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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Inverting seismic data for rock physical properties; Mathematical background and application

The basic concept behind seismic inversion is that mathematical assumptions can be established to relate seismic to geological formation properties that caused their seismic responses. In this presentation we address some widely used seismic inversion method in hydrocarbon reservoirs identification and characterization. A successful use of the inversion in real example from gas sand reservoir in Boonsville field, Noth Central Texas is presented. Seismic data was not unambiguous indicator of reservoir facies distribution. The use of the inversion led to remove the ambiguity and reveal clear information about the target.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

A viscoelastic model for seismic attenuation using fractal mechanical networks

SUMMARY Seismic attenuation (quantified by the quality factor Q) has a significant impact on the seismic waveforms, especially in the fluid-saturated rocks. This dissipative process can be phenomenologically represented by viscoelastic models. Previous seismological studies show that the Q value of Earth media exhibits a nearly frequency-independent behaviour (often referred to as constant-Q in literature) in the seismic frequency range. Such attenuation can be described by the mathematical Kjartansson constant-Q model, which lacks of a physical representation in the viscoelastic sense. Inspired by the fractal nature of the pore fluid distribution in patchy-saturated rocks, here we propose two fractal mechanical network (FMN) models, that is, a fractal tree model and a quasi-fractal ladder model, to phenomenologically represent the frequency-independent Q behaviour. As with the classic viscoelastic models, the FMN models are composed of mechanical elements (spring and dashpots) arranged in different hierarchical patterns. A particular parametrization of each model can produce the same complex modulus as in the Kjartansson model, which leads to the constant-Q. Applying the theory to several typical rock samples, we find that the seismic attenuation signature of these rocks can be accurately represented by either one of the FMN models. Besides, we demonstrate that the ladder model in particular exhibits the realistic multiscale fractal structure of the saturated rocks. Therefore, the FMN models as a proxy could provide a new way to estimate the microscopic rock structure property from macroscopic seismic attenuation observation.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗
DOE OSTI2018

Sensitivity of Seismically Cued Antineutrino Detectors to Nuclear Explosions

Here, we evaluate the sensitivity of large gadolinium-doped water detectors to antineutrinos released by nuclear-fission explosions, using updated signal and background models and taking advantage of the capacity for seismic observations to provide an analysis trigger. Under certain realistic conditions, the antineutrino signature of a 250-kton pure-fission explosion could be identified several hundred kilometers away, in a detector about the size of the largest module currently proposed for a basic physics experiment. In principle, such an observation could provide rapid confirmation that the seismic signal coincided with a fission event, possibly useful for international monitoring of nuclear-weapon tests. We discuss the limited potential for seismically cued antineutrino observations to constrain fission yield, differentiate pure fission from fusion-enhanced weapon tests, indicate that the seismic evidence of an explosion had been intentionally masked, or verify the absence of explosive testing in a targeted area. We conclude that advances in seismic monitoring and neutrino physics have made the detection of explosion-derived antineutrinos more conceivable than previously asserted, but the size and cost of sufficiently sensitive detectors continue to limit applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Operational Forecasting of Induced Seismicity

Operational Forecasting of Induced Seismicity (ORION) is an open-source toolkit developed as part of the US Department of Energy SMART and NRAP programs. ORION is designed to help both expert and non-expert users understand the seismic hazard at a site. This tool analyzes how the seismic hazard evolves during injection of fluid, and can be used to identify potential mitigation strategies for observed or forecasted seismic activity. ORION is built using Python, and has an optional GUI where users can easily configure model parameters, evaluate temporal and spatial forecasts, and inspect key data (seismicity, fluid injection, pressure models, etc.).

Kroll, Kayla↗
DOE OSTI2025

Seismic H2: Version 1.0

Seismic-H2 is an integrated software package for geological hydrogen reservoir simulation, optimization, and leakage monitoring. The package includes multiple components: (1) code used for modeling seismic wave propagation in 3D heterogeneous elastic media based on finite-difference method to support detection of geological hydrogen storage reservoir leakage; (2) 3D reservoir simulations of leaks from an underground reservoir and 3D simulations of saline aquifers and depleted gas reservoirs; (3) seismic monitoring costs of passive and active seismic monitoring required for UHS; (4) rock physics calculations and interpolations for converting the reservoir simulations from part (2) into the elastic media models in part (1); (5) pre-processing seismic data; and lastly (6), a GUI interface that combines these different components.

Creasy, Neala↗
DOE OSTI2017

In situ measurement of velocity-stress sensitivity using crosswell continuous active-source seismic monitoring

The ability to characterize time-varying reservoir properties, such as the state of stress, has fundamental implications in subsurface engineering, relevant to geologic sequestration of CO 2 . Stress variation, here in the form of changes in pore fluid pressure, is one factor known to affect seismic velocity. Induced variations in velocity have been used in seismic studies to determine and monitor changes in the stress state. Previous studies conducted to determine velocity-stress sensitivity at reservoir conditions rely primarily on laboratory measurements of core samples or theoretical relationships. In this paper, we have developed a novel field-scale experiment designed to study the in situ relationship between pore-fluid pressure and seismic velocity using a crosswell continuous active-source seismic monitoring (CASSM) system. At the Cranfield, Mississippi, CO 2 sequestration field site, we actively monitored seismic response for five days with a temporal resolution of 5 min; the target was a 26 m thick injection zone at approximately 3.2 km depth in a fluvial sandstone formation (lower Tuscaloosa Formation). The variation of pore fluid pressure was obtained during discrete events of fluid withdrawal from one of the two wells and monitored with downhole pressure sensors. The results indicate a correlation between decreasing CASSM time delay (i.e., velocity change for a raypath in the reservoir) and periods of reduced fluid pore pressure. The correlation is interpreted as the velocity-stress sensitivity measured in the reservoir. This observation is consistent with published laboratory studies documenting a velocity ( V ) increase with an effective stress increase. A traveltime change ( d t ) of 0.036 ms is measured as the consequence of a change in pressure of approximately 2.55 MPa ( d P e ). For T = 13 ms total traveltime, the velocity-stress sensitivity is d V / V / d P e = d t / T / d P e = 10.9 × 10 - 4 / MPa . Finally, the overall results suggest that CASSM measurements represent a valid technique for in situ determination of velocity-stress sensitivity in field-scale monitoring studies.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Advances in Rotational Seismic Measurements

Rotational motion is increasingly understood to be a significant part of seismic wave motion. Rotations can be important in earthquake strong motion and in Induced Seismicity Monitoring. Rotational seismic data can also enable shear selectivity and improve wavefield sampling for vertical geophones in 3D surveys, among other applications. However, sensor technology has been a limiting factor to date. The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Applied Technology Associates (ATA) are funding a multi-year project that is now entering Phase 2 to develop and deploy a new generation of rotational sensors for validation of rotational seismic applications. Initial focus is on induced seismicity monitoring, particularly for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) with fracturing. The sensors employ Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) principles with broadband response, improved noise floors, robustness, and repeatability. This paper presents a summary of Phase 1 results and Phase 2 status.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

STILGAR Seismic Array Data

Two three-component dense seismic arrays were deployed above an active limestone mine in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania; one in the fall and one in the spring of 2023. Each campaign lasted approximately four weeks and included 80 to 100 seismic stations with stations spaced between 100 and 400 meters apart. Each campaign also included several small dense seismic arrays. Two types of seismic stations were deployed including FairfieldNodal ZLand 3C All-in-One seismometers and Geospace 3C GS-ONE geophone paired with GSX3 and GSX4 dataloggers. This dataset includes ~ 4 TB of three-component continuously recorded seismic data in the miniseed format data from both campaigns as well as a readme file for the data structure.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Surface Seismic Monitoring of Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site (HFTS) in the Midland Basin, Texas

Low-frequency seismic events of long duration were recorded by a surface array of 48, 3-component geophones during the fracture stimulation of two offset horizontal wells in the Middle Wolfcamp Formation (8000-8100 ft. below the geophone array) at the Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site (HFTS) in Reagan County, TX. Each recorded event was approximately 5-10 seconds long, with no clear first wave arrival; the seismic energy was largely visible on the vertical component suggesting that the events are dominated by P waves. A finite temporal moveout was observed across the seismic network in event arrival times indicating a causal relationship with the local source of deformation. The low-frequency seismic events observed in this study can be distinguished from the more commonly known microseismic events by their: 1) emergent waveform, 2) lack of clear P wave and S wave arrivals, 3) longer duration (few seconds), and 4) lower-frequency energy content (10-60 Hz). Previous researchers have observed similar low-frequency, long duration events in conjunction with the hydraulic fracturing of hydrocarbon reservoirs and have referred to them as long-period, long-duration (LPLD) events in the literature. LPLD events may be important to a comprehensive understanding of fracture stimulation because these events are thought to represent: 1) movement along pre-existing discontinuities such as bedding planes and fractures/faults, 2) deformation of ductile rocks with high clay content, and 3) the jerky tensile opening of hydraulic fractures. LPLD events resulting from slow shear-slip on faults and fractures of relatively larger dimension or rupture in the clay rich rock are collectively referred to as slow-slip seismicity, which was first observed in tectonic and volcanic settings, areas with high pore pressure like hydraulically fractured reservoirs. Because LPLDs are thought to represent deformation mechanisms not captured by microseismic analysis (which dominantly indicate shear failure of brittle rock), we believe that incorporating LPLD events into a new methodology for delimiting stimulated reservoir volume might improve predictions of well production.

Kumar, Abhash↗
DOE OSTI2018

Seismic Models for Near-Surface Explosion Yield Estimation in Alluvium and Sedimentary Rock

Seismic ground-motion data provide valuable constraints on explosion characteristics, such as yield and height-of-burst/depth-of-burial (HOB/DOB). In this study, we investigate a range of seismic amplitude features and their efficacy in minimizing errors associated with yield estimation. Using a set of explosion recordings from experiments conducted in alluvium and sedimentary rock geologies, we investigated the effectiveness of three different seismic feature types over a range of different frequencies. Using both velocity and displacement data, we investigated the zero-to-peak (ZTP) amplitude of the first arriving P wave, the peak-to-peak (PTP) amplitude of the first arriving P wave, and the P rms amplitude over various time windows starting with the P wave. These three basic features were measured on both vertical component only data and the vertical–radial vector sum. In total, there were 56 different combinations investigated. Our seismic models combine the effects of scaled range and scaled HOB/DOB on the observed seismic features. The results show that the vertical–radial vector sum of the ZTP amplitudes measured on displacement seismograms most consistently produce models with the smallest difference between predicted amplitude values and observed amplitude values when accounting for both alluvium and sedimentary rock lithology. The improvement in fit to the data when incorporating the difference in source lithology is significant. Lastly, if an alluvium lithology is assumed for a sedimentary rock lithology, the difference in yield could be up to ~3.0 times the appropriate yield in the far field.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dense Seismic Array Study of a Legacy Underground Nuclear Test at the Nevada National Security Site

The complex postdetonation geologic structures that form after an underground nuclear explosion are difficult to constrain because increased heterogeneity around the damage zone affects seismic waves that propagate through the explosion site. Generally, a vertical rubble-filled structure known as a chimney is formed after an underground nuclear explosion that is composed of debris that falls into the subsurface cavity generated by the explosion. Compared with chimneys that collapse fully, leaving a surface crater, partially collapsed chimneys can have remnant subsurface cavities left in place above collapsed rubble. The 1964 nuclear test HADDOCK, conducted at the Nevada test site (now the Nevada National Security Site), formed a partially collapsed chimney with no surface crater. Understanding the subsurface structure of these features has significant national security applications, such as aiding the study of suspected underground nuclear explosions under a treaty verification. In this study, we investigated the subsurface architecture of the HADDOCK legacy nuclear test using hybrid 2D–3D active source seismic reflection and refraction data. The seismic data were acquired using 275 survey shots from the Seismic Hammer (a 13,000 kg weight drop) and 65 survey shots from a smaller accelerated weight drop, both recorded by ~1000 three-component 5 Hz geophones. First-arrival, P-wave tomographic modeling shows a low-velocity anomaly at ~200 m depth, likely an air-filled cavity caused by partial collapse of the rock column into the temporary postdetonation cavity. A high-velocity anomaly between 20 and 60 m depth represents spall-related compaction of the shallow alluvium. Hints of low velocities are also present near the burial depth (~364 m). The reflection seismic data show a prominent subhorizontal reflector at ~300 m depth, a short-curved reflector at ~200 m, and a high-amplitude reflector at ~50 m depth. Comparisons of the reflection sections to synthetic data and borehole stratigraphy suggest that these features correspond to the alluvium–tuff contact, the partial collapse cavity, and the spalled layer, respectively.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Small Seismic Events in Oklahoma Detected and Located by Machine Learning–Based Models

A complete earthquake catalog is essential to understand earthquake nucleation and fault stress. Following the Gutenberg–Richter law, smaller, unseen seismic events dominate the earthquake catalog and are invaluable for revealing the fault state. The published earthquake catalogs, however, typically miss a significant number of small earthquakes. Part of the reason is due to a limitation of conventional algorithms, which can hardly extract small signals from background noise in a reliable and efficient way. To address this challenge, we utilized a machine learning method and developed new models to detect and locate seismic events. These models are efficient in processing a large amount of seismic data and extracting small seismic events. We applied our method to seismic data in Oklahoma, United States, and detected ~14 times more earthquakes compared with the standard Oklahoma Geological Survey catalog. The rich information contained in the new catalog helps better understand the induced earthquakes in Oklahoma.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bayesian Inference for the Seismic Moment Tensor Using Regional Waveforms and Teleseismic- P Polarities with a Data-Derived Distribution of Velocity Models and Source Locations

The largest source of uncertainty in any source inversion is the velocity model used in the transfer function that relates observed ground motion to the seismic moment tensor. However, standard inverse procedure often does not quantify uncertainty in the seismic moment tensor due to error in the Green’s functions from uncertain event location and Earth structure. Here, we incorporate this uncertainty into an estimation of the seismic moment tensor using a data-derived distribution of velocity models based on complementary geophysical data sets, including thickness constraints, velocity profiles, gravity data, surface-wave group velocities, and regional body-wave travel times. The data-derived distribution of velocity models is then used as a prior distribution of Green’s functions for use in Bayesian inference of an unknown seismic moment tensor using regional and teleseismic-P waveforms. The use of multiple data sets is important for gaining resolution to different components of the moment tensor. The combined likelihood is estimated using data-specific error models and the posterior of the seismic moment tensor is estimated and interpreted in terms of the most probable source type.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Toward Robust and Routine Determination of Mw for Small Earthquakes: Application to the 2020 Mw 5.7 Magna, Utah, Seismic Sequence

To better characterize seismic hazard, particularly, for induced seismicity, there is an increasing interest in methods to estimate moment magnitude (M w ) for small earthquakes. M w is generally preferred over other magnitude types, but, it is difficult to estimate M w for earthquakes with local magnitude (M L ) <3-3.5, using conventional moment tensor (MT) inversion. The 2020 M ww 5.7 Magna, Utah, seismic sequence provides an opportunity to illustrate and evaluate the value of spectral methods for this purpose. Starting with a high-quality seismic catalog of 2103 earthquakes (M L <5.6), we estimate M w using two independent spectral methods—one based on direct waves, yielding M w,direct , and the other based on coda waves, yielding M w,coda . For the direct-wave method, we present a non-parametric (NP) inversion scheme that solves for apparent geometrical spreading, G(R), and site effects (S), similar to other NP procedures that have been used to calibrate regional M L scales. The NP inversion is constrained using M ws derived from MTs for nine events in the Magna sequence. We recover statistically robust and physically reasonable G(R) and S and compute M w,direct for 635 Magna earthquakes down to M L 0.7. For the coda-wave method, we consider two separate calibration schemes involving previous MT solutions and compute M w,coda for 311 earthquakes down to M L 1.0. For 280 of the events that were processed with both methods—M w,direct and M w,coda —are strongly correlated (r = 0.98), with a mean difference of only 0.05. We compare M w,direct and M w,coda with M L and find reasonably good agreement for M L <3.6 with the theoretically predicted relationship of M w =(2/3)M L +C, in which C is a regional constant. Our results imply that seismic network operators can use spectral-based M w estimates to replace M L estimates for events with M L ≥1.0, and possibly smaller. The main requirement is the existence of a small number of MT solutions for calibration purposes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exploring Continuous Seismic Data at an Industry Facility Using Unsupervised Machine Learning

Seismic data recorded at industrial sites contain valuable information on anthropogenic activities. With advances in machine learning and computing power, new opportunities have emerged to explore the seismic wavefield in these complex environments. We applied two unsupervised machine learning algorithms to analyze continuous seismic data collected from an industrial facility in Texas, United States. The Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection for Dimension Reduction algorithm was used to reduce the dimensionality of the data and generate 2D embeddings. Then, the Hierarchical Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise method was employed to automatically group these embeddings into distinct signal clusters. Our analysis of over 1400 hr (around 59 days) of continuous seismic data revealed five and seven signal clusters at two separate stations. At both stations, we identified clusters associated with background noise and vehicle traffic, with the latter’s temporal patterns aligning closely with the facility’s work schedule. Furthermore, the algorithms detected signal clusters from unknown sources and underline the ability of unsupervised machine learning for uncovering previously unrecognized patterns. Our analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of unsupervised approaches in examining continuous seismic data without requiring prior knowledge or pre-existing labels.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Seismic Recovery of Acoustic Source Height During the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule Re-Entry

Controlled hypersonic reentries with well‐constrained trajectories are exceedingly rare, yet they provide valuable reference cases for validating geophysical source characterization methods applicable to bolides and space debris. The 24 September 2023 re‐entry of the OSIRIS‐REx Sample Return Capsule, the first interplanetary capsule to return over the contiguous United States in nearly two decades, presented such an opportunity. Here, we present seismic observations of this event recorded at 16 stations across three sites at ground distances of 7–20 km from the trajectory. Using eigenray tracing through ground‐to‐space atmospheric specifications, we invert picked acoustic‐to‐seismic travel times for effective shock‐generated acoustic source altitudes along the known trajectory. The method recovers source heights of 57.9–59.5 km with travel‐time residuals <1 s across all stations. The seismic‐derived source heights, when compared at their along‐track positions, fall within the range of previously published infrasound‐derived heights for the corresponding trajectory segment, with intermethod differences comparable with the timing‐based uncertainty. These results suggest that air‐to‐ground coupling does not introduce a resolvable systematic timing bias in the picked near‐field seismic arrivals, supporting seismic observations as a complementary tool for altitude estimation of bolides, re‐entry vehicles, and other hypersonic atmospheric sources.

Silber, Elizabeth Allaryce [Sandia National Labora↗
DOE OSTI2019

Long-Period, Long-Duration Seismic Events and Their Probable Role in Reservoir Stimulation and Stage Productivity

Hydraulic fracturing is a well-established technique to extract gas or liquid hydrocarbons from low-permeability formations like shale and tight gas reservoirs. Diffusion of hydrofracturing fluid outward from the stimulated fractures into the target formation produces slip across preexisting fractures and other discontinuities in the rock. Microseismic events recorded by downhole seismic monitoring arrays are a manifestation of associated deformation. Recent investigations suggest that the total cumulative seismic moment of microearthquakes during hydraulic fracturing is only a small portion of the total seismic energy release expected for the fluid volume injected into the formation. These observations suggest that other sources of energy release (such as inelastic deformation), contemporaneous with microseismicity, should be considered as relevant to the hydraulic fracturing process. Recent observations on long period, long duration (LPLD) seismic events suggest that slow slip emission along weaknesses that are misaligned with respect to the present-day stress field are likely an important mechanism of deformation and should be better understood and quantified in reservoir stimulations. In Morgantown, West Virginia, we carried out seismic monitoring of hydraulic fracturing activity using an array of five broadband, three-component surface seismometers. Using this network, we identified 89 high-amplitude, impulsive events and 436 long period, long duration (LPLD) events, with highly emergent waveform characteristics. In these interpreted LPLD events, we observed a significant concentration of energy in the 0.8-3 Hz frequency range. During hydraulic fracturing, LPLD events were found to occur most frequently when the pumping pressure and rate were at or near maximum values. As the main purpose of hydraulic fracturing is to stimulate oil and gas production from the less permeable reservoir, we compared the relative production contribution per stage to the frequency of occurrence of suspected LPLD events. We found positive correlation between the frequency of LPLD events and stage-by-stage gas production, highlighting the potential contribution of slow deformation processes and its effectiveness in the reservoir stimulation.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for Iraq

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessments (PSHA) form the basis for most contemporary seismic provisions in building codes around the world. The current building code of Iraq was published in 1997. An update to this edition is in the process of being released. However, there are no national PSHA studies in Iraq for the new building code to refer to for seismic loading in terms of spectral accelerations. As an interim solution, the new draft building code was considering to refer to PSHA results produced in the late 1990s as part of the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP; Giardini et al., 1999). However these results are: a) more than 15 years outdated, b) PGA-based only, necessitating rough conversion factors to calculate spectral accelerations at 0.3s and 1.0s for seismic design, and c) at a probability level of 10% chance of exceedance in 50 years, not the 2% that the building code requires. Hence there is a pressing need for a new, updated PSHA for Iraq.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗