ALBERT

Notizen: In the laboratories of the agip mineraria a new apparatus has been developed which, utilizing reflected energy collected by several groups of seismometers, provides on a single trace an indication of the total energy level. This indication is controled in time according to an exponential characteristic, thus compensating for the attenuation which is effected in the subsurface. The apparatus enables indications of successive energy levels to be obtained for different shots, thus furnishing a time section even during the routine field work.

Notizen: The factors affecting the response of a velocity-sensitive well geophone are discussed and it is shown that the geophone movement in response to a seismic pulse is primarily due to the pressure difference between its ends. Several practical examples are calculated to show that the first arrival waveform recorded by a geophone depends on the distance from an interface and that these changes in recorded waveform may give errors of up to 3 msec in well-velocity surveys. These errors may be minimised by using pressure geophones or by avoiding measurements at geological interfaces.

Notizen: Surface charges in seismic refraction work in the sand dunes of the Sahara have been necessitated by the many problems involved in shot hole driving. These include lost circulation, unconsolidated surface sands and gravels, caving, poor shot efficiency etc.Tests were conducted in September 1958 in an attempt to evaluate some of the problems involved in surface shooting. This method is complicated by the large number of variables, 8 major ones, influencing the shot pattern.It is difficult to evaluate each of such a large number of variables by an exhaustive and systematic test procedure due to the prohibitive number of shots that this would involve. However, two series of tests contributed greatly to an understanding of the problem, although they left some points to be cleared up.Firstly shots were fired using small charges (less than 25 kg). These gave interesting results, however, they are not applicable to the heavy charges currently in use (500-1500 kg). These results refer primarily to the use of suspended charges which gave superior results to those obtained from surface charges layed on the ground. They also tend to indicate the influence of the weight of the charge. This is manifested by a saturation in seismic energy, as the size of the charge increases.The results obtained from the shooting (200 kg) of several individual charges are not as pronounced. The following conclusions are drawn:Nitrate explosives, in current use in the Sahara for several years, give good results in refraction.– The use of suspended shots does not result in sufficient gain in energy over the ground shots to justify their more complicated utilization: preparation, partial destruction of supports, safety etc. Hence further shooting of suspended charges has been abandoned.– The detonation of individual charges by use of primacord layed parallel to the line, in preference to simultaneous electrical detonation, gave superior results from the energy point of view (especially for high frequency arrivals) and simplified lay-out procedures. Hence this method was adopted.– As for the small charges the relation between seismic energy and weight of the individual charges shows a saturation effect which is less pronounced.–The distance between the individual charges appears to be the most important variable. The relation, seismic energy-distance between charges, indicates an increase in a linear manner for distances of 5 to 20 meters. It would appear as though the beneficial effect for greater distances diminishes beyond this point.Finally, it would appear as though it would be preferable for a given overall charge to reduce the weight of the individual charges and increase the distance between the individual charges. Obviously this rule has certain practical and economic limits. If the cost of the unit of seismic energy is evaluated it is preferable to utilize large distances between charges (20 m) but also relatively large individual charges (about 25 kg).The testing program was followed by nine months of surveying in different types of terrain. The parameters were etablished from the results of the testing program.Economically the following conclusions may be drawn: The average explosives consumption increased from 1000 kg for the shot–hole shots to 1500 kg for the surface shots. This increase, costwise, represents almost exactly the cost of shot hole drilling at the present price of explosives. Efforts are being made to have the price of explosives reduced and should this realize the net result will be a definite cost advantage in favor of surface shooting.In addition, the introduction of magnetic recording in refraction work to the Sahara in 1959 appears to indicate a substantial reduction in the size of the charges needed, hence, a further advantage to surface shooting.

Notizen: A method is described which allows to measure the elastic wave motion in the “interior” of two-dimensional solid models. It is based on the measurements of the lateral deformations of a plate that are related to the state of compression in the plane of the plate. A capacitive detector measuring the motion has been developed.Wave front studies have been carried out in a half space, in two half spaces in contact and in a single-layered half space. The experimental results are compared with theory. Special attention has been paid to the head wave.

Notizen: All sorts of organic matter preserved under anaerobic conditions and transformed in reducing environments may form components of natural crude oils; such oils are linked to sapropel deposits by their contents in porphyrins and trace metals.

Notizen: Offshore reflection records, even if they are of medium quality, can be used to determine the thickness of unconsolidated sediments. The method is described and its limits are specified. An example of application referring to the Gulf of Lyons is given.

Notizen: A transistorized combination of multivibrators is described, by which the gain is set according to a time programme. This equipment allows quantitative recording of seismic events with extremely large amplitude variations. Some possible applications of this recording system to seismic research are discussed.

Notizen: The theoretical aspects of a general configuration of the tripotential prospecting method are described while particular cases of the method were described by Carpenter and Haberjam (1956) and Sarma (1961).

Notizen: The accuracy of an airborne magnetic survey is limited by the following factors:〈list xml:id="l1" style="custom"〉1Slow (diurnal) variations of the earth's field.2Fast variations of the earth's field (earth field “noise”).3Drift in measuring equipment.4Magnetometer “noise” (electronics, orientors …).5External disturbances, miscompensation.6Irregularities in flight altitude.7Location errors.The relative importance of these different causes of errors is analyzed from two viewpoints:〈list xml:id="l2" style="custom"〉a)Direct interpretation of anomalies on actual records,b)Compilation of isogram maps and their quantitative interpretation (second derivative, reduction to the pole, …).In conclusion, these errors do not affect the direct interpretation of profiles of standard quality. For instance, if the average altitude of the plane above the magnetic bodies is 1000 m, a variation of its flight level of about 100 m does not introduce serious errors in the interpretation.On the other hand, compilation of contoured isogam maps is often difficult, and compensation of the previous errors is not always possible except by approximate, rule-of-thumb methods. Furthermore, when the interval between lines is greater than the depth of magnetic masses below the plane of flight, the contours are interpolated and do not represent the magnetic field. Sometimes the contouring can offer different solutions, and the map is therefore not objective; this could then result in errors larger than those from the other causes.To evaluate the quality of the map and its interpretation we must know the location of flight lines and the compilation process employed. It is also wise to avoid quantitative interpretation of small anomalies and limit oneself to a qualitative interpretation.