Transmitter/Receiver Vs.

Geophones
Seismic Reflection
• One source
• Lots of geophones
• Stacking and Velocity
performed in one step
• Moveout
• Peak Power
GPR
• One source (Transmitter)
• One receiver
• Both are antennas
• Stacking performed by
repeating the EM pulse
• Moveout
• Peak Power
 GPR Travel Time Equation

𝟐
𝒂
𝟐 𝒂
𝒅= 𝒉𝟐 + +𝒙 𝒅𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝟐 𝒉𝟐 + 𝒙−
𝟐 𝟐

𝒂 𝟐
𝒅 𝒉𝟐 + 𝟐
𝑻= Two Way Travel Time = 𝟐
𝒗 𝒗𝟏
 Radar Velocity
• In seismic reflection, velocity is found during stacking from
the moveout patterns
• In GPR, we only have one receiver, so we need a different
method
• Fixed offset survey (i.e. a normal survey)
• Look for point sources (hyperbolas)
• Common Midpoint Survey (CMP)
• Get reflections off of a horizontal reflector
• Increase antenna spacing, repeat
• Produces a hyperbola
Common Midpoint Surveying
 GPR Travel Time Equation

𝟐
𝒂
𝟐 𝒂
𝒅= 𝒉𝟐 + +𝒙 𝒅𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝟐 𝒉𝟐 + 𝒙−
𝟐 𝟐

𝒂 𝟐
𝒅 𝒉𝟐 + 𝟐
𝑻= Two Way Travel Time = 𝟐
𝒗 𝒗𝟏
Common Midpoint Surveying
 Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys
• In a regular, fixed offset survey, radar velocity can be
determined only if diffraction hyperbolas are encountered
• Typically point sources
 Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys

2
𝑎
𝑑1 = ℎ2 + +𝑥 𝑎 2
𝑎 2
2 ℎ2 + ℎ2
2 +𝑥 + + 𝑥− 2
𝑇𝑊𝑇 =
2 𝑣1
𝑎
𝑑2 = ℎ2 + 𝑥−
2
Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys
 Source Wave Properties
Ground-Penetrating Radar
(GPR)
Electromagnetic Waves
• Microwaves / Radio Waves
• Velocity (in air)≈ 3x105 km/s
• I.e. the speed of light (0.3 m/ns)
• Slower in most geologic
materials (0.02 – 0.2 m/ns)
• Depends on electromagnetic
properties of medium
• Frequency ≈ 10-2000 MHz
• Depends on antenna
• Wavelength ≈ 30-1.5x10-8 m
Seismic Surveys
(Refraction/Reflection)
Seismic Waves
• P, S, R, L waves
• Velocity ≈ 0.4-14 km/s
• Depends on mechanical
properties of medium (elastic
moduli and density)
• Frequency = 0.1-100 Hz
• Depends on source
• Wavelength = 140-4,000 m
 GPR Frequency Comparison
• Higher Frequency
• Better detail
• Less penetration (penetration also depends on material)
 Attenuation Comparison
Ground-Penetrating Radar Seismic Surveys
(GPR) (Refraction/Reflection)
Electromagnetic Waves Seismic Waves
• Decay Exponentially with • Decay Exponentially with
distance from source distance from source
• Spherical spreading • Spherical spreading
• Can’t penetrate through • Can’t penetrate through
electrically conductive inelastic layers
materials • Fluids
• Metals/Metallic Ores • Fault/Fracture Zones
• Saltwater • Scatter waves
• Clays/Muds
Attenuation
 What Causes a Reflection?
Ground-Penetrating Radar Seismic Surveys
(GPR) (Refraction/Reflection)
Electromagnetic Waves Seismic Waves
• Change in relative permittivity • Change in acoustic impedance
𝒄 Acoustic Impedance = ρv
𝒗𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒓 =
ℇ𝒓 arefl  2 v2  1v1
R 
c = speed of light aincid  2 v2  1v1
εr = Relative Permittivity

Relative Permittivity: a measure of the ability of a

material to store a charge when an electric field is applied

Reflection Coefficient: 𝑹 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍 ℇ𝟐 − ℇ𝟏 𝒗𝟐 − 𝒗𝟏

𝑮𝑷𝑹 = = =
𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒅 ℇ𝟐 + ℇ𝟏 𝒗𝟐 + 𝒗𝟏
 Visualization of Data
• Identical to seismic reflection
• Wiggle traces
• Variable Area
• Variable Density