• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.129-139
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• 2022

Analog-based streamers for ultra-high-resolution seismic surveys are capable of additional noise ingress in water, but the specifications cannot be expanded through interconnections. Foreign-produced digital streamers have been introduced and used primarily at domestic research institutes; however, the cost is high and smooth maintenance is challenging. This study investigates the localization of ultra-high-resolution digital streamers capable of high-resolution imaging of a geological structure. A digital streamer capable of 24-bit, 10 kHz digital sampling of up to 64 channel data was developed through research and development. Various quantitative specifications of the system were designed and developed close to the benchmark model, Geometrics' GeoEel streamer, and the number of modules that make up the system was drastically reduced, reducing development costs and making it easier to use. The field applicability of the developed streamer system was evaluated in an in situ experiment conducted in the waters around the Port of Yeong-il Bay in Pohang in April 2022.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.52-61
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• 2023

The use of ultra-high-resolution (UHR) seismic surveys to preceisly characterize coastal and shallow structures have increased recently. UHR surveys derive a spatial resolution of 3.125 m using a high-frequency source (80 Hz to 1 kHz). A digital streamer system is an essential module for acquiring high-quality UHR seismic data. Localization studies have focused on reducing purchase costs and decreasing maintenance periods. Basic performance verification and application tests of the developed streamer have been successfully carried out; however, a comparative analysis with the existing benchmark model was not conducted. In this study, we characterized data obtained by using a developed streamer and a benchmark model simultaneously. Tamhae 2 and auxiliary equipment of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources were used to acquire 2D seismic data, which were analyzed from different perspectives. The data obtained using the developed streamer differed in sensitivity from that obtained using benchmark model by frequency band.However, both type of data had a very high level of similarity in the range corresponding to the central frequency band of the seismic source. However, in the low frequency band below 60 Hz, data obtained using the developed streamer showed a lower signal-to-noise ratio than that obtained using the benchmark model.This lower ratio can hinder the quality in data acquisition using low-frequency sound sources such as cluster air guns. Three causes for this difference were, and streamers developed in future will attempt to reflect on these improvements.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.183-197
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• 2018

In the delineation of geological structures using seismic exploration, it is very important to improve resolution of seismic data as well as accurate velocity model building and subsurface imaging. The resolution of seismic data can be enhanced by employing high-frequency energy sources or by applying deconvolution techniques in data processing. In marine seismic exploration, however, the main reason for degradation of resolution is the loss of specific frequency components due to ghosts. If we remove the ghosts, we can obtain broadband seismic data by avoiding frequency loss, and thus providing high-resolution subsurface images. Although ghosts can be properly filtered out in the data processing step, more effective broadband seismic technologies have been developing through the evolution of seismic instruments and the innovation of survey design. Overseas exploration companies developed brand-new configurations of receivers such as over/under streamer and variable-depth streamer, or ghost removal techniques using dual-sensor streamer to serve high-resolution imaging technologies. Unfortunately, neither broadband seismic instrument nor processing technique has been studied in Korea. In this paper, we introduce fundamental theories and current status of broadband seismic technologies to assist domestic researchers to study those technologies.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2020

The acquisition and processing of long-offset data are essential for imaging deep geological structures in marine seismic surveys. It is challenging to derive an accurate subsurface image by employing conventional data processing to long-offset data owing to the normal moveout (NMO) stretch and non-hyperbolic moveout phenomena induced by seismic anisotropy. In 2017, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources conducted a simultaneous two-dimensional multichannel streamer and ocean-bottom seismic survey using a 5.7-km streamer and an ocean-bottom seismometer to identify the deep geological structure of the Ulleung Basin. Herein, the actual geological subsurface structure was obtained via the sequential iterative updating of the velocity and anisotropic parameters of the long-offset data obtained using a multichannel streamer, and anisotropic prestack Kirchhoff migration was performed using the updated velocity and anisotropic parameters as input parameters. As a result, the reflection energy in the long-offset traces, which showed non-hyperbolic moveout owing to seismic anisotropy, was well aligned horizontally and NMO stretches were also reduced. Thus, a more precise and accurate migrated image was obtained, minimizing the distortion of reflectors and mispositioned reflection energy.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.293-298
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• 2005

In this study, we have developed the high resolution multichannel seismic data acquisition system and shallow marine seismic source. It is easy to operate and handle our source system which utilizes piezoelectric transducer of high electrical power. We have manufactured two 4-channel streamers for multi-channel marine seismic survey. In the recording part, we used 24bits and 8 channel high speed A/D board. Therefore, we could achieve the improvement of data quality and the efficiency of data acquisition. We compared the developed system with the conventional system to demonstrate its field applicability.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.187-194
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• 2005

A PC-based 8-channel seismic system has been developed and applied for bedrock mapping in near shore environment. The system is composed of an analog signal processor and an A/D converter installed on the computer, and a streamer with the group interval of 5 meters. The system is accomplished with a data acquisition program which controls the system and a data processing software. With the PC-based shallow marine seismic survey system high-resolution 2-D marine seismic profiles which have high S/N ratios can be obtained after appropriate data processing.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2014

Due to mechanical failure or geographical accessibility, the seismic data can be partially missed. In addition, it can be coarsely sampled such as crossline of the marine streamer data. This seismic data that irregular sampled and spatial aliased may cause problems during seismic data processing. Accurate and efficient interpolation method can solve this problem. Futhermore, interpolation can save the acquisition cost and time by reducing the number of shots and receivers. Among various interpolation methods, the Matching Pursuit method can be applied to any sampling type which is regular or irregular. However, in case of using sinusoidal basis function, this method has a limitation in spatial aliasing. Therefore, in this study, we have developed wavelet based Matching Pursuit method that uses wavelet instead of sinusoidal function for the improvement of dealiasing performance. In addition, we have improved interpolation speed by using inner product instead of L-2 norm.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.24-45
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• 2002

For the last several decades, high-resolution shallow marine seismic technique has been used for various resources, engineering and geological surveys. Even though the multichannel method is powerful to image subsurface structures, single channel analog survey has been more frequently employed in shallow water exploration, because it is more expedient and economical. To improve the quality of the high-resolution seismic data economically, we acquired digital seismic data using a small air gun, 6 channel streamer and PC-based system, performed data processing and produced high-resolution seismic sections. For many years, such test acquisitions were performed with other studies which have different purposes in the area of off Pohang, Yellow Sea and Gyeonggi-bay. Basic data processing was applied to the acquired data and the processing sequence included gain recovery, deconvolution, filtering, normal moveout, static corrections, CMP gathering and stacking. Examples of digitally processed sections were shown and compared with analog sections. Digital seismic sections have a much higher resolution after data processing. The results of acquisition and processing show that the high-resolution shallow marine seismic surveys using a small air gun, 6 channel streamer and PC-based system may be an effective way to image shallow subsurface structures precisely.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2009

In April 2008, KIGAM carried out an ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) survey in the central Ulleung Basin where strong bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) were revealed from previous surveys and some gas-hydrate samples were retrieved by direct sampling. The purpose of this survey is to estimate the velocity structure near the BSR in the gas hydrate prospect area using wide-angle seismic data recorded on the ocean-bottom seismometers. Along with the OBS survey, a 2-D seismic survey was performed whereby stratigraphic and preliminary velocity information was obtained. Two methods were applied to wide-angle data for estimating P wave velocity; one is velocity analysis in the $\tau$-p domain and the other is seismic traveltime inversion. A 1-D interval velocity profile was obtained by the first method, which was refined to layered velocity structure by the latter method. A layer stripping method was adopted for modeling and inversion. All velocity profiles at each OBS site clearly show velocity reversal at BSR depths due to the presence of gas hydrates. In addition, we could confirm high velocity in the column/chimney structure.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.46-66
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• 2002

High-resolution multichannel seismic data were collected in the coastal area near the Gori nuclear power plant to investigate Quaternary fault pattern and timing. A 12 channel streamer, a sparker, and a portable recorder were used for data acquisition. Because the group interval of the streamer was 6.25 m and the sparker can generate acoustic waves with the frequency content of up to 500 Hz, the data show a significant improvement both in horizontal and vertical resolution. The area surveyed is covered with 30-40 m thick Holocene sediments that constitute the mud belt along the southeastern coast of Korea. The survey area is characterized by the well discriminated Pleistocene and Holocene boundary and shallow gas-charged zones. A number of Quaternary faults were found in the sediment column, that are nearly vertical and extend north-south. The Quaternary faults, arranged at a spacing of a few hundred meters, suggest that they were formed in response to compression, although some of them reveal extensional characteristics. Locally, faults disrupt Incised-channel fills that are interpreted to have formed in the early stage of transgression after the beginning of the Holocene. Seismic sections suggest that shallow gas in the mud belt sediments made its way upward through the fractured fault planes. The tectonism responsible for the opening of the East Sea has not persisted since the late Miocene, but vigorous Quaternary faulting activity in the vicinity of the southeastern Korean Peninsula indicates that tectonic stability has yet to be achieved in this region underlain by the hotter than normal mantle.