Physical Insight and Mathematical Methods in Seismic Data Analysis

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Greensboro NC

Investigators

Abstract

This grant supports an interdisciplinary research project in applied and computational seismology between the Physics and Mathematics Departments at North Carolina A&T State University. Specifically, the PI will spend one year working in the Seismic Physical Modeling and Data Processing Laboratories in the Physics Department to gain physical insight into and knowledge of seismic data acquisition, processing, advanced imaging and visualization, and to study mathematical methods and open problems in seismic data analysis. The proposed project activities include: (1) acquiring seismic data through seismic physical modeling as well as field surveying; (2) processing acquired seismic data using OMEGA Seismic Processing System and Seismic Unix software packages; (3) simulating seismic data through mathematical modeling and numerical solutions of appropriately formulated two- and three-dimensional point source acoustic wave equations for seismic waves, and writing interactive Fortran, C++, Labview, Matlab, OMEGA, and Seismic Unix programming scripts; and (4) studying mathematical methods, current research trend and open problems in seismic data analysis. It is anticipated that upon completion of his one-year residence in the Physics Department, the PI will not only enhance his own expertise and experience in applied and computational seismology, but also lay a foundation for a continuing collaboration between the PI and his two hosts in the Physics Department in developing a well-defined interdisciplinary geosciences research program which will engage other mathematics faculty members and students. The proposed project activities will also further collaborations and cooperation with the Allied Geophysical Laboratories of the University of Houston, Western Geophysical/Baker Hughes Corporation, and Pyramid Environmental, Inc. as well as enhance and expand the geophysical and environmental science education and research training component of the Talent-21 project funded by the NSF HBCU-UP. This project will have immediate impact on three proposed program initiatives at the proposers' institution: a computational science program, a geosciences program, and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, all of which aim at strengthening and upgrading the University's interdisciplinary research efforts. This IGMS project is jointly supported by the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) and the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS).