Statistically improved refraction statics ? criteria for success

Abstract

In recent years techniques have been developed for improving the quality of static corrections which take advantage of the current high fold of surface coverage to apply statistical methods in the analysis of refracted arrivals. For these techniques to work effectively close attention needs to be paid to certain elements of the field work. The techniques cannot compensate for poor practice or inappropriate field survey design. There have been several instances where the new techniques have been tried on old data where, for instance, the fold of cover was low, the observer's reports were inadequate or lost, uphole times were unreliable or missing. Not surprisingly these attempts did not always end in improvements. As a result many geophysicists became sceptical about the relevance of the method. It is now incumbent upon its advocates to demonstrate that the quality of refraction statics can exceed or at least equal those calculated in the traditional manner, and to pinpoint specific problem areas.