The delineation of narrow low velocity zones with the seismic refraction method

Abstract

The lateral resolution of structure and seismic velocity: There has been an historical trend of seismic reflection methods gradually replacing seismic refraction techniques. In petroleum exploration this occurred in the late 1920's?early 1930's. In deep crustal studies, the success of continental reflection profiling programs is now well established. Even the domination by refraction techniques of the shallow environment, such as for geotechnical investigations, groundwater and alluvial mineral exploration, and for weathering corrections for reflection surveys, is currently under challenge. Recent experimental reflection surveys for very shallow targets (Hunter et al. 1984, 1986) have been quite successful and it is probably only a matter of time before such surveys become common place.