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Seismic Sources

By: Ahmed Magdy Beshr, Mansoura University, Faculty of Science, Geophysics Department Seismic sources are of different types for land and marine surveys, and classified into impact, explosive, non-explosive. Impact Land Sledgehammer Drop-weight Accelerate weight drop Dynamite Shot gun Buffalo gun Rifles Vibrators Marine

Explosive

Non-explosive

Air gun Water gun Gas gun Steam gun Vibrators

Impact
Hammers and Drop-weight: The simplest land seismic source is a large mass dropped on to the ground surface such as hammers and drop-weight. If the source energy required is relatively low, these types of sources can be fast and efficient. Sledgehammer is the cheapest and easiest source for shallow works. A 4- or 6-pound sledgehammer provides a source for small-scale seismic surveys. The hammer is striking a flat steel plate, the purpose of which is to improve the seismic energy. Hammer-person is trained to strike the plate in the same way each time. The seismic energy produced depends on ground conditions as well as on strength and skill of hammer-person. Hammers can nearly always be used in refraction work on depths of 10 to 20 m, and refraction line lengths of over 200 m but very seldom where energy has to travel more than 50 m depth. The advantage of this source is that it is cheap, doesn't causes environmental damage and is extremely easy to use. Drop-weight device is rigidly attached at the back of eight-wheel truck. A large weight of several tonnes is suspended from an electromagnet at the top of a metal cylinder 3 to 4 m long. The electromagnet releases the weight causing it to fall through the tube and strike a baseplate creates seismic wave train. Drop-weight is less damaging to the environment than firing explosives.

Accelerate weight drop (AWD): Is a lightweight system, accelerated weight drop devices have been developed. These use a shorter height and smaller weight, but have a mechanical system to accelerate the weight towards the steel baseplate rather than allowing it to free fall using high pressure compressed air and can repeat the process automatically. The advantage of this source is that it is environment friendly.

Explosive
Shotguns, buffalo guns and rifles are one solution to gaining energy for small-scale surveys. These have been used as seismic sources by firing the bullet into the ground. A common type is called Buffalo gun, that consists of a metal pipe inserted vertically up to 1 m or so into the ground. A shotgun shell located at the lower end is detonated via a firing rod, which protrudes to the surface, being struck by a mallet. It is banned in many countries. In some countries, a firearms certificate may be needed before using this

device because, it results environmental and subsurface pollution. Air gun Air guns are pneumatic sources in which a chamber is charged with very high-pressure compressed air. Air gun is used to inject a bubble of high-pressure compressed air into the surrounding water and is the most commonly used of all seismic sources. The air is released by electrical signal, through vents into the water in the form of a high-pressure bubble. Air guns, usually used in marine seismic surveys. The air gun consists of two chambers (the upper and lower chamber), shuttle composed of two pistons (the upper and lower piston), and solenoid valve. High-pressure compressed air passes through a hose from the shipboard compressor to the upper chamber, there is a hole in the shuttle through which the air from the upper chambers enters the lower chamber. Opening solenoid valve by electrical signal will release the pressure in the upper chamber, causing the shuttle to move upward rapidly, opening the lower chamber and allowing its air to discharge through the ports to form a bubble of high-pressure air in the surrounding water. The air gun is reset to equilibrium by allowing the air into the upper chamber, and the cycle is repeated, each cycle time is about 10 to 15 s.

Water gun: Water guns are often used when sharp, clean, bubble-free impulses are needed. Water gun is used rather than air gun to avoid the bubble pulse problems. Water gun consists of underwater (lower) chamber made of steel lled with water, firing (upper) chamber, and shuttle or piston for pushing water out rapidly . The upper chamber is lled with high pressure air while the lower chamber is open to the surrounding water. When the gun is red, high-pressure air in the upper chamber pu shes the ring piston downward at high velocity into the lower chamber, ejecting this water through ports at the base of the gun. When the

piston stops, cavitation occurs behind the expelled water, resulting in an implosion which creates the seismic pulse.

Non-explosive
Vibroseis: Vibroseis sources appeared in the 1960s. Vibrators were developed for land surveys. it used in marine surveys using special base plates attached to a survey vessel. On land, rather than using explosive or impulsive sources, is the use of a vibrating plate to generate a controlled wave train with a duration of about 12 s and frequency 10 to 70 Hz. Vibroseis consists of a vibrator plate attached to a hydraulic cylinder system in contact with the ground

on the underside of a special truck (vibrator truck). On location of survey, the plate is set on the ground surface and the truck is jacked up so that its weight is transferred to the plate (weight of the truck presses on the plate). The seismic signals are sent into the ground by the action of hydraulic system on the vibrator plate. This device able to inject low-frequency vibrations into the earth. The vibrator must move along a profile at distance of 10 to 15 m intervals. It is one of a number of seismic sources used in reflection seismology. The advantage of the vibroseis device is that it is rapid and does not damage the ground surface and thus can be used with care on roads and over public utilities.

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