Geophysics and Seismology Commons^™

Reservoir Estimation In The Penobscot 3d Seismic Volume Using Constrained Sparse Spike Inversion, Offshore Nova Scotia, Canada, Mengchu Xiao

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Penobscot study area is located offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. There are two wells, which penetrate the highest potentially commercial bodies in the Abenaki Formation. In order to investigate the potential for locating additional hydrocarbon reservoirs, well log data was used and the Penobscot 3D seismic dataset was analyzed using Constrained Sparse Spike Inversion. From the well log data, low GR and SP values are an indication of a permeable sand layer, which provides the target zone in this study. Impedance – porosity crossplots gave the relationship between impedance and porosity, where a low impedance sand layer is correlated with …

Climatic Cycles Recorded In Glacially Influenced Rhythmites Of The Gowganda Formation, Huronian Supergroup, Tim S. Howe, Patricia L. Corcoran, Fred Longstaffe, Elizabeth A. Webb, R Gerhard Pratt

Earth Sciences Publications

The Gowganda Formation of the 2.45–2.2 Ga Huronian Supergroup contains glacially-induced, varve-like rhythmites that potentially preserve a detailed record of climatic conditions during the Paleoproterozoic Era. Four rhythmic couplet thickness records were measured at two outcrops near Wharncliffe, Ontario for the purpose of time-series analysis. The couplets, which range from 1 to 32 mm thick, are composed of alternating layers of siltstone and claystone. Time-series analysis of the couplet thickness records using the MTM Toolkit of Mann and Lees (1996) consistently revealed periodicities in the range of 2.2–2.9 couplets per cycle, which is consistent with climatic cycles such as the …

Kinds Of Volcanoes, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

By definition, a volcano is a conical structure that builds around a volcanic vent. A volcanic vent is an opening from which molten rock and gases erupt. According to the definition, there is no size requirement. There are volcanoes that you can span with your legs while on the other hand, there is Mt. Fiji.

Targeted Reflection-Waveform Inversion Of Experimental Ground-Penetrating Radar Data For Quantification Of Oil Spills Under Sea Ice, John H. Bradford, Esther L. Babcock, Hans-Peter Marshall, David F. Dickins

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rapid spill detection and mapping are needed with increasing levels of oil exploration and production in the Arctic. Previous work has found that ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is effective for qualitative identification of oil spills under, and encapsulated within, sea ice. Quantifying the spill distribution will aid effective spill response. To this end, we have developed a targeted GPR reflection-waveform inversion algorithm to quantify the geometry of oil spills under and within sea ice. With known electric properties of the ice and oil, we have inverted for oil thickness and variations in ice thickness. We have tested the algorithm with data …

A Synthetic Study To Assess The Applicability Of Full-Waveform Inversion To Infer Snow Stratigraphy From Upward-Looking Ground-Penetrating Radar Data, Lino Schmid, Jürg Schweizer, John Bradford, Hansruedi Maurer

CGISS Publications and Presentations

Snow stratigraphy and liquid water content are key contributing factors to avalanche formation. Upward-looking ground penetrating radar (upGPR) systems allow nondestructive monitoring of the snowpack, but deriving density and liquid water content profiles is not yet possible based on the direct analysis of the reflection response. We have investigated the feasibility of deducing these quantities using full-waveform inversion (FWI) techniques applied to upGPR data. For that purpose, we have developed a frequency-domain FWI algorithm in which we additionally took advantage of time-domain features such as the arrival times of reflected waves. Our results indicated that FWI applied to upGPR data …

Re-Assessment Of Lithostratigraphy, Biostratigraphy, And Volcanic Activity Of The Late Paleozoic Intra-Sudetic, Krkonoše-Piedmont And Mnichovo Hradiště Basins (Czech Republic) Based On New U-Pb Ca-Id-Tims Ages, Stanislav Opluštil, Mark Schmitz, Václav Kachlík, Stanislav Štamberg

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Five U-Pb CA-ID-TIMS high-precision ages were obtained from single zircon crystals separated from tuffs or ignimbrites embedded in Pennsylvanian to Asselian sediments of the Intra-Sudetic, Krkonoše-Piedmont and the adjacent part of the Mnichovo Hradiště basins. The new radioisotopic data are used for extrapolation of ages of dated lithostratigraphic units. The existing borehole network in the Late Paleozoic continental basins of central and western Bohemia and in the Sudetic area, and similarity of their stratigraphically equivalent strata including some common lacustrine horizons allow a detailed lithostratigraphical correlation between these two areas. This in turn, allows combining our new radioisotopic data with …

Assessing The Sensitivity Of The Non-Hydrostatic Regional Climate Model To Boundary Conditions And Convective Schemes Over The Philippines, Gemma T. Narisma, Faye T. Cruz, Hidetaka Sasaki

Physics Faculty Publications

Regional climate models have been useful in climate studies and in downscaling climate projections from global climate models, especially for areas characterized by complex topography and coastline features, such as the Philippines. However, several factors may affect model skill, such as uncertainties related to the boundary conditions and model configuration. This study evaluates the performance of the non-hydrostatic regional climate model (NHRCM) over the Philippines. Present-day climate simulations at 50 km resolution are conducted using two sets of boundary conditions (ECMWF ERA-Interim and the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project NNRP1), as well as two convective parameterization schemes in the model (Grell and …

Earthquake Hazard Mitigation In The New Madrid Seismic Zone: Science And Public Policy, Alice M. Orton, Zhenming Wang, Lanmin Wang, Edward W. Woolery

Report of Investigations--KGS

In the central United States, earthquake sources that are not well defined, long earthquake recurrence intervals, and uncertain ground-motion attenuation models have contributed to an overstatement of seismic hazard for the New Madrid Seismic Zone on the national seismic hazard maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey. A series of informal interviews in western Kentucky with local businesspersons, public officials, and other professionals in occupations associated with seismic-hazard mitigation discussed seismic-mitigation policies in relation to depressed local economy. Scientific and relative economic analysis was then performed using scenario earthquake models developed with the Federal Emergency management Agency's Hazus-MH software. The …

Dynamics Of Plume-Triple Junction Interaction: Results From A Series Of Three-Dimensional Numerical Models And Implications For The Formation Of Oceanic Plateaus, Mladen Dordevic, Jennifer Georgen

OES Faculty Publications

Mantle plumes rising in the vicinity of mid-ocean ridges often generate anomalies in melt production and seafloor depth. This study investigates the dynamical interactions between a mantle plume and a ridge-ridge-ridge triple junction, using a parameter space approach and a suite of steady state, three-dimensional finite element numerical models. The top domain boundary is composed of three diverging plates, with each assigned half-spreading rates with respect to a fixed triple junction point. The bottom boundary is kept at a constant temperature of 1350°C except where a two-dimensional, Gaussian-shaped thermal anomaly simulating a plume is imposed. Models vary plume diameter, plume …

Egg On Hegranes: Geophysical Prospection, Coring, & Test Excavations—Report 2016, John M. Steinberg, Brian N. Damiata, Rita S. Shepard, Kathryn Anne Catlin, John W. Schoenfelder

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

This report describes the 2016 archaeological work at the farm of Egg is in the southernmost part of Hegranes, North Iceland.

Contribution Of Shallow Geology To Hydrocarbon Seep Formation In Green Canyon Block 600, Samantha Lynn Lucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Green Canyon Federal Protraction area in the Gulf of Mexico is rich in hydrocarbons. The movement of the Sigsbee salt escarpment in green canyon has resulted in a complex bathymetric profile and extensive shallow faulting that has allomigration of hydrocarbons to the surface creating cold seep sites. Green Canyon block 600 (gc600) contains multiple naturally occurring, active hydrocarbon seeps. Multi-beam bathymetry, backscatter, and polarity preserving chirp data were collected for gc600 to study the development of these naturally occurring seeps. Using these data, the structure and sedimentation of the first fifty meters can be studied in relation to the …

Hegranesþing On Hegranes: Geophysical Prospection Interim Report 2013 – 2015, Brian N. Damiata, John M. Steinberg, John W. Schoenfelder, Douglas J. Bolender

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

Geophysical surveys were conducted at Hegranesþing on Hegranes in North Icelad during the summers of 2013 and 2015.

Site Characteristics, Instrumentation, And Recordings Of The Central United States Seismic Observatory, Edward W. Woolery, Zhenming Wang, N. Seth Carpenter

Report of Investigations--KGS

The Central United States Seismic Observatory is a vertical seismic array in southwestern Kentucky within the New Madrid Seismic Zone. It is intended to record the effects of local geology, including thick sediment overburden, on seismic-wave propagation, particularly strong ground motion. The three-borehole array is composed of seismic sensors placed on the surface, in the bedrock, and at various depths within the 585-m-thick sediment overburden. The array's deep borehole also provides a unique opportunity to describe the geology and geophysically measure the complete Late Cretaceous through Quaternary stratigraphy in the northern Mississippi Embayment.

Based on the surface and borehole geophysical …

Insights Into Volcanic Processes Using Seismic Data Techniques, Ezer Patlan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

We present in this study numbers of technique to understand the volcanic processes using seismology. The types of techniques we used are earthquake location (double difference travel-time, cross-correlation tremor technique, and time reversal), stresses (b-values, focal mechanism), and tomography imagery (ambient noise tomography). The areas of study we focus on are in two different tectonic settings. The East Africa Rift System at Kenya, studying four volcanoes: Menengai Caldera, Silali, Paka, and Korosi volcanoes. The other area of study is located in a subduction zone in Central America, Salvador at San Miguel volcano.

In this study we aim to calculate accurate …

Nonlinear Inversion Strategies Applied To Source Characterization And 3d Earthquake Tomography In Volcanic Environments: A Case Study At Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala, Federica Lanza

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Full-waveform moment tensor inversion of volcanic seismic signals and travel-time 3D tomography of local earthquakes have been widely used to explore source processes related to magma transport as well as to image the location and size of magma storage systems. However, the inversion solutions and the associated reliability estimates are non-unique and bear intrinsic uncertainties due to simplifying assumptions about the source, inaccuracies in the velocity models, dependence on network configuration, and other a priori constraints imposed by the modeler.

This work addresses the non-uniqueness and uncertainties of the model results by introducing non-linear inversion techniques that allow sampling the …

Disaster Prevention Literacy Among School Administrators And Teachers: A Study On The Plan For Disaster Prevention And Campus Network Deployment And Experiment In Taiwan, Sung-Chin Chung, Cherng-Jyh Yen

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Taiwan is located at the high-risk region of natural disasters with the frequently occurred earthquakes. The importance of the disaster prevention education on campus is made even more obvious by the fact that natural disasters often occur during the school days. Given the leading roles the school administrators and teachers playing in the disaster prevention education of their pupils, this study purposed to investigate how disaster prevention literacy was among them and how disaster prevention literacy differed across various background variables of them. Furthermore, the current study also examined if disaster prevention literacy changed by participation in the disaster prevention …

Use Of Laboratory Geophysical And Geotechnical Investigation Methods To Characterize Gypsum Rich Soils, Raghava A. Bhamidipati

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Gypsum rich soils are found in many parts of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Most gypsum occurs in the form of evaporites, which are minerals that precipitate out of water due to a high rate of evaporation and a high mineral concentration. Gypsum rich soils make good foundation material under dry conditions but pose major engineering hazards when exposed to water. Gypsum acts as a weak cementing material and has a moderate solubility of about 2.5 g/liter. The dissolution of gypsum causes the soils to undergo unpredictable collapse settlement leading to severe structural damages. The damages incur …

Integrated Geophysical Methods In Investigation Of Claiborne Aquifer Hydrostratigraphy, Jackson Purchase, Kentucky, Marie Cooper

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Increased groundwater withdrawals associated with agricultural irrigation in the Jackson Purchase have prompted questions related to groundwater availability and sustainability. Key factors in addressing these questions are understanding the extent and variation in thickness of the local hydrostratigraphic system, which is the upper part of the Mississippi Embayment aquifer system. Correlations of 70 gamma-ray well logs, and 49 resistivity logs were made across parts of the Jackson Purchase in Fulton and Hickman Counties in order to delineate the upper Claiborne aquifer and middle Claiborne confining unit. Commercial software (i.e. Petra 3.8.3) was used to generate cross sections, structure and isopach …

Development Of A Semi-Automated Methodology For Discriminating Between Natural And Manmade Seismic Events Using The Oiink Seismic Array, Paul Rodriguez Asihama

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Broadband waveforms from the Ozark, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky temporary seismic array OIINK, a Flexible Array in the EarthScope project, were used to develop routines to identify and remove mine blast events from a database of local events and preserve the infrequent, small, natural earthquakes. The approach taken was to first create a database of all seismic events that were detected by the OIINK Seismic Array. False-detections, events detected from outside of the project area (approx. 302 thousand square km), and known (i.e. cataloged) local earthquake were also removed. The remaining in the database were local unknown events. During the Phase …

Seismic Reflection, Well Log, And Gravity Analysis Of The Thrace Basin, Northwestern Turkey, Murat Kuvanc

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Thrace basin is located between the Paleogene the Istranca and Rhdope massifs in the northwestern part of Turkey. Sediments in the Thrace basin accumulated during the early Eocene to the late Miocene, and the basin includes normal and strike-slip faults that were mainly formed in the Miocene. The hydrocarbon potential of the Thrace basin has been investigated by analyzing seismic reflection, well log, and gravity data since the 1930s; the basin has a huge gas reservoir potential and contains the first gas production field in Turkey. To determine the geologic and geophysics features of a portion of the basin …

Modification Of The Lower Ionospheric Conductivity By Thunderstorm Electrostatic Fields, Mohammad A. Salem, Ningyu Liu, Hamid K. Rassoul

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

This paper reports a modeling study of the modifications of the nighttime lower ionospheric conductivity by electrostatic fields produced by underlying thunderstorms. The model used combines Ohm's law with a simplified lower ionospheric ion chemistry model to self-consistently calculate the steady state nighttime conductivity above a thunderstorm. The results indicate that although the electron density is generally increased, the lower ionospheric conductivity can be reduced by up to 1-2 orders of magnitude because electron mobility is significantly reduced due to the electron heating effect. For a typical ionospheric density profile, the resulting changes in the reflection heights of extremely low …

Ground Detection Of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes From Distant Radio Signals, Fanchao Lyu, Eric Cramer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are brief bursts of energetic gammy-ray photons generated during thunderstorms, which have been detected almost exclusively by satellite-based instruments. Here we present three lines of evidence which includes the three out of three simultaneously observed pairs, the same occurrence contexts, and the consistent estimated occurrence rate, which indicate a direct relationship between a subset of TGFs and a class of energetic radio signal easily detectable by ground-based sensors. This connection indicates that these gamma ray and radio emissions are two views of the same phenomenon and further enable detection of these TGFs from ground distant …

Observation-Constrained Modeling Of The Ionospheric Impact Of Negative Sprites, Ningyu Liu, Levi D. Boggs, Steven A. Cummer

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

This paper reports observation and modeling of five negative sprites occurring above two Florida thunderstorms. The sprites were triggered by unusual types of negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharges with impulse charge moment change ranging from 600 to 1300 C km and charge transfer characterized by a timescale of 0.1-0.2 ms. The negative sprite typically consists of a few generally vertical elements that each contain a bright core and dimmer streamers extending from the core in both downward and upward directions. Modeling results using the measured charge moment change waveforms indicate that the lower ionosphere was significantly modified by the CGs …

Integrated Geophysical Approach Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography And Multichannel Analysis Of Surface Wave In Assessing Wilson Spring Development, Ibrahim E. Ahmed

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research investigated fractured zones leading to preferential flow paths of Wilson Spring. In this context, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data and multi-channel analyses of surface waves (MASW) data were acquired at studied site with the purpose of mapping a variable depth to top of bedrock and geological structures.

Interpretation of the boreholes, MASW, and ERT data indicated that a depth to top of rock does vary significantly at the studied site due to many solution-widened fractures. Multiple near-vertical solution-widened fractures were mapped in the studied site based on the interpretation of the ERT data. The mapped solution-widened fractures appear …

Gravity And Magnetic Investigations Of The North-Eastern Kansas Section Of The Midcontinent Rift System, Ozgun Kamil Sahin

Masters Theses

"The Midcontinent Rift System (MRS) is a major Precambrian magmatic province on the North American continent. It formed when the North American craton began to split apart during the Mesoproterozoic era (1,100 Ma). As a result of the extension and possibly the effects of a rising mantle plume, a thick layer of basalt and numerous reverse and normal faults were formed. The basalt layer is buried below sedimentary formations and makes it difficult for seismic techniques to image. On the other hand, gravity and magnetic methods can be utilized for focused depths, and the basalt layer of the system can …

2d Seismic Data And Gas Chimney Interpretation In The South Taranaki Graben, New Zealand, Taqi Talib Alzaki

Masters Theses

"The Taranaki Basin is one of the major oil and gas producing basins offshore New Zealand. The study area covers an area of 10,000 km² in the basin, and includes 171 2D seismic lines and six wells, which are provided by the New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals. Some previous studies refer to the study area as the South Taranaki Graben.

This thesis provides detailed mapping and interpreted subsurface stratigraphy and structure of five horizons, i.e. basement top, Pakawau Group top, Kapuni Group top, Wai-iti Group top, and seafloor. It undertakes studies of the relation between the basin evolution, faults, …

The Mantle Transition Zone Beneath South America From Stacking Of P-To-S Receiver Functions, B. A. Goetze

Masters Theses

"The Mantle Transition Zone (MTZ) beneath South America is investigated with stacking of Receiver Functions (RFs) of converted P-to-S phases from the velocity discontinuities at 410 km (d410) and 660 km (d660). A total of 785 seismic stations provided 22,235 high quality RFs, allowing 1,717 MTZ thickness measurements in circular bins of 2⁰ radius. An apparent MTZ structure is derived using the IASP91 reference model, where the d410 mean depth is 409.1 km and the d660 is 661.5 km, and the mean MTZ thickness is 251.8 km. This model presents coherent depressions and uplifts of the discontinuities matching well known …

Imaging Reinforced Concrete: A Comparative Study Of Ground Penetration Radar And Rebarscope, Abhishek Kodi

Masters Theses

"Geophysical techniques have been playing a very vital role in subsurface imaging in the recent past. Technology has been making it both reliable and convenient to utilize non-destructive geophysics techniques like Ground Penetration Radar, Induction current based Rebarscope, Seismic methods, ERT, etc. The applications range from shallow subsurface investigation of Bridge decks to old tunnels, mapping of rabars in a pre-existing construction and analyzing the concrete strength.

The thesis constitutes of a comparative study and analysis of a Ground Penetration Radar system and a Rebarscope. Individual parameters obtained directly from the study and obtained indirectly from the study shall be …

Reprocessing And Structural Interpretation Of Multichannel Seismic Reflection Data From Penobscot, Nova Scotia, Fulya Gizem Yagci

Masters Theses

"Penobscot area is located in the Scotian Basin, which was occurred as a result of extension in the eastern North America border. 2-D data set that was utilized for the study consists of three multichannel seismic profiles that were collected from Penobscot Parcel 8. The main purpose of the study was to enhance signal-to-noise ratio of the seismic reflection sections suppressing high frequency noise and multiples, and removing diffractions. In addition, while the resolution of the sections were enhanced, determining the correct processing techniques and parameters for better results was the another important criteria.

The processing steps included deconvolution, minimum …

3d Seismic Structural And Stratigraphic Interpretation Of The Tui-3d Field, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand, Gorkem Yagci

Masters Theses

"Identifying seismic structures and stratigraphy are important for exploration of hydrocarbons. The purpose of this study is to discover seismic structural and stratigraphic features and to utilize the results for interpreting depositional environments. A 3D seismic dataset from the Tui-3D Field, the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand with well data were used to visualize structures, to detect stratigraphic features, to identify main lithology, to understand depositional environment, and to describe seismic facies and reflection patterns of the target horizons. The major formations are in the Kapuni Group.

Seismic structural interpretation indicates thirty-two minor faults, which may play an important role in …