Approaching Seismology in the Source: Duke Participation in SAFOD Pilot Hole Science

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

0208196 Malin With this award, Duke's seismology group will participate in the collaborative analyses of the passive and active seismic data that will be collected in the SAFOD Pilot Hole. The group's research will include investigations of the near-borehole fault and velocity structure, improved earthquake locations using this structure, studies of earthquake-to-receiver path effects and earthquake source effects. The group's participation in this research is based on their previous work on the structure and seismology of the SAFOD site and their involvement in development of borehole instruments for the SAFOD program. The active seismic profiling portion of their proposal is linked to a complimentary proposal (recommended for funding) by the University of Wyoming. The Duke Univ. group will instrument the Pilot Hole with: 1) a multilevel string of 3-component 12 Hz seismometers; 2) a high sensitivity, large dynamic range, 3-component 2 Hz seismograph, installed at the bottom-of-casing. The seismic array string and 2 Hz seismograph have been developed in collaboration with oil-exploration instrumentation companies. The new casing-bottom seismograph, seismic array string, and pressure monitor system will provide unique 3rd and 4th dimension (depth and time), spectral content and volumetric strain information on the microearthquakes that are the targets of the main SAFOD hole. ***