 of the Working Group on the Skagerrak Project.     

Numerical study on attenuation of bubble pulse through tuning the air-gun array with the particle swarm optimization method

A numerical method for improving the quality of the far-field signal generated by a marine seismic air-gun array is presented, in which particle swarm optimization is used in conjunction with the theory of the oscillating spherical bubble to tune the array. Two sets of objective functions, including the primary-to-bubble ratio and the variance of the normalized amplitude spectrum, are built to screen the array. With this method, attempts are made to improve the far-field signals generated by four typical arrays, including the planar array, spatial array, irregular array and delayed array. It is concluded that the far-field signal can be largely improved just through the simple adjustment of the chamber volume, the firing depth, the horizontal location or the firing time of each individual gun in the array. We believe that this method will be useful in the air-gun array design and helpful to find a desirable array from a population of air-gun array distributions for a brief time.     

Imaging the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water from multichannel seismic data

The Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water (YSBCW) is a large cold water mass lying in the deep part of the Yellow Sea during the warm season. We acquired multichannel seismic (MCS) data using an air gun source to image the structure of the YSBCW. The MCS data recorded reflections from sea water. The recognition of these reflections was confirmed by finite-difference seismic modeling in the frequency-domain. The seismic section from MCS data enabled discrimination of water masses distinctly separated by reflecting horizons. The structure of the water masses is fairly consistent with temperature-depth variations obtained using expandable bathythermograph (XBT) casts. The YSBCW is imaged as the lowermost water mass, maximally 40 m thick, that extends as a lens-like form along the sea bottom under the warm mixed layer. The correlation of XBT measurements and the seismic section indicates a rapid decrease in temperature from around 11 to 8 °C in the uppermost part of the YSBCW. A transition zone between the mixed layer and the underlying YSBCW is also defined. This transition zone has fairly uniform thickness of 14–18 m and marks an interval of rapid temperature drop, indicating vigorous thermal mixing. Our study demonstrates that MCS profiling is a useful and reliable tool for imaging fine structures in the shallow Yellow Sea.     

GLORIA surveys in frontier areas of the southwest Pacific Ocean

In August 1989, a geophysical survey in parts of the Exclusive Economic Zones of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Western Samoa was conducted using a variety of techniques including GLORIA sidescan sonar, Seabeam wide-swath bathymetry, 3.5-kHz subbottom profiling, and dual-channel seismic reflection profiling. The data obtained are relevant to significant regional geotectonic problems, and their interpretation has helped to clarify some of these problems, identify areas where potential mineral deposits may be expected to occur, and in some cases, where geohazards may exist on the sea floor. The survey is described in this contribution, and the following papers in this special issue interpret the results of this work.     

Application of the Single-Bubble Airgun Technique for OBS-Data Acquisition Across the Jan Mayen Ridge,North Atlantic

A 140 km long wide-angle seismic profile has been acquired by use of 6 Ocean Bottom Seismographs across the Jan Mayen Ridge, North Atlantic. The profile was acquired twice; once with a traditionally tuned standard source and secondly with a somewhat smaller source tuned on the first bubble pulse. Analysis of the frequency content of the data reveals that the single-bubble source within the 10-15 Hz frequency range generates a signal with a level about 5 db above that of the standard source. These differences can partly be related to differences in airgun depth. The higher output level for these frequencies enables the single-bubble source to resolve intra-crustal structures with a higher degree of certainty, when compared to the data acquired by use of the standard source array. The standard source seems to generate slightly more energy for frequencies around 6 Hz, probably due to the use of a large 1200 in/sup3 gun in this array. These low frequencies a re of importance for mapping of lower crustal and upper mantle structures, and it is recommended that this is taken into account when seismic sources for mapping of deep crustal and upper mantle structures are designed.     

Late quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit (NE Marmara Sea)

The Upper Quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit were investigated by means of high-resolution shallow seismic profiling data in the source region of 1999 İzmit earthquake. High-resolution seismic reflection data correlated with borehole data indicate that the stratigraphy of İzmit Bay consists of three distinct depositional sequences formed in response to middle Pleistocene-Holocene sea-level changes. Reflector R, separating the pre-Holocene sequences (1 and 2) from the Holocene sequence (3), represents an erosional unconformity produced by the subaerial fluvial erosion of the continental shelves at the time of the last glacial maximum. Occasional, anomalous reflections (acoustic turbidity) observed within the Holocene sequence are interpreted as gas accumulations. The maximum thickness of the Holocene sediments is found to be about 25 m. The isopach map of Holocene sediment implies that the thickness of the Holocene decreases from the east towards the central and western basins of İzmit Bay. Two distinct fault systems are interpreted in İzmit Bay. The main fault system extending roughly in an E-W direction along the Gulf of İzmit is an active right lateral strike slip fault with a normal component. The secondary faults are normal faults striking in different directions and these are identified as being both active and inactive. In addition, prominent compressive features are identified in the seismic cross-sections of some profiles acquired to the east of Hersek Peninsula where the focal mechanisms of the aftershocks of the 1999 İzmit earthquake also reveal predominantly reverse faulting mechanisms, as identified by a local dense seismic network.     

Relationship between Shot-Induced Noise and Shot Interval in Seismic Refraction Experiments at Sea

Seismic noise induced by the seismic source during continuous profiling reduces the signal-to-noise ratio and hence the data quality. This noise is largely dependent on the shot interval. In this paper, the noise amplitude of refraction seismic records from a special experiment is analysed as a function of the shot interval. An empirical exponential relationship between mean peak noise amplitude and shot interval is deduced. By increasing the shot interval, the induced noise can be minimized on all successive records. This results in an improvement of the data, predominantly the signal-to-noise ratio. Because the seismic signal and the shot-induced noise have nearly the same spectra, the chance of improving the signal-to-noise ratio by stacking is significantly reduced.     

Measurement of the signal to noise ratio in seismic profiling

The measurement of the signal to noise ratio in continuous seismic profiling systems is carried out by means of a small general purpose digital computer equipped with an analog to digital converter. The computer is programmed to compute and compare the power spectrum of a sample of noise to the power spectrum of a sample of noise plus an echo. Power spectra of some twenty to fifty shots are averaged to yield reliable estimates of the signal to noise ratio as a function of frequency. The observed spectra agree well with spectra calculated from signals measured near to an air-gun. This measurement of signal to noise ratio as a function of frequency provides unambiguous information for the adjustment of the necessary band-pass filter thus improving the operation of a continuous seismic profiler.     

Gas-related morphologies and diapirism in the Gulf of Cádiz

Recently developed high-resolution profiling (multibeam, sonar) and surface sampling were used to map seafloor morphology of the Gulf of Cádiz middle continental slope. Multichannel seismic profiling has made it possible to elucidate the geologic origin of these features as well as the main triggering mechanisms of gas-related morphologies, principally mud volcanoes, carbonate mud mounds, pockmarks and slides. Throughout the entire Gulf of Cádiz, from the continental slope to the shelf and even on land, a close correlation between morphology and gas mobility and associated diapirism can be observed. The middle slope area is strongly deformed by several diapiric ridges, named Guadalquivir, Cádiz and Doñana. Most of the diapirs identified in this study are related to the Allochthonous Unit of the Gulf of Cádiz, a chaotic body emplaced during the Tortonian, containing salt and shale nappes affected by later gravitational extension collapse and reactivated compression thrusts. It can be proposed that diapirism and related tectonics provided gas migration pathways.     

海洋短排列多道反射地震数据观测系统重定义与沉放深度校正

短排列多道反射地震接收缆较短,无水鸟、磁罗经、尾标等定位定深设备,给常规数据处理带来诸如观测系统定义等棘手问题;另外,无定深设备会造成接收缆不同接收段的沉放深度不同,破坏反射数据理论双曲线时距曲线关系。针对短排列多道反射地震数据,本文充分利用现场导航数据,计算实际激发点轨迹,再通过反距离比线性插值算法计算检波点的轨迹坐标,获得整个排列的实际观测系统参数。对因沉放深度不一致造成的扭曲时距曲线反射波,文中利用理论双曲线先计算共中心点道集的理论反射波位置,再推算排列中各接收道不同沉放深度处的静校正量,通过静校正拟合运算,消除接收排列非一致深度引起的反射波同相轴扭曲现象。将上述处理方法应用于南极海域短排列多道反射地震数据,最终获得了高分辨率叠加剖面,为后续地质解释提供了保障。     

南黄海盆地地震试验数据处理分析方法与成果

基于南黄海海相残留盆地的油气地震勘探,开展了针对性的沉放深度与枪阵组合的地震采集参数海上试验,对试验数据进行了子波特征、频带、能量、信噪比和F—K频谱的分析工作,制定了统一的处理流程,并进行了成像处理。在上述工作的基础上,对不同的试验参数进行了对比分析,优选了地震资料批量采集参数。     

极浅海水区浅地层剖面浅层失真及校正

浅地层剖面调查是进行大陆架第四纪地质研究，浅海灾害地质研究和工程地的南调查的重要手段，剖面的质量与解释精度将对研究成果的可靠性造成直接影响。由于浅地层剖面系统的震源与水听器有一定的距离，因此它只是近似的垂直发射垂直的接收单道地震系统，当水深地了浅时造成了剖面浅层的失真，导致各层位的反射时间延迟，层与层之间双程走时缩短，计算出的层速度偏高，在地形起伏较大的区域，将造成地形失真，在潮差大的区域，计算出