Seismic method

What do you know about SEISMIC ?

Students group discussion

Seismic method

Keary at al, 2006

Seismic Exploration

A Explosive
1 Source
B Non-explosive

2 Recording instrument
A Geophone For land
3 Receiver
B Hydrophone For marine
Seismic Equipment
You will see them at
the last 10 minutes
of the next lecture at
department of
Geophysics
As source initiates rays travels spherically
outward from the its origin
As source initiates rays travels spherically
outward from the its origin
 Wave terminology
1- Wave length (): is the distance between two adjacent points
on the wave that have the same phase or similar displacements.
Phases of the
3 points

Same phases (red)

Note : X- axis is DISTANCE
 Wave terminology
2- Period (T): is the time takes for two successive crests to pass the
reference point (motion to complete one cycle).

Note : X- axis is TIME

 Wave terminology
3- Amplitude (A): is the maximum displacement associated with
the particle motion.
 Wave terminology

4- Frequency (): the numbers of repetitions per unit of time (Hz).

Frequenct 1
dt 0.02 ms
1.5
f#1 5 Hz
1
f#2 10 Hz
f#3 20 Hz
0.5
Maxiumum Freq. 24 Hz
Amplitude

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

-0.5

-1

-1.5
Time

SUM of all data

Frequency # 2
2.5
1.5
2

1 1.5

1
0.5
0.5
Amplitude

Amplitude

0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
-0.5
-0.5
-1

-1 -1.5

-2
-1.5
Time -2.5
Time

Frequency # 3
1.5

0.5
Amplitude

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

-0.5

-1

-1.5
Time
 Types of seismic waves

Body waves Surface waves

Primary wave (P-wave),

Rayleigh wave
Compressional, longitudinal wave

Secondary wave (S-wave), Shear

wave Love wave

Body waves travels within (inside) the Earth’s body

Surface waves travels (propagate) within and confined to the

region of bounding surface
 Types of seismic waves

Seismic body waves are the key of

identifying Earth’s interior
structure.

Thompson & Turk, Introduction to physical geology

 Types of seismic waves

P-wave

S-wave

Rayleight wave
Surface waves are characterized
by decreasing the motion as
moving downward
Love wave

Photo from Reynolds, 1998

 Types of seismic waves
Body waves

Primary wave (P-wave), Secondary wave (S-wave), Shear

Compressional, longitudinal wave wave

Particle movement back and forth Particle movement perpendicular

parallel to the wave direction to the wave direction

Travels with faster speed than S- Travels with slower speed than P-
wave wave

Travels through out all types of Does not travel through liquid
materials materials

4 𝐺
𝐾+ 𝐺 𝑉𝑠 =
𝑉𝑝 = 3
𝜌
𝜌
 Seismic velocities

Unsaturated sediments have lower values than Saturated sediments

Unconsolidated sediments have lower values than Consolidated sediments
saturated sediments have similar values as Consolidated sediments
Weathered rocks have lower values than Unweathered rocks
Fractured rocks have lower values than Unfractured rocks
 Types of seismic arrival waves
As the source goes-off at the surface, it generates seismic waves that travel
beneath the surface (subsurface) in all directions.

Due to various in physical properties of the subsurface materials and due to the
types of the waves, the receivers at the surface record generally FIVE types of
arrival waves.

1
• Direct waves (Due to the short source-receiver distance)

2
• Refracted wave ( Due to the highest velocity)

3
• Reflected wav (Due to the highest velocity than Surface and Air waves)

4
• Ground roll waves ( Rayleight waves)

5
• Air waves
 Types of seismic arrival waves
First arrivals (Direct + Refracted waves)
Reflected waves (Hyperbolic)
Ground roll waves (Rayleight waves)

Direct
Refract
ed