Case Study of the Shallow Seismic Refraction Survey using Wave Glider

Abstract

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.

Integrated Offshore Seismic Survey Using an Unmanned Wave Glider

“…The water depth is approximately 20 m, and the seafloor topography has been flattened via dredging to accommodate seaways and the nearby Busan City port. The seafloor is clearly divided into two layers [21,24]. The port has a high volume of cargo traffic and fishing ships and is being actively developed for energy infrastructure.…”

“…The port has a high volume of cargo traffic and fishing ships and is being actively developed for energy infrastructure. Therefore, numerous survey projects have been conducted to explore the acoustic basement of the research area [21,24,25].…”

“…Figure 4. Photographs of (a) the wave glider (WG) equipped with a single-channel streamer, (b) the launch of the WG, (c) tracking and monitoring the position of the WG via the software manufacturer's webpage, and (d) real-time quality-control monitoring of seismic data via a remote connection (modified from[24]). …”