APPLICATIONS:
- Seismic monitoring
ABSTRACT:
Seismic detectors may register movements of the earth generated by earthquakes and other seismic events. However, locating and determining the precise location and mechanism of an earthquake based on data received from seismic detectors may be difficult or impossible with some systems.
Gregory Newman and Petr Petrov of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a seismic monitoring system includes a plurality of seismic monitors and a processing device operatively coupled to the plurality of seismic monitors. The processing device receives recordings of waveforms of motion detected at the plurality of seismic detectors in a geographic area. The processing device applies the respective recordings to corresponding positions of the seismic detectors in a three-dimensional geological model that describes its elastic attributes and tests a plurality of moment tensors at a plurality of locations. Based on the testing, the processing device determines a globally convergent source location and moment tensor in the three-dimensional model based on the testing.
Seismic surveying and imaging methods generate three-dimensional models of seismic attributes of fault zones, geothermal sites, and oil or gas production fields. With increasing accuracy of three dimensional models, seismic detectors can estimate earthquake source locations and origins within a three dimensional model. Thus, actual positions and mechanisms of seismic events may be derived based on the waveforms recorded by seismic detectors. Accordingly, seismic events locations and source mechanisms may be shown for induced seismicity, small earthquakes, fracking processes, or other events by matching simulation results to observed data.
STATUS: Published PCT Application US2018-051341 (Publication WO2019-060249). Available for licensing or collaborative research.
REFERENCE: 2017-095