In a seismic refraction survey, I noticed some geophones showing polarity inversion for some shots. For the rest, the situation is normal. What could be the reason for that? is it an equipment problem?
Seismic refraction surveys may have polarity inversions for a variety of reasons. The existence of near-surface layers with low velocity and high attenuation is one of the most frequent reasons. The signal may experience a phase change when a seismic wave passes through these layers, which results in polarity inversion.
Incorrect geophone orientation may also result in polarity inversion in seismic refraction investigations. Geophones may create inverted signals if they are not oriented correctly since they are sensitive to the direction of the incoming wave. For instance, if the geophones are not correctly aligned with the anticipated direction of the oncoming wave, this may occur.
Incorrect wiring or defective amplifiers are only two examples of equipment issues that might result in polarity inversion. Polarity inversion may occur if the geophone signal is improperly amplified or handled.
Finally, mistakes in data processing may potentially result in polarity inversion. There are many approaches to analyse seismic data to enhance the signal quality and eliminate unwanted noise. Polarity inversion, however, may occur if the processing is not done properly.
To handle polarity inversions in seismic refraction surveys, it is critical to thoroughly analyse the data and pinpoint the source of the issue. This might include reorienting the geophones, modifying the equipment settings, or switching data processing techniques. The quality and accuracy of seismic data may be enhanced by appropriately treating polarity inversions, resulting to more trustworthy interpretations and better exploration results.
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