An autonomous surface vehicle, known as a wave glider, was used to record refracted and reflected signals from a seismic source penetrating the shallow subsurface. An integrated survey system consisting of a wave gilder and a human-operated source vessel was deployed. These survey systems are used to acquire wide-offset seismic survey data from specific areas, such as offshore structures. The wave gliders can collect seismic refraction and reflection data, which can be used to estimate subsurface information, e.g., acoustic wave velocity and subsurface structure. We processed raw data collected by a receiver equipped with the wave glider and used the relationship between travel time and offset distance to calculate the velocities of shallow sedimentary deposits and the acoustic basement. The velocities of the sedimentary deposits and basement were estimated to be 1557 and 3507 m/s, respectively. We then overlaid the velocities on subsurface data measured using a single-channel streamer. Our results indicate that unmanned equipment can be used for ocean exploration to aid offshore energy development.
The applicability of refraction survey has been tested using a wave glider widely used in long-term ocean observations around the world. To record seismic refractions, a single channel streamer with metal weight and a seismic recording system were mounted on the wave glider. We used GPS precise time synchronization signal and radio frequency (RF) communication to synchronize shot and recorder triggers and to control acquired data quality in real time. When the wave glider is positioned close to the set point, a 2,000 J sparker is exploded along the designed track at 2 second intervals. Through the test survey, we were able to successfully acquire refractions from the subsurface.
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