Acquisition Parameters for Shallow Seismic Data in West Virginia
Stewart T. Taylor
Tests of the Bison Instruments' Elastic Wave Generator (EWG) and Bison
Instruments' Geopro 12-channel seismograph have been conducted in northern Lewis
County, West Virginia. The seismic source used in these tests was an accelerated
weight-drop mechanism (elastic wave generator) mounted on a light-weight
trailer. The series of tests conducted near Weston, West Virginia, includes
several types
of walkaway noise tests as
well
as the acquisition of several
common offset seismic profiles.
The seismic data gathered in the study area have been analyzed for frequency
content and other waveform attributes. The bandwidth of data gathered in the
study area depends on the type of geophones used, as well
as the analog filters
that can be invoked in the seismograph. In general, frequency content ranges
from 10 to 110 Hz, although the use of geophone arrays and different
types
of
geophones modifies the amplitude of various frequencies.
Forward modeling of a complete subsurface stratigraphic cross section, using program AIMS, has been compared with the seismic data. The match of the actual seismic data and the synthetic seismograms from the forward modeling procedure is good for strata of the Pennsylvanian System. However, portions of the seismic trace resulting from reflections in the Greenbrier Limestone are considered to be anomalous due to the somewhat atypical transition of facies in the overlying "Little Lime."
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91031©1988 AAPG Eastern Section, Charleston, West Virginia, 13-16 September 1988.